Lesson Plan
Course Title: Concepts of Engineering and Technology
Session Title: Wind Powered Car
Performance Objective:
After completing this lesson, students will be able to design and construct a Wind Powered Car,
test the car to determine which designs are most efficient, analyze the relationship between
distance and variables of the car (axle, wheel location, sail size etc.) and document the results
on the Wind Powered Car Test Report.
Specific Objectives:
 Design a wind powered car.
 Apply cause and effect relationships of wheel size, sail size, shape, and axle location
and lubrication that affect a car's performance.
 Students create their own unique wind powered car.
 Apply critical thinking to build the car.
Preparation
TEKS Correlations:
This lesson, as published, correlates to the following TEKS. Any changes/alterations to the
activities may result in the elimination of any or all of the TEKS listed.
Concepts of Engineering and Technology:

130.362 (c)(6)(A)(C)(D)(E)
...identify and describe the fundamental processes needed for a project, including design
and prototype development;
...use problem-solving techniques to develop technological solutions;
...use consistent units for all measurements and computations;
...assess risks and benefits of a design solution.
Interdisciplinary Correlations:
English:

110.44 (b)(6)(A)(B)
…expand vocabulary through wide reading, listening and discussing;
…rely on context to determine meanings of words and phrases such as figurative
language, connotation and denotation of words, analogies, idioms, and technical
vocabulary.

110.44 (b)(7)(H)
…use study strategies such as note taking, outlining, and using study-guide questions to
better understand texts;
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1
Mathematical Models with Applications:

111.36 (c)(M.1)(A)(B)(C)
...compare and analyze various methods for solving a real-life problem;
...select a method to solve a problem, defend the method, and justify the
reasonableness of the results.
Physics:

112.39 (c)(2)(B)(C)(D)(E)
...know that scientific hypotheses are tentative and testable statements that must
be capable of being supported or not supported by observational evidence. Hypotheses
of durable explanatory power which have been tested over a wide variety of conditions
are incorporated into theories;
...know that scientific theories are based on natural and physical phenomena and are
capable of being tested by multiple independent researchers. Unlike hypotheses,
scientific theories are well-established and highly-reliable explanations, but may be
subject to change as new areas of science and new technologies are developed;
...distinguish between scientific hypotheses and scientific theories;
...design and implement investigative procedures, including making observations, asking
well-defined questions, formulating testable hypotheses, identifying variables, selecting
appropriate equipment and technology, and evaluating numerical answers for
reasonableness;

