BUILD A CRASH TEST CAR

Purpose: Study the physics of traffic collisions, including conservation of energy and the types of collisions (elastic and inelastic)

Materials:
Lego® blocks
Small plastic container
Water
Paper towels 

1. Build a vehicle out of Lego® blocks. Make sure the car is realistic in design. It should have:
· An engine compartment (either in front or back);
· Passenger compartment (where the small container with water will sit – the plastic container represents a passenger);
· Storage area (a truck bed, trunk, or van box); and
· Four wheels.
2. Consider making systems to control the collision and protect the passenger (the container with water). This could include:
· Restraints (seat belts or air bags);
· Elastic bumpers;
· Crumple zones (which crush or disintegrate upon impact).
3. When you’re finished building, fill the container about 75% full of water. Put the container in the passenger compartment and secure any restraints. Don’t cap the container or keep the water from spilling out! The amount of water that spills out during the collision tells you how well the car absorbed the collision.
4. Choose a place to consistently place your car to roll towards a fixed, hard object (such as a wall). You should always test your car starting from this same spot (because the starting spot is a constant variable). For easy cleanup and less friction, a tile or concrete floor works best.
5. Push the car with consistent, strong force towards the fixed object. 
6. See how well the passenger survived in the collision. If only a little water came out, you probably created a safe and well-designed car. If 25% or more of the water spilled out, then you should consider revising your safety systems (i.e. bumpers and passenger restraints). Make sure you clean up any spilled water.
7. Experiment with different designs and keep testing your car. 
8. If you want to see how real crash tests are done, go to http://www.efootage.com/clip_list.php?cat_id=98 or http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/kids/research/crashtest/ncap/index.html.

               MAKING SEAWANT (WAMPUM BEADS)
Materials:
Packages of Model Magic® cut into fourths
Rulers
Scissors

Toothpicks

Plastic cord

1. Select 3 different colors of Model Magic®.
2. Roll out each color of Model Magic® so that it is skin-thin.
3. Lay each skin-thin piece on top of one another. The bottom color will end up being on the outside of the swirls.
4. Roll all three colors from the long side, like a hot dog. This is called a worm. 
5. Roll this back and forth until is becomes a neat roll of about a centimeter in diameter. 
6. With scissors, slice thin pieces from the worm. Cut quickly, so the swirl design does not get ruined. The same swirling pattern will appear in every slice.
7. Roll some small beads with some leftover clay. Take a slice and carefully fold it around the basic bead. Continue to use slices until the entire basic bead is covered. 
8. Roll it between your hands so the seams melt together.
9. Pierce a hole in it with a toothpick. Be sure the hole is large enough for the plastic cord to fit through.