NGSS Lesson Planning Template

Grade/ Grade Band: 3-5th grade Topic: Roving the Moon Lesson # __4__ in a series of _6___ lessons
Brief Lesson Description: Now that the astronauts are on the surface of Mars it is important that they are able to move about the planet.
Astronauts will need to drive across the moons surface, carry supplies, travel to outpost, and explore the area.
Performance Expectation(s):
MS-PS3-5 Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is
transferred to or from the object.
MS-ETS1-4 Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an
optimal design can be achieved.

Specific Learning Outcomes: To engage in this engineering challenge, which will have students studying how to design a rover that moves.
The testing is iterative. The students will articulate the aspects of the design that positions the rubber bands so that the rover moves the
further. Students will need to explain their model in terms of kinetic energy changes, transferring the energy from the rubber bands to the
wheels.
Lesson Level Narrative
The crew has landed on Mars and established a base camp. It is time to get to work on the planet and this requires a mode of
transportation. The crew will need to build and use a mars rover to drive across the planets surface, carry supplies, get to areas where they
will need to build their outpost, and explore the area. Your tasks as engineers is to engage in the engineering design process to: build a
rover out of cardboard; figure out how to use rubber bands to spin the wheels; and improve their design based on testing results.
Science & Engineering Practices: Disciplinary Core Ideas: Crosscutting Concepts:
Developing and Using Models to understand PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Energy and Matter
what it takes to produce a vehicle to help Transfer Energy may take different forms,
the astronauts do work. When the motion energy of the in this case this is energy of
rover changes, there is inevitably motion.
Using scientific reasoning some other change in energy at
the same time
Analyzing data from system trials to
determine which design is best for landing ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering
on the surface of Mars Problems
The more precisely a design tasks
Engaging in Argument from Evidence criteria and constraints can be
Student will complete a number defined, the more likely it is that
of trials with their rover and make the designed solution will be
connections between three successful. Specification of
components (wheels, how the constraints includes consideration
rubber bands are set up, and how of scientific principles and other
far individual rovers move). They relevant knowledge that is likely
will use these factors to describe to limit possible solutions
the observable features of the ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions
rover and how this is related to Research on a problem should be
kinetic energy of the object. carried out before beginning to
design the system. Testing a
solution involves investigating
how well it performs under a
range of conditions

Possible Preconceptions/Misconceptions:
Research about forces and motion starts with middle-school age students and their ideas. Younger students will need a great deal of
guidance to connect to the content ideas that are embedded in this lesson. They will need guidance to begin understanding the ideas of
force needed to change motion (speeding up, slowing down or changing the direction of motion of an object). Make sure that you ask
students many questions to get a good understanding about what students think they know about what will make the rover move.
Students may think that the rover is moving because a force in the direction is causing the motion Champagne, A., Gunstone, R., Klopfer, L.
(1985). Effecting changes in cognitive structures among physics students. In West, L. (Ed.), Cognitive structure and conceptual change (pp.
61-90). Students will need to know that forces acting on the rover can occur in opposite directions, and that even when an object isnt
moving the object is not exerting any force. Teaching elementary and young middle schoolers that objects that are not moving can change
may lead them to understand that active and passive objects exert force Minstrell, J. (1982). Explaining the "at rest" condition of an object..
The Physics Teacher, 20, 10-14.

LESSON PLAN 5-E Model

Teacher: Student:
- ask about storyline so far -respond to storyline
- Heavy lifting - Newton's 3 laws:
- Touch down 1) An object in motion stays in motion
- Rovering Mars 2) Acceleration in produced when a force acts on a mass.
- -show sample of rover & questions of how rover can be The greater the mass, the greater the amount of force
used needed.
- What are some important features that you think a rover 3) For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
should have? - Gravity: The force that keeps us down on the surface
-absorbing shock by using differents shock absorbers or else our
astronauts would fall out and the point of it was to have a safe soft
landing for our astronauts.
-Students will answer how they think a rover moves and how we got
it to mars, why we need it to get to mars, and lastly what it is that
the rover will be doing in Mars and what its purpose is.
- respond to rover questions
- wheels
-energy

