STEM Cycling – Topic Overview TU-BS

 

Here you can find an overview of several short lesson ideas concerning the combination of STEM topics (physics, biology) and the sport of cycling in a school context.

PDF Document: Cycling Overview PDF

PowerPoint: Cycling Overview PPT

Links to the individual pages:

Friction & Cycling

Golden Rule of Mechanics

Inclined Plane

Gears & Levers

Spinning Top / Torque

Energy Conversion & Momentum

Posture / Safety

Cardiovascular System & performance

 

Propulsion and resistance in water

Propulsion and resistance | gliding tests

Questions:

  • How can water resistance be reduced during gliding?
  • What is the most streamlined position?

Content taught:

  • Optimizing posture in the water:
    • Arms stretched,
    • hands on top of each other,
    • elbows as straight as possible,
    • head resting on the arms from the front,
    • spine stretched (shoulder mobility is important),
    • torso tense,
    • legs stretched and closed.

 

(((Deutsche Version)))

Hydrostatic pressure and buoyancy under water

Hydrostatic pressure and buoyancy | balloon under water

Questions:

  • Can you inflate a balloon under water?
  • What happens to the inflated balloon when it is pushed deep under water?
  • What happens analogously to organs, e.g. the eardrum and the (air-filled) lungs?

Content taught:

  • Inflating a balloon is also possible underwater. But: The hydrostatic pressure, i.e. the pressure that the water exerts on the balloon, makes inflation more difficult.
  • If you push an already inflated balloon underwater, the volume of the balloon shrinks with increasing depth and the buoyancy decreases.
  • Organs are also compressed analogously to the balloon with increasing water depth.

 

(((Deutsche Version)))

Buoyancy & density

Buoyancy and density | Starfish

Questions:

  • What happens when you lie (inhaled) on the water in a prone position?
  • What happens when one takes a parcel shape?
  • What happens when one exhales?

Taught content:

  • Depending on the distribution of body (mass) center and volume center in the body, the legs sink towards the bottom or remain in the horizontal position.
  • Individuals in whom the two points are close together have favorable conditions for swimming.

 

(((Deutsche Version)))

Auftrieb und Dichte

Auftrieb und Dichte | Seestern

Fragestellungen:

  • Was passiert, wenn man sich (eingeatmet) in Bauchlage auf das Wasser legt?
  • Was passiert, wenn man eine Päckchenform einnimmt?
  • Was passiert, wenn man ausatmet?

Vermittelte Inhalte:

  • Je nach Verteilung von Körper(massen)schwerpunkt und Volumenmittelpunkt im Körper sinken die Beine in Richtung Grund ab oder bleiben in der horizontalen Position.
  • Personen, bei denen die beiden Punkte nahe beieinander liegen, bringen günstige Voraussetzungen für das Schwimmen mit.

 

(((English Version)))

Hydrostatischer Druck und Auftrieb unter Wasser

Hydrostatischer Druck und Auftrieb | Luftballon unter Wasser

Fragestellungen:

  • Kann man einen Luftballon unter Wasser aufblasen?
  • Was passiert mit dem aufgeblasenen Luftballon, wenn man ihn tief unter Wasser drückt?
  • Was passiert analog mit Organen, z.B. dem Trommelfell und den (mit Luft gefüllten) Lungen?

Vermittelte Inhalte:

  • Das Aufblasen eines Luftballons ist auch unter Wasser möglich. Aber: Der hydrostatische Druck, also der Druck, den das Wasser auf den Luftballon ausübt, erschwert das Aufblasen.
  • Wenn man einen bereits aufgeblasenen Luftballon unter Wasser drückt, dann schrumpft das Volumen des Luftballons mit zunehmender Tiefe und der Auftrieb wird geringer.
  • Organe werden analog zum Ballon mit zunehmender Wassertiefe ebenfalls zusammengedrückt.

 

(((English Version)))

Vortrieb und Widerstand im Wasser

Vortrieb und Widerstand | Gleitversuche

Fragestellungen:

  • Wie kann der Wasserwiderstand beim Gleiten reduziert werden?
  • Welches ist die strömungsgünstigste Position?

Vermittelte Inhalte:

  • Optimierung der Körperhaltung im Wasser:
    • Arme gestreckt,
    • Hände übereinander,
    • Ellenbogen möglichst gerade,
    • Kopf von vorne an die Arme anlegen,
    • Wirbelsäule gestreckt (Schulterbeweglichkeit ist wichtig),
    • Rumpf angespannt,
    • Beine gestreckt und geschlossen.

 

(((English Version)))

Throwing/Shot Put Techniques and t-v Diagrams

Summary: The students (recommended age 10 – 14 yr) enhance their throwing distance (by improving the throwing angle and the throwing speed) and learn/practice the interpretation of time-velocity diagrams.

General Note: The lesson structure combines sports and STEM (physics focus) by alternating between the two subjects. There are 4 lessons à 90 minutes.

Topics overview

Lesson 1: This lesson focuses on getting to know various ball versions and experimenting with throwing them. The students record their techniques and compare them. Another key point is finding an optimal throwing angle.

Lesson 2: The students learn/train a few keywords (velocity, distance, force, …) to better describe the (physical) aspects of the flying curve. Furthermore, the students train in the use of diagrams (time-velocity). Easy examples of using the throwing device get distributed to learn the connection between movement and data. The students also perform some easy tasks with the device to see the results of their movement.

 Lesson 3: This is a practical lesson about improving the chosen throwing technique, especially focusing on better throwing velocity. The students work in tandem groups to record and train the exercise regularly and use the sensory data to judge their improvements.

Lesson 4: The students interpret the graphs of time-velocity diagrams. Partially this happens in other contexts. But the primary focus lies on the students performing various (self-chosen) actions with the throwing devices. Other group members then have to perform matching actions only by looking at the graphs (interpreting the data and experimenting playfully).

Detailed Throwing Sequence

To complement this, here are some graphics of how the t-v diagrams might look for different movements:

Throwing movements including diagrams

 

(((Deutsche Version)))

Friction & Cycling

 

This is a short overview (goals, exercises) about combining the topic of friction (with air or due to using brakes) with the practice of cycling.

Goal:

Students describe un-/desired types of friction in cycling and methods of de-/increasing them.

Exercises:

  •  letting the bicycle roll (after reaching a certain speed or just down a slope) while trying different poses to reduce air resistance (attach an umbrella on the rear end?)
  •  driving on different surfaces (asphalt, soil, sand, …)
  •  After reaching a specific speed, stop the bike by a) braking b) just letting it roll c) using oiled brakes

Link to image: Cycling-Friction-Overview

Link to other lesson sketches: Cycling Topic Collection

 

Energy Conversion & Cycling

 

This is a short overview (goals, exercises) about combining the topic of Energy Conversion with the practice of cycling.

Goal(s):

  • Students describe energy conversions at the example of a bicycle  (OR)
  • Students explain the efficiency of a bike compared to running by using momentum

Exercises:

  •  Rolling down from a slope/hill from different heights
  •  Stopping movement while on a bike vs. while walking (with a mattress)
  •  Describing what happens in different top/valley configurations

Link to image: Cycling-Energy-Conversion-Overview

Link to other lesson sketches: Cycling Topic Collection

 

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