GALLERY ACTIVITIES // GRADES 9–12
Curriculum Connections
Form and Function // Have students look at the different types of race cars on the exhibit
floor. Either verbally or on paper, have them list characteristics of each type of car.
- How are muscle cars different from midgets?
- How are NASCAR vehicles different from Formula 1 vehicles?
Students at this level typically go beyond color and surface details, but if students are focusing
on these elements, ask them to think bigger!
- How are the shapes/designs of the vehicles different?
- What could this difference mean when running on a racing track? - How are the tires different?
- What would be the advantages/disadvantages of this design?
A Different Angle // Check out the Daytona Banking Wall. Point out the angle measurements
on the wall, showing the different degrees of slope on different tracks. Some fun, quick math
connections can be had here by asking students:
- What is the difference between the slope of the track at Bristol (24º) and Indy (9º); or how
much more of a slope is Daytona (31º) than Indy (9º)?
- Something even deeper to consider is how do these cars stay “safely” on the track?
- Ask students what factors help these cars temporarily overcome gravity? (Discussed
further in Classroom Activities.)
Land Speed // Have students spend some time at the Land Speed wall. This wall explores
the highest speeds achieved by people using vehicles on land (as opposed to air or water, which
have their own speed records and are interesting to explore, too!). Either verbally or in writing,
have students name some of the countries with drivers and/or vehicles represented on the Land
Speed wall.
- Which country has the most records represented?
- Are there any patterns students notice (e.g. records shifting from one country to another)?
- What could this mean?
Oftentimes, speed and performance increase as a result of technology advancing in certain
countries. The United States has a strong racing history, but point out to students that early
records were not held by American drivers. French and British drivers held many a record before
the United States entered the picture. Also, ask students to note the technologies represented
with various time periods. Are students surprised to discover that the earliest speed record
vehicles weren’t gasoline powered? Granted, these “speed” records early on were well under
100 mph, but these vehicles were actually electric!
Continue discussions above in the classroom. Encourage students to use a variety of methods
to further research topics such as how design styles of vehicles have changed throughout
the years based on scientific advances in design and material use, or how engines have
changed providing increased power and speed.
-Have students work in collaborative groups to research and present on various aspect of
auto design.
- Have students utilize a variety of media to present their findings, including: electronic
media such as PowerPoint, video files; print such as information poster/display, etc.
Scavenger Hunt, Grades 6–9 // Print out a copy of the World of Speed scavenger hunt
and let students try to find as many elements as possible during your free gallery time.
The following Next Generation Science
Standards and Common Core Standards
may be met, in whole or in part, while
visiting World of Speed and taking part
in its educational programs.
Grades 9 - 12: HS-PS1 Matter and Its Interactions; HS-PS2 Motion and Stability:
Forces and Interactions; HS-PS3 Energy;
HS-ETS1 Engineering and Design
Next Generation Science Standards
Science and Engineering Practices
Developing and Using Models
• Develop a model based on evidence to
illustrate the relationships between systems
or between components of a system. (HSPS1-4),(HS-PS1-8), (HS-PS3-2),(HS-PS3-5)
• Use a model to predict the relationships
between systems or between components of
a system. (HS-PS1-1)
Constructing Explanations and
Designing Solutions
• Apply scientific principles and evidence
to provide an explanation of phenomena
and solve design problems, taking into
account possible unanticipated effects.
(HS-PS1-5),(HS-PS2-3),(HS-PS3-3)
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
• Analyze and interpret data to determine
similarities and differences in findings.
(MS-ETS1-3)
Asking Questions and Defining Problems
• Analyze complex real-world problems
by specifying criteria and constraints for
successful solutions. (HS-ETS1-1),
(HS-ETS1-2)
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Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS2.A: Forces and Motion
• If a system interacts with objects outside itself, the total momentum of the system can change; however, any such change is balanced by changes in the momentum of objects outside the system. (HS-PS2-2),(HS-PS2-3)
PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
• Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transported from one place to another and transferred between systems. (HS-PS3-1),(HS-PS3-4)
Crosscutting Concepts
Systems and System Models
• When investigating or describing a system, the boundaries and initial conditions of the system need to be defined and their inputs and outputs analyzed and
described using models. (HS-PS3-4)
• Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) can be used to simulate systems and interactions—including energy, matter, and information flows—
within and between systems at different scales. (HS-ETS1-4)
Common Core Standards
ELA/Literacy
RST.11-12.9
Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible. (HS-ETS1-1),(HS-ETS1-3)
Mathematics MP.2
Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (HS-PS1-5),(HS-PS1-7),(HS-PS2-1),(HS-PS2-2),(HS-PS2-4),(HS-PS3-1),(HS-PS3-2),(HS-PS3-3),(HS-PS3-4),(HS-PS3-5),(HSETS1-1),(HS-ETS1-3),(HS-ETS1-4)
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