Frustration, Collaboration, Experimentation, Failure, and Persistence: Making Balloon Cars with Middles Quartz

There are a few reasons why the Middles study Simple Machines after Winter Break. The weeks between Winter and February breaks are some of the shortest days of the year, and with single-digit temperatures, we’re often forced inside for days at a time. Students this time of year are often full of energy, looking for ways to have fun, and feeling a little “cooped up”. Studying Simple Machines, as an entry point for learning about the scientific method, is the perfect remedy for the winter blues. 

Each week, we learn about, experiment with, and theorize about a different Simple Machine. This hands-on, inquiry-based unit is always a hit with students. The Middles learn how to ask questions, write their own hypotheses, set up an experiment, collect data, and write a conclusion. Some weeks, we just play. Last week was a short week for us, so we took the opportunity to build balloon-powered cars. We learned about the wheel and axle as a simple machine, then spent two class periods building and testing our own cars. Students were offered a wide range of materials to work with, and no two cars looked alike. Many students spent the first day experimenting with different wheel sizes and learning how to make the wheel and axle spin.

Throughout the week, I saw many students working together to solve problems, sharing advice with each other, and cheering each other on. I saw repeated failure, frustration, and starting over from scratch. I also saw perseverance, resilience, flexibility, and teamwork. On Thursday, we tested the cars, and as our first group was setting up at the start line, one student raised their hand. He said, “Let’s remember to not laugh at anyone if their car doesn’t work or if something happens to it.” I so appreciated this comment, and it was the perfect framing for our races. Many of the cars did not make it past the starting line. A few went very far! We are left with many more questions, theories, and a desire to keep trying. 

Four students in Middles Quartz shared about their process and how their balloon cars worked (or didn’t!).

Sena 

I started with finding a body and said “oh this is a cool thing” then found wheels that fit the body. So I built it but then I was testing it and it worked well but then it rolled off the table and broke. I rebuilt my car with a slightly bigger body and it never worked again because the wheels didn't spin. When it broke in the fall off the table, I re-glued the wheels differently than they were before. It was really fun even though it didn't work. I'm definitely going to try this at home.

Zelda

It was really fun to make balloon cars. I had a good base with a mini paper cup and popsicle sticks. I also had good wheels with skewers and glue stick caps. At first gluing to the base was going well, then I accidentally glued the straw to the axle so it couldn't spin. I managed to find a way to cut the straw and the axle spun nicely after that. So I glued it all together with a balloon but then when I tried to blow it up, one of the wheels was crooked. I'm looking forward to making the cap a little more straight so it works better.

Eliot

At first I made my balloon car and it didn't work. There was too much resistance. The dowels that I was using as my axles rubbed against the straws. So I found thinner dowels and it still didn't work. Then it was time to race. So I blew it up and the balloon shot off the car and flew up into the air. So it didn't really work for me. 

Julian

It was fun. I’m glad that I did a cardboard body not a bottle and I like the way I put it on the wheels. My car could have been wrong because I used bottle caps for the wheels and I think they worked because of the way I made them. I used holes, not glue to attach the wheels to the axle.

I spent a whole quiet time just putting the balloon on and finally it worked. I tried tape at first but the balloon came off so a rubber band is what finally worked. It worked well in the end, maybe because the wheels turned well or maybe because the balloon didn’t leak.