“In doing it (the PBL), I realized I was covering more material in a shorter amount of time because the kids were into it. They were wanting to learn, and they were wanting to do it.”
SHOW NOTES
Josh and Andrea continue the PBL Project Blitz series where once a month, they highlight a PBL project by veterans in the PBL classroom.
In this installment of the PBL Project Blitz, Josh and Andrea chat with Rhonda Adamson about a Middle School Math and Science project she did at Decatur Schools in Indianapolis, IN. Lining up with the annual Indy 500 race in Indianapolis, Rhonda’s classes partnered with the Indianapolis Children’s Museum to create a Hot Wheels: Race to Win exhibit to teach younger students about force and other ideas relevant to race cars. Integrating science standards such as forces in motion and math standards such as scale, Rhonda’s classes created their own Hot Wheels displays for the exhibit, which they got to present to younger students in Indianapolis during race week. As a popular toy, this project was a fun way for kids to learn and understand the application of these standards, and it is one Rhonda says has stuck with these students even years after completion.
School: Decatur Middle School-Indianapolis, IN | Twitter: @MSDDecatur
PBL UNIT OVERVIEW
PBL Unit Name: Twisted Track
Grade: Middle School
Subject: Math & Science
Standards: Force & Motion
Summary: Students will design a scale version of a race track to collaborate with the Indianapolis Children’s Museum’s Hot Wheels Racing exhibit. The Exhibit will be opening in May and will have a racing theme. The Children’s Museum has asked that our students create original race tracks that can be used with Hot Wheels. They want the students to help facilitate the education days in May. The students who are chosen will go to the museum and demonstrate using their original race track, how a race car’s speed, direction, and shape have an impact on its performance. They will also discuss how scale is used in order to design objects to be proportionally correct in size. The students also have an enrichment opportunity of creating their own model race car that would have optimal performance on their race track. If selected their model car would be printed in the school’s 3-D printer to be used during their demonstration.
Authentic Problem: Hot Wheels Race to Win Exhibit
Driving Question: How do we design and build a model race track to demonstrate the different forces that act on a car during a race?
Entry Event: Letter from Children’s Museum
Rubric: Hot Wheels Exhibit Rubric
Community Partners: Indianapolis Children’s Museum
Student End Product: Hot Wheels: Race to Win Exhibit
Students presenting their Hot Wheels Exhibit at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum.
Stay tuned for more awesome projects as the PBL Project Blitz series continues every month!
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