Middle School Activities (Grades 6-8)

Gravity Cruiser
Student teams design and construct a vehicle that is powered by gravity. A weighted lever connected to an axle by string rotates on its fulcrum; as the weight descends it causes the axle attached to the string to rotate, propelling the cruiser forward. Concepts explored include potential and kinetic energy, friction, inertia, momentum, diameter, circumference, measurement, graphing, and constructing a prototype.

Motorized Toy Car
Students develop new designs for electric gear driven toys. The students are involved in writing proposals, drawing sketches, and working with models to develop a plan to meet a specific set of design requirements. Force and friction, simple machines, levers and gears, torque and design are the core scientific concepts covered in this challenge.

Glider
Students explore the relationship between force and motion and the effects of weight and lift on a glider. Students learn the relationships between data analysis and variable manipulations, and the importance of understanding consumer demands. The glider activity culminates in a book-signing event where each design team presents its prototype and the class presents its manuscripts to Mobility Press "representatives" and members of the local community.

Fuel Cell
Using a PEM Fuel Cell as the primary power source, student teams design, build, and test prototype vehicles which they must then present to an audience. The AWIM Fuel Cells Challenge requires students to explore physical science concepts such as force, friction and energy transformations as well as environmental concepts such as green design, and incorporates mathematics concepts as student teams collect, analyze and display data.

Electricity & Electronics
The Electricity & Electronics - Middle School activities provide teachers with activities that guide student teams through experiments involving series & parallel circuits, magnetism and an introduction to electronics.