Build a Wind-Powered Car
Provided by: Scientific American|Published on: April 27, 2021
Grades: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Type: Activity - Classroom
Subjects: Engineering
Authors: Science Buddies
Region: Global
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this project, students will build a sail-car and experiment with sails of different sizes and shapes.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Students can use their problem-solving skills to find the best shape and size for their sail to help the car move most efficiently.
Prerequisites
- The materials can be adjusted to remove anything plastic. For example, the wheels could be made from cardboard instead of a plastic bottle cap and the axle can be made using rolled up paper and tape instead of plastic straws.
- Reclaiming cardboard and paper from a recycling bin may be the best choice for finding materials for this project.
Differentiation & Implementation
- You can have students work in pairs or groups.
- Students can research wind energy and other solutions to climate change as an extension project.
This resource is a short article that instructs on how to make a simple sail car out of home craft materials. There are no photos for the step-by-step instructions, but the sail car is simple enough that the instructions are still clear. The resource also provides examples of ways in which to experiment with different sail sizes. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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