Balloon Vehicle
1. Title of the Lesson: Balloon Vehicle
2. NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards addressed in the lesson.
 5.1.A (Understand Scientific Explanations): Students understand core concepts and
principles of science and use measurement and observation tools to assist in
categorizing, representing, and interpreting the natural and designed world.
 5.1.12.B.1 (Logically designed investigations are needed in order to generate the
evidence required to build and refine models and explanations): Design investigations,
collect evidence, analyze data, and evaluate evidence to determine measures of central
tendencies, causal/correlational relationships, and anomalous data.
 5.1.D (Participate Productively in Science): The growth of scientific knowledge involves
critique and communication, which are social practices that are governed by a core set
of values and norms.
 5.1.12.D.1 (Science involves practicing productive social interactions with peers, such as
partner talk, whole-group discussions, and small-group work): Engage in multiple forms
of discussion in order to process, make sense of, and learn from others' ideas,
observations, and experiences.
 5.1.12.D.2 (Science involves using language, both oral and written, as a tool for making
thinking public): Represent ideas using literal representations, such as graphs, tables,
journals, concept maps, and diagrams.
 5.2.C (Forms of Energy): Knowing the characteristics of familiar forms of energy,
including potential and kinetic energy, is useful in coming to the understanding that, for
the most part, the natural world can be explained and is predictable.
 5.2.12.C.1 (Gas particles move independently and are far apart relative to each other.
The behavior of gases can be explained by the kinetic molecular theory, The kinetic
molecular theory can be used to explain the relationship between pressure and volume,
volume and temperature, pressure and temperature, and the number of particles in a gas
sample. There is a natural tendency for a system to move in the direction of disorder or
entropy.): Use the kinetic molecular theory to describe and explain the properties of
solids, liquids, and gases.
 5.2.D (Energy Transfer and Conservation): The conservation of energy can be
demonstrated by keeping track of familiar forms of energy as they are transferred from
one object to another.
 5.2.E (Forces and Motion): It takes energy to change the motion of objects. The energy
change is understood in terms of forces.
 5.2.12.E.1 (The motion of an object can be described by its position and velocity as
functions of time and by its average speed and average acceleration during intervals of
time.): Compare the calculated and measured speed, average speed, and acceleration of
an object in motion, and account for differences that may exist between calculated and
measured values.
 5.2.12.E.3 (The motion of an object changes only when a net force is applied.): Create
simple models to demonstrate the benefits of seat belts using Newton's first law of motion.
 5.2.12.E.4 (The magnitude of acceleration of an object depends directly on the strength
of the net force, and inversely on the mass of the object. This relationship (a=Fnet/m) is
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independent of the nature of the force.): Measure and describe the relationship between
the force acting on an object and the resulting acceleration.
3. Identify Resources needed.
a. Teacher Use: Ruler, stopwatch or timer, testing surface (clear desk/ table)
b. Student Use: Lesson handout, pen/pencil, balloons (all identical), straws, rubber bands of
various sizes, tape, scissors, paper/ card stock, objects such as push pops that can act as
“wheels”
4. Describe what students should know before they start the lesson.
 Students should be able to work cooperatively in small groups. They should listen to and
have respect for others' ideas.
 Students should understand energy conservation and how it relates to the motion of the
vehicle.
 Students should know how to calculate average speed from distance traveled and elapsed
time. (Avg speed=Δx/Δt)
 Students should understand how the mass of an object and the force exerted on the object
are related to the object's acceleration.
5. State the objectives of the lesson.
 Students will increase their ability to work cooperatively to solve a problem.
 Students will learn how to use a systematic approach to solving a problem.
 Students will learn to balance the cost of materials used with the benefits they provide.
 Students will apply their knowledge of physics to solve a real world problem.
6. Identify important ideas in terms the subject area - describe in detail. Real life connections
(make a list).
 Conservation of energy: Potential energy stored in the balloon is transferred into kinetic
energy of the vehicle.
 Newton's 2nd law: acceleration = (sum of forces exerted on an object)/(mass of object),
which explains why the same balloon power that is able to accelerate the empty vehicle
may not be able to accelerate the vehicle + passenger (egg)
 Average speed = Δx/Δt
 Friction: The vehicle will only accelerate if the sum of forces exerted on it is not zero. If
friction (force exerted by the surface on the vehicle) is too great, the vehicle will not
accelerate.
 The engineering problem-solving strategy (which mimics the ISLE cycle for
experimentation) involves devising a series of possibilities that are tested and revised.
7. Describe potential difficulties students may experience with the content. Describe all
formative assessments that you plan to use and how you will provide feedback.
 Students may have difficulty working cooperatively. One group member may dominate,
especially boys in mixed gender groups.
 I will monitor the groups, and make sure to engage group members whose opinions don't
appear to be being listened to. This will demonstrate to the dominating group members
that the others' ideas are to be valued. This also will ensure that all group members are
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
contributing equally, and that all group members understand the successes and failures of
their prototypes.
If a group adopts a new approach, I will ask them to explain what they changed and the
reason for the change. In addition, I will try to get them thinking about the physics
explanation for the failure of their prior prototype.
8. Provide a description of the lesson including an agenda for the lesson.
 See handout attached at end of lesson plan
9. Time Table – who is going to be doing what and when during the lesson to make sure that
students are actively engaged.
Clock
Title of activity
Students doing
Me doing
reading
0 - 5 min
Introduction
Listening
Presenting the activity
including available materials,
assigning groups
5 – 10 min
Planning
Working in groups to
Monitoring group work
brainstorm ideas
10 – 30 min Construction
Evaluating different ideas, Monitoring group work
constructing and testing
prototypes
30 – 40 min Final test
Testing final vehicle
Testing final vehicle
prototype
prototype
40 – 45 min Reflection
Talking
Listening, commenting
10. Describe the homework you will assign. What guidance will you provide the students?
 The homework will be for students to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their own
design, and also that of at least one other group.
11. Teacher's Guide
 Make sure students are divided into effective groups. Group together students with
differing strengths. Make sure all group members are actively participating.
 Ensure that you are familiar with the materials and their benefits/ pitfalls.
 The two challenges provide additional activities for students who complete the other
activity quickly. It can be skipped/ omitted for time constraints.
 As a lesson extension, you can give each group a “passenger” that their vehicle must
carry.
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Balloon Vehicle
Your goal is to develop and construct an air-powered vehicle that can travel at least 50
centimeters. The vehicle must be self-supporting and able to move without human assistance.
There are two additional challenges. Keep in mind that all vehicles must meet the criteria
above before they will be considered for the challenges!
1) Fastest average speed over the 50 cm distance
2) Lowest cost vehicle
Available materials and cost:
Material
Quantity Used
Cost per piece
Balloon
$5.00
Tape (per foot)
$1.00
Rubber Band
$1.00
Straw
$0.50
Card Stock
$1.00
Push Pop
$1.00
TOTAL COST:
Be sure to follow the Engineering Design Process and document your work:
Step Number
Comments and Observations
1: Identify the need or problem
2: Research the need or problem
3: Develop possible solutions
4: Select the best possible solution
5: Draw a prototype
6: Test and evaluate
7: Communicate the solution
8: Redesign
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Total Cost