Understanding forces from waka navigation to space travel
Duration: 6-8 weeks | Focus: Newton's Laws, Momentum, Real-world Applications
Use these PhET simulations to explore concepts:
Use a whētuki (Māori lever tool) to demonstrate force multiplication and discuss traditional Māori engineering.
Analyze forces acting on Team New Zealand's yacht design - lift, drag, and hydrodynamics.
Explore how Polynesian navigators understood water currents, wind forces, and momentum.
Students identify and calculate forces in everyday NZ scenarios
Demonstrate inertia by rapidly pulling tablecloth from under dishes. Measure and analyze results.
Use "Forces and Motion Basics" simulation to explore inertia in different scenarios.
How traditional navigators used inertia principles when steering large waka across the Pacific.
Students film and analyze real-world examples of inertia
Measure acceleration with different masses. Plot force vs. acceleration graphs.
Calculate thrust forces needed for Electron rocket to overcome Earth's gravity.
Calculate forces needed to accelerate different sized waka with varying crew numbers.
Applied physics problems using NZ and Pacific contexts
Build straw-and-balloon rockets. Measure thrust and distance. Optimize designs.
If facilities allow, launch water rockets and measure flight data.
Watch Electron rocket launches, analyze thrust-to-weight ratios.
Design and build optimal balloon rocket with physics justification
Track momentum before/after collisions. Test conservation of momentum principle.
Watch NZ Transport Agency crash tests, analyze momentum changes and safety features.
Analyze how traditional Māori weapons like patu use momentum in combat.
Solve collision problems using conservation of momentum
Test friction coefficients on different surfaces. Graph force vs. normal force.
Modify paper helicopter designs to reduce air resistance and increase flight time.
Study America's Cup yacht design - how Team New Zealand reduces drag.
Scientific report on friction testing with analysis and conclusions
Design waka model optimizing speed and stability using physics principles.
Explain forces (buoyancy, thrust, drag) using Newton's laws and traditional knowledge.
Build and test actual model if facilities allow. 3D printing available.
Present design with physics calculations, cultural connections, and prototype testing
Digital Tools:
PhET Interactive Simulations Rocket Lab NZ America's Cup TechnologyMāori Knowledge:
Te Toki Waka Documentary Polynesian Navigation Methods Traditional Māori Tools & PhysicsAssessment:
Lab Report Templates Physics Problem Bank Waka Design Rubric"Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini."
"My strength is not mine alone, but from many."
Just as forces interact, so do people in science and innovation.