LEGO Santa Sleigh STEM Building Challenge
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The holidays are upon us, but that doesn’t mean learning has to stop. This project applies STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) principles to holiday activities for kids. These include:
Science: The scientific method is applied to answer the question.
Technology: A stopwatch (included with most cell phones) is used for the speed tests.
Engineering: The children build and design their own sleighs.
Math: Using a tape-measurer or yardstick to determine how far our sleigh will roll.
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What are we hoping to prove
This STEM challenge starts with a simple idea.
Why does Santa keep using a sleigh?
Should he be using something more efficient and modern?
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Conducting a series of experiments will answer this question.
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What you’ll need:
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LEGO bricks (we recommend red, green, and white bricks for our sleighs and built three similar sized packages to carry. You can use any LEGO guy to represent Santa. If you don't have guys, try and build a small Santa using your own blocks.
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Stopwatch (included in most cell phones)
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Tape-measure or yardstick
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Paper and pencil to record your results
Building Your Sleigh Models
You should make two or three designs. These should
include a traditional Santa sleigh, and a sleigh with wheels,
and (if you have the blocks) a cart pulled by a motorcycle.
Each sleigh model had to hold both the Santa model and
the package.
Of course, if you don't have the Legos to build the sleighs
show in the picture, you might want to come up with your
own designs. Don't be afraid to experiment - just go for it!
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We recommend you run each of the following test at least three times for the following results, recording your results on paper and pencil for comparison at the end.
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Distance Test
For this test, try and push each vehicle across the floor using the same force, measuring how far each vehicle traveled on that push. Write down how many pushes it took to get our vehicles down a hall or across the room. Of course it will work best on a hardwood or tile floor.
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Record the following data points:
1. How far is the travel path. Measure from your starting spot to your ending spot.
2. How many pushes were required to reach the end?
3. What was the average length of each push (total distance divided by number of pushes)
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Speed Test
Find a sloped surface so that gravity will help move your sleigh, instead of just you pushing it. Position your sleigh at the top and give it a "gentle" nudge to get it moving. Making the sleigh without wheels move is going to be tough so try and find a way to make it work.
Using the stopwatch, try and time how fast it moves down the slope. Of course if the sleigh doesn't move you may have to give it a harder push -- or increase the slope if possible.
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Crash Test
Push you vehicles into a wall, or down steps, and note how well each vehicle remains in tact. You may have to rebuild your sleigh after every test.
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Send us a Picture
After completing all the tests, take a picture of your projects and send them to us by email at read@goshencounty.org, or by text message to 307-575-2700.
