Powered Paddle Boats

A toy inventor's paddle boat barely moves when it's wound up and released. Students investigate how elastic potential energy converts into kinetic energy and motion, and how Newton's Third Law explains why a paddle pushing back on water drives a boat forward. Through controlled tinkering sessions, they test different paddle shapes and materials, then use what they discover to design rubber-band-powered boats that paddle for at least 10 seconds in a bin of water.

What Students Learn

• How elastic potential energy converts to kinetic energy

• How Newton's Third Law of Motion explains paddle propulsion

• How paddle shape, rubber band thickness, and hull material each affect speed and distance

• Authentic practice with all 8 Science & Engineering Practices

What's Included

• 10 slide-based lessons with embedded graphics and media

• Step-by-step teacher guide with facilitation notes

• Student worksheet packet with pre/post assessment

• All hands-on building materials

• Maker skill video tutorials

NGSS Alignment
‍4-PS3-3 · 4-PS3-4 · 3-5-ETS1-1 · 3-5-ETS1-2 · 3-5-ETS1-3 · MS-PS2-1 · MS-PS2-2 · MS-ETS1-1 · MS-ETS1-2 · MS-ETS1-3 · MS-ETS1-4