Crash Cushions - AAPT Summer Meeting 2016

Designing and Testing Crash Barriers, an Engaging NGSS Activity [AJ03]

Mon 07/18, 9:30AM - 9:40AM

Dan Burns, Los Gatos High School
Bree  Barnett Dreyfuss, Amador Valley High School

The design of highway crash barriers is rich in physics and the potential to engage students. Crash barriers are ubiquitous in urban, suburban, and rural areas. There are many different types in use. Designing them is an effective way to address NGSS standard HS-PS2-3 that asks students to apply scientific and engineering ideas to design a device that minimizes the force on an object during a collision. Crash barriers involve many physics topics like Newton’s laws, impulse and momentum, energy, and kinematics. The lab requires only one set of equipment but no eggs! Students design and build crash barriers from inexpensive materials and test them using a cart, track, and accelerometer. They can use their test results to improve their design. We will show several variations of crash barrier test setups using a variety of vendor equipment. We will show student examples and test data. 

 Powerpoint from our presentation available here.


Note:  We may refer to these student-made devices as "Crash Cushions" or "Crash Barriers."

Below are resources available from our first attempts at this project, materials we like to share, etc. 

• Claim-Evidence-Reasoning Examples from Bree's freshmen and sophomore Conceptual Physics class (May 2016) 
• Sample Graphs collected by students using Vernier's Wireless Dynamics System; each graph has one control trial hitting the wall with no cushion and then with the student created cushion. (May 2016)
• Bree's Conceptual Physics level project data sheet (google doc or pdf) and in class instructions (google doc or pdf) used in 2016.
• The first time Bree did this project students missed the mark and it was redone and discussed as a class. This set of graphs shows the various materials used and their resulting graphs.  (2014)
• Dan's Teacher Guide originally for a PASCO workshop. 
• Sensors used: PocketLab, Vernier Wireless Dynamics Sensor System (WDSS), PASCO Smart Cart, Drop n Tells
• Video of a PASCO cart hitting a crash cushion in slow mo from Dan's workshop:

• Video summarizing Bree's 2016 classes showing their crash test and resulting graphs:

• Video of professional crash cushion tests Dan likes to share:

Building Crash Barriers: An Impulse Engineering Project

NCNAAPT, April 24th & 25th, 2015

Created in collaboration with Dan Burns of Los Gatos High School and Jon Brix of Amador Valley High School

 

This project was inspired by a conversation with Dan Burns and developed by Jon Brix and I. We continue to work on this project to refine it.

Poster (ppt or pdf) and handout (pdf or google doc)

NGSS Science & Engineering

New Teacher Institute, March 7th, 2015

Presented with Geoff Gould

Powerpoint shared today (pdf or ppt)

Science & Engineering Practices Highlights (pdf or google doc)

More complete text of Science & Engineering Practices Activity (pdf or google doc)

Blank Practices chart (pdf or google doc)

Workshop Notes graciously collected by Mac of our discussions

Just some of the ideas for implementing the Science & Engineering Practices that participants had:

NGSS Sample Performance Assessments

The sample Performance Assessments were released last month and I'm just now getting a chance to sit down and look at it. And it will take some time to digest it. Each is 17 pages and includes background information, description of the tasks, time lines and examples. The Solar Oven is the only one that seems primarily Physics. As you read it, you may come to realize its a fairly complex assignment as I did. Each time I thought I understood how to implement it in my classroom another page reveals another layer. I don't know how this can be achieved with hands on materials in my classroom.

Blinky Lights 2014

Exploratorium's STEAM Conference, November 22nd, 2014
Blinky Light materials are here.

Solar Dancer

Share n' Tell, NCNAAPT Fall Meeting, City College of San Francisco - November 15th, 2014

I found this Solar Dancer at the local Dollar Tree. It has a photocell (light sensitive panel) that collects light and causes the dancer to move side to side. The photocell sends current through the coil which creates a magnetic field. The magnetic field from the coil interferes with the permanent magnet's magnetic field and causes the small figure to move.

Literacy & Kinematics

Share n' Tell, NCNAAPT Fall Meeting, City College of San Francisco - November 15th, 2014 

 Traffic Survey article from Los Altos (pdf or google doc), Dan Burns editorial (pdf or google doc) and activity questions (pdf or google doc). Definition of a "speed Trap" according to California Vehicle Code:

V C Section 40802 Speed Traps

Speed Traps

40802.  (a) A "speed trap" is either of the following:

(1) A particular section of a highway measured as to distance and with boundaries marked, designated, or otherwise determined in order that the speed of a vehicle may be calculated by securing the time it takes the vehicle to travel the known distance.