Save the Stuffed Animal! Push & Pull
Students develop an understanding of the concepts of "push" and "pull" as they "save" stuffed animals from danger using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 robots. After learning more about the concepts through a robot demonstration, students explore the concepts themselves in the context of saving stuffed animals from the table edges. They choose to either push or pull the animal to safety, depending on the orientation of the robot and toy. They see the consequences of their choices, learning the importance of understanding these force concepts and the differences between them.
Engineers must understand many different types of forces; learning about pushing and pulling is a great start for young students to begin understanding the concept of force.Copyright 2004 Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA. All rights reserved.
Experiencing the practical application of "push" and "pull" forces establishes a basic understanding of how forces affect objects and their motions—fundamental concepts used in all engineering fields. For example, engineers who design automotive safety features must fully understand the forces of push and pull as they design vehicles to keep passengers safe at high speeds and in violent impacts. In the event of a crash, a seatbelt resists the push of a person against it so that the passenger does not go through the window!
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Define the terms "push" and "pull."
- Apply the concepts of "push" and "pull."
- Use EV3 robots to help illustrate the concepts of "push" and pull."