EXPLORE: Lesson Description How the Lesson Goes/ Safety Rules/ How The Groups Are Made (AMY)
Roving on Mars-- A Mars rover must be able to traverse difficult and varying terrain. Design a rover that will safely travel through sand and
over rocks without damaging itself or its precious cargo.
Goal-- Build a rubber band powered rover that can scramble across the room. The further it goes, the better.
Materials-- cardboard, tape, scissors, straw, mints, pencil, two rubber bands, ruler (?)
Safety Rules-- Just like the marshmallows, we are not going to be eating the mints. Be careful with the scissors and be mindful of the pencil
(its sharp and can hurt your partners!).
Grouping-- teams of 4-5 students per rover.
Steps-- 1) Cut cardboard in half (one piece is the rover body the other will be the wheels) 2) grab the two wheels 3) Fold the uncut piece of
cardboard in thirds and then poke two holes an inch away from the end of the rover (straight across the two folds) 4) Stick the wheels onto
pencil and tape the ends down front part is complete (now we need energy to move) 5) Link two rubber bands together 6) Tie the rubber
band on the pencil) 7) Cut two slits at the rear of the rover and attach the rubber band 8) Tape the straw to the bottom 9) Slide mints onto
the ends of the straw (bend straw and tape to keep in place) 10) Wind up the wheels and show the students how it doesnt move. Its a
prototype.

EXPLAIN: Concepts Explained and Vocabulary Defined: (Santiago)

For this weeks lesson we are going to talk about:
Rovers: Are exploration vehicles that we use to find effective ways to complete a mission. We have sent Rovers to Mars to help us explore
the environment, since we have yet to figure out how to send a person to Mars. Rovers are useful because they are able to perform basic
tasks that could tell us about the environment and better prepare us to send people to the Red Planet. Rovers also allow for us to
significantly reduce the amount of cost and materials that would be needed by people to complete the same tasks.
Prototype- This is a basic design of a device that we can use to explore possible ways to improve or modify to use for our rover mission on
mars. Science Engineers use prototypes to as models and build upon and make modifications they need for their mission. Today we will be
working with a rover prototype and you will get to decide what modifications you can make to create a moving rover
Friction- As we mentioned in the past weeks, friction generates heat and resistance, but this week we will learn that friction also creates
the ability for us to have traction and grip to climb over obstacles such as rocks and lack of friction creates for a smooth surface that will not
be allow us to move because there is no grip to move forward.
Potential Energy- In simple terms kinetic energy is stored energy that we can use to move our rover. Does anyone know where you can
find potential energy? Can you give examples in real world terms.
Kinetic Energy - What does this mean? This type of energy is only present in a moving object. Kinetic Energy is forward movement
backward movement sideway movement. When Potential Energy is released and the Rover moves it is not longer PE but Kinetic Energy

ELABORATE: How The Re-Test Is Introduced/ Possible Modifications: (Gina)

-Real World Application the lesson can relate to: Driving on Earth
-see how it went- what did/did not work
-what changes could make it better/worse?
-extra rubber bands. extra wheels?
-use vocab terms to challenge their experiment
-Is there any technique that you notice really helped and you would continue to use?
-what else could we use?.... as wheels?.... why did we use the mints specifically?
-would there have been any other possible way to make the rover? using the same materials or with different materials?
EVALUATE: Question To Ask To Ensure Students Understand the Concepts (Karina)

Formative Monitoring (Questioning / Discussion):

Ask questions
what do we have to do to make the rover move?
what change when you modify the shape of the wheels?
Summative Assessment (Quiz / Project / Report): what did each material stand for?
Minis =rover exploration devices
squares=rover wheels
pencil=axle
straw=axle
rubber band=gas/fuel/energy
what is friction?
what is potential and kinetic energy?

Elaborate Further / Reflect: Enrichment: