Learning Goals
Students will be able to explain how gravity, friction, mass, and balanced and unbalanced forces affect a pinewood derby vehicle’s speed, distance, and stability using force-and-motion principles.
Students will be able to define measurable performance criteria and design constraints for a gravity-powered pinewood derby vehicle using an engineering design brief.
Students will be able to generate and evaluate multiple vehicle concepts by comparing predicted performance, trade-offs, and evidence in annotated sketches and a decision matrix.
Students will be able to conduct controlled track tests and analyze quantitative speed, travel-time, distance, and stability data to determine how design variables affect motion.
Students will be able to optimize a pinewood derby vehicle by using test data and feedback from classmates and Boy Scouts partners to make and evaluate at least one design revision.
Students will be able to justify design decisions and reflect on persistence, teamwork, and problem-solving using performance evidence from the engineering process.
Products
Pinewood Derby Engineering Design Notebook and Individual Defense
Each student produces a scaffolded notebook containing the kickoff gallery-walk reflection, design brief, multiple annotated concepts, decision matrix, test analysis, revision justification, and final reflection. Each student also gives a brief oral or written defense connecting force-and-motion principles and personal evidence to the team’s final vehicle.
Data-Driven Pinewood Derby Vehicle and Race Exhibition
Each team builds a track-compatible gravity-powered vehicle by evaluating members’ concepts, conducting repeated controlled tests, and completing at least one evidence-based revision with feedback from classmates and Boy Scouts partners. Teams display their data and revision record, deliver an oral defense, and compete in the class race for advancement to the January New Tech Showcase.
No rubric has been generated yet.