COMPLEX PROBLEMS, SIMPLE MACHINES

Activity # 2 - Challenges
Approximate Time Required 3 hours over 2 days

Challenge Task
After students have completed previous activities, they are ready for
more in-depth complex problems. Students should keep in mind what
they have experienced so far and follow the same guidelines. They
should choose one of the four challenges. Student learning and competencies
parallel learning in the other activities with similar tasks.

Materials
Per Class Per student Per group of students
Up to the discretion of
students

Constructivist Activity Steps

Role of Teacher Role of Student
Engage Students are presented with four challenges:
Challenge #1: You have been given the assignment of
creating a device that can carry toxic waste up a slope and
deposit it at a specific site. The waste is contained within
an unopened pop can.
Challenge #2: As an engineer you have been asked to
design a drawbridge which allows vehicles to cross over and
boats to travel under it. The width of the river is 50cm the
bridge must support a mass of 500g.
Teacher's Note: Bridges should be designed in such a
fashion that they can be moved around the classroom if
necessary.
Challenge #3: You have been hired to design a game for an
amusement park. The object of the game is to launch a
water balloon and attempt to hit a rubber duck floating in a
pond. The balloon isfilledwith100mL of water and the duck
pond is 3 meters away.
Challenge #4: You have been hired by World Vision to help
build wells in Africa. The well site is already drilled at a
depth of 3 meters. Your job is to createa device to enable
residents to lift water from that depth to the surface.
Individual Ask students to pick a challenge and the plan their device Pick a challenge. Create a
Predictions and prepare drawings of what they will look like. plan to build the device
and prepare a drawing of
what it will look like.

Group Place students in groups according to the Evaluate the plan of each group member and
predictions challenge they chose. Ask students to choose one they think will work best. Place
evaluate the plan of each group member the plan of this device in their logbooks.
and to choose one they think will work
best.
Activity/ Ask groups to build the device they Build the chosen device and test it.
Experiment chose and test it.
Group Ask students to answer the following Answer teacher questions and record answers
discussion questions: Does the device work? What in log book.
works well? What do we need to know
for next time? Tell students to record
the answers to these questions in their
log books.
Group Ask each group to demonstrate their Demonstrate devices to the class and explain
reports device to the class, and to explain how it how they work. Discuss answers to the
why works. Also ask students to discuss their questions discussed in groups. (See above.)
predictions answers to the questions discussed in
were their groups. (See above.)
accurate/
inaccurate

Short Ask students to explain the physics Explain the physics behind your device.
explanation behind their devices.
Apply to Students can perfect their devices.
new
situation

Evaluation Ideas: Teacher and Student

• For evaluation purposes, it is recommended that students have a record of their creation either in
a (digital) photograph, drawing, or the device itself. Their plan should be included in their records.
• This will be an example of the student’s prior knowledge and a good basis for authentic evaluation.
If completing the extension activity it is recommended that another record be collected to
demonstrate the growth in student learning.
• For portfolio purposes, students can include their (digital) photos, plans, and observation charts. A
portfolio provides a clear record of whether students were able to:
• Define the problem (the students’ plan)
• Propose a solution (the students’ plan)
• Implement the proposed solution - build the car
• Assess results - test the device and log observation