Summary
In this activity, teams of students learn how engineers design tire treads to increase safety and reliability, then follow the design process to construct, test, and evaluate treads sculpted from clay that will be safe when driving in heavy rain.
Grade level: 3-8
Time: Two or three 45-minute sessions
Engineering connection
Engineers design tire tread patterns to achieve safety in a range of driving conditions. Different grooves can reduce slippage in heavy rain by forcing water to flow out to the side of the road, away from the tire.
Learning objectives
After doing this activity, students should have a better understanding of:
- The engineering design process.
- The role of planning and construction in engineering.
- Teamwork and working in group
activity_for_rubber_meets_the_road.docx | |
File Size: | 120 kb |
File Type: | docx |
rubber_meets_road_objectives_and_standards.docx | |
File Size: | 31 kb |
File Type: | docx |
rubberroad.pdf | |
File Size: | 154 kb |
File Type: |
rubberroad_worksheet.rtf | |
File Size: | 5901 kb |
File Type: | rtf |