The Solar Boat Challenge has been designed to allow students to develop their scientific inquiry skills whilst learning about a range of science concepts. Students build a boat, testing and altering a range of variables and investigating how changing one variable at a time enables them to scientifically improve their boat design. They explore the concepts of buoyancy, hydrodynamics, electrical wiring and solar energy whilst investigating the most effective parameters. A race off at the end of the day allows an analysis of student choices, with the most scientific team having the fastest boat.
Key Concepts: Scientific testing, inquiry, forces, energy, solar electricity, electrical circuits, buoyancy, hydrodynamics, propulsion
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