112.39 (c)(3)(A)
...in all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using
empirical evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing,
including examining all sides of scientific evidence of those scientific explanations, so as
to encourage critical thinking by the student;
Teacher Preparation:
Understand how to build a wind powered car and the factors that will ultimately affect the car's
distance. This project relates design, drafting, and physics since students will be considering
basic physics principles.
Instructional Aids:
1. Wind Powered Car PowerPoint presentation
2. Wind Powered Car Test Report for each student
Materials Needed:
1. Paper
2. Pencil
3. Milk Carton
4. Tape
5. Axles
6. Wheels
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2
7. Some
S
type off sail and ma
ast (BE CRE
EATIVE)
Equipme
ent Needed:
1. Computer
C
2. Overhead
O
pro
ojector
3. Electric
E
fan
n: None required.
Learner Preparation
Inttroduction
Introduc
ction (LSI Quadrant I):
SAY: To
oday we are going to design wind po
owered carss.
ASK: Do
oes anyone know any well
w known de
esigns? (havve class sha
are ideas)
SAY: Wind
W
powered
d cars actually exist. In this challeng
ge I'm going to have you develop your
own wind
d powered car and comp
pete againstt your classm
mates.
ASK: Ca
an anyone th
hink of anyth
hing that mig
ght be of imp
portance to cconsider wh
hen designing
your car?
? (let class discuss)
d
SHOW: Wind Powered Car Pow
werPoint presentation.
SAY: No
ow that you know a few key things to
o consider, yyou may beg
gin designin
ng your car.
SHOW: Once stude
ents have finished their cars,
c
allow th
hem to test tthem. Recorrd which car went
the farthe
est.
SAY: This car (the winning
w
car) went
w
the fartthest becausse (and let the class discuss this be
efore
you answ
wer). Teache
er's answer should
s
be similar to this "This car is a well balan
nced car tha
at has
minimal friction
f
comp
pared to the other cars and
a has a m uch greater push force tthan drag fo
orce".
Outline
Outline (LSI
(
Quadra
ant II):
Instructors can use the PowerPo
oint presenta
ation, slides, handouts, a
and note pag
ges in
conjunctiion with the following ou
utline.
MI
Notes
s to Instructtor
Outline
.
gin class dis
scussion
I. Beg
A. Talk about
a
wind powered
p
carrs.
B. What makes a wind powered car unique..
C. What should you consider wh
hen designin
ng
your car?
c
er instigates
Teache
class d
discussion ovver
wind po
owered carss
and wh
hat factors
should be considerred
when d
designing a
wind po
owered car.
hallenge 1
II. Ch
A. Begin
n PowerPoint presentatio
on.
ntation.
B. Walk students thrrough presen
C. Have students be
egin designin
ng their wind
d
powered cars.
Teache
er presents
Wind P
Powered Carr
PowerP
Point for lessson.
Cop
pyright © Texaas Education Agency,
A
2012. A
All rights reserrved.
3
hallenge 1 Test
II. Ch
A. Have students complete theirr cars.
B. Begin testing stud
dent's cars.
C. Recorrd which one
es traveled tthe farthest
D. Why did
d the winniing car win?
?
Teache
er will supervvise
testing to make surre
there’s no foul playy.
Take note of
distancces traveled by
each ca
ar.
Distribu
ute the Wind
d
Powere
ed Car Test
Report for each
studentt.
C
Discussion
IV. Class
A. Have winning car individual/te
eam give a
presen
ntation on why
w they won
n.
B. What factors conttributed to itss
performance?
C. Exam
mine other ca
ars and comp
pare the
differe
ences.
D. Why were
w
these cars
c
slow?
E. Why did
d these carrs travel the farthest?
F. Have students wriite up a repo
ort on why
their car
c performed the way it did.
G. Then have
h
the stu
udents write a paragraph
h
about what they would
w
do diffe
erently if the
ey
were given
g
anothe
er chance.
H. Then have
h
students write a hyypothesis
about what part off the car is th
he biggest
factor in how far itt traveled. (i..e., balance,,
sail siz
ze, wheel loc
cation, bearrings, etc.) - no
wrong
g answer as long as stud
dents have
legitim
mate reason to assume .
er leads a cla
ass
Teache
discusssion. Have
studentts write dow
wn
why ca
ars won/lost,
what fa
actors are most
importa
ant, and wha
at
studentts would do
differen
ntly if given tthe
same cchallenge ag
gain.
onclusion
V. Co
A. Have students
s
turn
n in papers.
B. If there
e is leftover time,
t
have sstudents beg
gin
Challen
nge 3 (New Power
P
Sourcce).
Teache
er states the
ere
is no w
wrong answe
er as
long ass students ha
ave
data an
nd evidence to
supporrt their
assump
ptions and
reasoning.
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pyright © Texaas Education Agency,
A
2012. A
All rights reserrved.
4
Verbal
c
Linguistic
Logical
Mathematic
cal
Visual
Spatial
Musical
Rhythmic
Bodily
Kinesthetic
Intrapersonal
Inte
erperrsonal
Natura
alist
Existentiialist
Application
A
Guided Practice
P
(LS
SI Quadrantt III):
After clas
ss races and
d discussion, the teache
er will explain
n why winnin
ng cars won.
ce (LSI Qua
adrant III):
Independent Practic
udents evaluate everyone's cars and
d explain wh at they woulld change on
n their own ffor
Have stu
next time
e.
Summary
Review (LSI
(
Quadra
ants I and IV
V):
Question
n: Why did your
y
car perrform the wa
ay it did?
Answer: Answers will vary. One
e possible an
nswer: Our ccar was too h
heavy and b
because of th
hat,
our sail could
c
not gen
nerate enough force from
m the fan to push the ca
ar forward.
Question
n: Why did the
t winning car
c win?
Answer: Again, answ
wers will varry. Should be
e similar to g
good balancce, good saill to mass
proportio
on, etc.
Question
n: What wou
uld you do differently if you
y made an
nother car?
Answer: Could be any of the following or oth
hers: lighter weight, new
w wheel loca
ation, bigger sail,
evenly diistributed we
eight on each wheel, sm
maller car, etcc.
Evaluation
E
Informall Assessme
ent (LSI Qua
adrant III):
The teac
cher will obse
erve the stud
dents as the
ey construct their cars. L
Look for posssible teamwo
ork
and unique designs.
Formal Assessmen
A
nt (LSI Quad
drant III, IV)::
The students will cre
eate a Wind Powered
P
Ca
ar that should
d move whe
en placed in front of an
electric fa
an. The prim
mary objectiv
ve is to make
e the car travvel as far ass possible. S
Students will
complete
e the Wind Powered
P
Carr Test Reporrt.
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pyright © Texaas Education Agency,
A
2012. A
All rights reserrved.
5
Extension
Extension/Enrichment (LSI Quadrant IV):
If students master the wind power concept, have them experiment with other power sources
besides wind (i.e. solar power).
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Name: __________________________
Wind Powered Car Test Report
Challenge 1: Construct a Wind Powered Car using recycled or commercially sold materials
that cannot exceed 24” x 24” x 24” and use a powerful electric fan to push the car. Test and
document the results of how far each car was pushed by the wind.
1. How far was your car pushed by
the wind?
TEST
RESULTS
Whose wind powered car was tested?
Person’s name:
Car 1.________
1. _____________________________
Car 2. _______
2. _____________________________
Car 3. _______
3. _____________________________
Car 4. _______
4. _____________________________
Car 5. _______
5. _____________________________
(Numbers above correspond with the
numbers in Test results column)
2. What factors contributed to each car’s performance?
Car 1:
Car 2:
Car 3:
Car 4:
Car 5:
3. Why were cars slow?
4. Why did cars travel the farthest?
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Evaluation: In the space provided below, write a report on why your car performed the way
it did. Include a paragraph about what you would do differently if given another chance. Write
a hypothesis about what part of the car is the biggest factor in how far it travels. (balance, sail
size, wheel location, bearings, etc.) There are no wrong answers as long as you have legitimate
reasons to support your assumptions.
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