eTwinning

Design a Blackbird 

In order to show that a vehicle is powered by a propeller, in this project your challenge is to design your own air-propelled car energized by a rubber band. You will work as a team and compete with other international student teams.

Project duration:

The project starts on 10th November 2022 and will end on 12th January 2023.

Requirements:

  • Max width of the car: 30 cm.
  • No other propelling systems are allowed.
  • Each student group will create a plastic bottle air-propelled car energized by rubber band(s).
  • Groups can use any plastic bottle.

What is a Blackbird?

  • Examples of plastic bottle cars:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12Foarp495TqwyO65agouyVuRkPOnr3aH/view?usp=sharing

  • Groups will design and create their own propellers. They are free to test and use other materials.
  • Groups can test the car with different numbers of rubber bands, and they can connect the propeller to different cars and wheels.
  • Groups will test the cars on a racetrack created using wax paper (smooth) and on a horizontal surface.
  • All groups are expected to complete a final design report and record a 3–5-minute video to show how far (measure the straight line from the start and finish) their car travels. Groups will describe the challenges they faced and how they solved them in the video.

Evaluation:

  • Designs will be judged according to:
    • distance covered –  20 pts (max)
    • the general quality of the car (e.g. stability, elegancy(looks), robustness) –  20 pts (max)
    • the design process (e.g. design steps, argumentation, critical thinking) –  20 pts (max)
    • the students’ explanation of their design (video) – 20 pts (max)
    • use of scientific concepts and students’ reasoning (design report) –  20 pts (max)
  • Groups will compete based on age group (elementary, lower secondary and upper secondary school).

Steps:

Step 1: Find out what a propeller is and how it works.

(Have you ever seen a propeller-driven vehicle? Do you know how they work?)

Step 2: Try to find examples of vehicles propelled by a propeller.

(Do you believe it is possible to move a car using propeller(s)? How do you construct it?) 

Step 3: Research your problem by using various resources (e.g. books, journals, articles, the Internet, etc.) andshare ideas within your team of how you would build your car.

Step 4:  Choose within your team what would be the option. How can you combine elements of the different ideas?

Step 5: Plan how to build your car, and what materials and tools you need. Have the plan checked by your teacher.

Step 6: Build your car and propeller(s) and connect them. Describe how you build it.

Step 7: When do you think your car works properly? Test your blackbird and improve it when needed/ possible.

Step 8: Demonstrate your car in a short movie (3-5 min). Review other design products and discuss why some blackbirds were able to go further. Discuss how you can make this product better in the future.

 In order to show that a vehicle is powered by a propeller, in this project your challenge is to design your own air-propelled car energized by a rubber band. You will work as a team and compete with other international student teams. If you would like to join us please join us through https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/tr/networking/projects/133182. You can contact us by erkan.ozcan@deu.edu.tr