Hey there, young learner! Today, we’re diving into a fun topic that connects gaming and engineering. Imagine you’re playing a video game, and you’ve been stuck on a level for a long time. Finally, you make the right move and win! Just like in gaming, making the right move is crucial in engineering too.
In engineering, when solving problems, we talk about something called “variables.” Variables are conditions or values that can change. For example, if you’re trying to get across a gorge, you need to think about different variables that might affect your success.
Some variables you can control, like how high you drop a ball to see how high it bounces. But others, like gravity, you can’t control. The key is to pick the right variable to change to get a successful outcome. An outcome is simply the result of your actions.
Let’s explore this idea with a game. The goal is to knock down a pile of fluffy pink marshmallows using a slingshot and a character called Catbot. You can control two variables: the angle of the launch and how far you pull back the slingshot.
By changing these variables, you can get different outcomes: knocking over all, some, or none of the marshmallows. To win, you want to knock them all down!
On your first try, you might miss completely. So, you decide to change one variable: the angle of the slingshot. You keep the pull-back strength the same to see if changing just the angle gives you the desired outcome. And guess what? It works! You achieve a total knockdown!
If you had changed both the angle and the pull-back strength, you wouldn’t know which change led to the success. That’s why engineers change only one variable at a time. It helps them understand exactly what causes the outcome.
Engineers identify variables not just for fun (though it can be fun!). They do it to figure out which variables they can control. By changing or keeping them the same, they can see how these variables affect the outcome of a solution.
So, remember, when testing solutions, engineers change only one variable at a time. This way, they can be sure about the connection between the variable and the outcome.
Now, it’s time to get back to the game and conquer those marshmallows!
Marshmallow Launch Experiment: Create your own mini-experiment at home! Gather some marshmallows and a small spoon to act as a slingshot. Try to knock over a small tower of marshmallows by changing one variable at a time. First, change the angle at which you launch the marshmallow. Then, try changing how hard you flick the spoon. Observe which change helps you knock over the most marshmallows. Discuss with a friend or family member why changing one thing at a time helps you understand what works best.
Variable Detective: Become a detective and find variables in your daily life! Look around your home or school and identify situations where you can change one thing to see a different outcome. For example, try watering a plant with different amounts of water each day and observe how it grows. Write down your observations and share them with your class or family.
Story Time with Variables: Create a short story or comic strip about a character who needs to solve a problem by changing one variable at a time. Maybe they are trying to build the tallest tower or make the fastest paper airplane. Share your story with your classmates and discuss how changing variables helped your character succeed.
