C

This week we had students build cars using pieces in their RCX kits. The students then rolled their cars down a ramp and measured how far the car went. We had student redesign and retest their cars after each trial.

We introduced this lesson by discussing simple machines (wheels and axles, and inclined planes) and why they make work easier. We also briefly talked about friction and how it can slow down a car. We talked about how to reduce friction in a car by reducing the rubbing of LEGO pieces against each other. 

 This lesson went really well and fit nicely into the hour we had. The students had a lot of difficulty measuring, which was surprising. I think this lesson was simple enough that the students were really able to grasp the concepts we talked about.