Activities


Station 3: Boat Speed in Relation to Sail Area (Reach Module 3)


Students will explore how area impacts boat speed and sails. This activity is similar to a gutter race with a focus on sail area, not on boat design. Utilizing a fixed boat design, have students design their own sail using either a square or rectangular shape. Once students design and build their sail, they will need to attach it to the standard boat, place it in the gutter and record the time it takes to “sail” from the starting line to the finish line downwind. Students will then measure their sail base and height to the nearest ½ inch and calculate the sail area. Sail designs with the fastest times should be added to the leader board with their finish time and sail area. Ask the kids if they can identify a trend in the data: do the sail designs with the largest area finish first? Why or why not?


Area of a Triangle = ½ (base x height) Area of a Rectangle = base x height


Investigative Question: Does a bigger sail make a boat go faster when sailing downwind?


Materials  Scissors  Rulers  Calculators  Tape  Box fan


 Timer  Whiteboard or bulletin board for leaders


 Mast material – wooden chopsticks or dowels


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