Snap, zoom, mousetrap cars!!

This semester eighth-grade students in Mr. Dahl’s science class had the opportunity to make mousetrap cars.  The students were required to have them done and at school by April 25th. They tested them in the hall. To test them, the student got their car ready, set it on the starting line, and let the car go. If it went eighteen feet then it passed.

As far as requirements, the mousetrap cars had to have at least three wheels, two axels, must be at least a foot long in length, and they could only have one mousetrap. Rat traps were not allowed. “Students made the mousetrap cars in order to put their knowledge of motion, energy, and simple machines into action,” said Mr. Dahl, a science teacher doing mousetrap cars.

Students and teachers both enjoyed making mousetrap cars. Stacy Stapel, an eighth grader, said, “I enjoyed working on it with my dad, testing the car, and seeing other students designs.”  Mr. Dahl added, “I think the cars are a great way for students to problem solve and have fun at the same time.”

Ashley Kitchen’s car went the farthest with 105 feet!  Although the cars only had to go eighteen feet, extra credit was added to the students scores for each foot beyond eighteen feet.