0408-ABED_1: Final Assessment: Building Devices with Simple Machines

How can simple machines make working and moving easier?

Using Simple Machines to Build Devices that Move

Here is your chance to show how well you understand the essential question of this unit:

"How do simple machines work to build devices that make working and moving easier?"

Imagine you are an editor of a hobby magazine for machine builders. You are on the editorial team in charge of the "Help" column where readers having problems with building their machines can ask questions or pose challenges. Your job is to write answers that solve the problems or challenges sent by readers of the magazine.

Instructions

The editorial team has produced a "choice board" for editors to choose what reader questions and challenges they would like to answer. You have first choice from the choice board, and you need to select

three questions or challenges in single row or column

OR

four questions or challenges in the corners
Whatever your choices, you must provide clear answers that demonstrate you understand the questions or challenges. If you include opinion in any answer, be sure to support it with fact and logical argument.
Use the rubric to make sure that you have included all of the necessary components.
When you have completed the Assessment, submit it to your teacher using the "Add submission" button below.

Rubric

Click here to download the Using Simple Machines to Build Devices that Move Choice Board Rubric. Read this carefully so that you understand the expectations of this assessment.

Choice Board

Remember

I am supposed to build examples of the three classes of levers for a school project, but I'm confused. How do I tell the classes of levers apart?

Explain

My son and I built a small car from a wood box, axles, and small bicycle wheels. We built the car so that he could race it, but when we took the car to the racetrack, they said that we were not allowed to race the car because it had no control systems, so it was unsafe. What are control systems? What do we need to add to the car to make it safe?

Analyze

I am trying to build a catapult, but it doesn't work properly. It throws things only a very short distance. I have included a picture; the red arrow is where I apply the effort force.

What am I doing wrong, and how do I fix the problem?

Explain and Apply

I have built a model ship and I cannot decide what type of force I should use to make the ship move. Can you explain the difference between elastic, wind, water, gravity, motor, and direct applied forces? And could you suggest which one I should choose, and why?

Wild Card

Write your own question. This requires teacher approval before you answer it.

Create

I work in a warehouse, and my boss wants me to figure out a way to move heavy boxes from one end of the warehouse to the other. He wants two options, using wheels or rollers. Can you design two solutions for me?

Analyze and Apply

I am building a model airplane that has two propellers, one on each wing. Each propeller has a gear on it. My problem is that the airplane has only one motor in the middle of the plane to power both propellers.

Can you explain how I can connect the motor to both propellers?

Understand

For a school project, I have to build a vehicle that can travel by itself without being pushed. My problem is that I do not understand the difference between stored energy and energy of motion. Can you explain the difference, and give me an example of each?

Apply

I have four friends in my group and we are building an elastic-powered airplane. We decided to get together and brainstorm ideas, but we do not know what to do next. What steps should we take so that our group designs and builds the best possible elastic-powered airplane?

When you have completed the Assessment, submit it to your teacher using the "Add submission" button below.