In this STEM challenge, students will use the engineering design process and many science concepts to design a sail car prototype while answering the following questions:

1. How can we create a sail car that will catch air molecules from the wind and travel in a straight path to go the furthest distance?
2. What sail materials and shapes will work best?

Learning targets + keywords:

• I can work as a team and use the engineering design process to engineer a solution to drive a sail car as straight and far as possible. 
• I can conduct fair testing experiments to explore how the variables of sail material and shape affect how much air a sail can “capture” causing the car to move.
• I can use my understanding of air molecules, forces, and kinetic energy to help me make an air-powered car prototype

This resource includes Google slides and student engineering hand-outs to guide the class and teacher through the engineering design process. Students will first design the body and mast of the car, then the wheels and axels, and then test sail material and sail shape. They will record their process in their handouts either digitally in apps like Notability or they can be printed off.

There are listed recommended materials, but any recycled materials and simple ones will work (e.g. bottles, cans, cardboard tubes, popsicle sticks, paper, etc.). You will need a box fan for testing the sail cars and a flat surface (not carpeted). A floor will work well or banquet tables placed together (you may want to add bumpers).

To make it easier and to focus more on the sail shape and material, you can buy some inexpensive wheels and axles for students to use (I do have links) instead of making their own.

This is a multi-day activity and will have a focus on changing variables and creating fair scientific tests as well as going through the engineering design process.

Hope you and your class enjoy this engaging STEM unit!