Why do things sometimes get damaged when they hit each other?
This physical science unit develops science ideas around forces, motion, and energy, like when objects collide. Students will apply these science ideas in an engineering task to design a way to protect an object of their choice. But first, students start with an all too familiar experience, a phone falling to the ground.
It’s hard to describe that feeling after a phone falls and before it’s picked up to be inspected. But relief is common when we realize nothing is broken. On average, Americans continue to break 2 smartphone screens every second. Students start the unit wondering about and describing moments when objects become damaged or not damaged after a collision. Students then draw models and conduct investigations to think about how structures interact as part of a broader system. Those models help students to think about energy and its role in collisions.
Students apply these science ideas in a design challenge to protect an object of their choice. Students test out their designs to collect and analyze their data. Together, they then refine their ideas. For example, students will critique each other’s design solutions, identify trade-offs, and evaluate competing designs to prevent damage from collisions.