Pasta Rovers (Juliana Capra)

Materials needed

• • Various sizes and shapes of pastaLarge Flat lasagna

  • Spaghetti

  • Wagon Wheel

  • Penne or Macaroni tubes

  • Shells

  • Elbows

• Hot Glue Gun and Glue or Quick Dry Tacky Glue

• Scissors

• Markers (for coloring rovers)

• Tape measure (for measuring the distances the rovers travel)

• Timer (to measure time it takes to travel)

• Paper and pen (to record data)

• Large flat board or surface with an incline (to serve as a ramp for the rovers to travel down on)

• Cost sheet for materials (to give to students to help with budget, costs are to be predetermined by the teacher)

Procedure

Engineering challenge: Design a Pasta Rover that travels the fastest and farthest

A. Present Design criteria:

• Use at least 3 different types of pasta

• Secure at least 4 wheels on your rover to help your rover move

• Include at least 1 logo or visual to help identify your rover

• You will be allocated a budget of $60,000,000 to spend on materials for your rover, you are only allowed to spend the money that you have (no borrowing from others!)

• You have 45 minutes to design, build, and test your rover

B. Present Materials cost and explain the budget

C. Students design, build, test, and modify rovers for 45 minutes

D. After part C, the teacher will set up a ramp. Students will then place rovers on top of the ramp at the starting point.

**Student volunteers or adults will be needed to help keep track of

• Time

• Stating line

• Finish line (or the location on the "track" where rovers stop)

Questions

• Which shape of pasta is the most effective for building the body of the rover?

• What design features of the rover help the rover to travel the fastest?

• What design features of the rover help the rover to travel the furthest?

• What is one way that you identified a problem and designed a solution in your rover?

• If you were to create another rover, what would you do differently? Explain

• What science principles could be demonstrated during the process of design, building, and racing the rovers? Explain.

Photos