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Everyday Machines / Week 11 / Thursday
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Week 11 · How a Car Moves

Thursday

Test it: the seat belt
// Fuel or a battery, wheels, brakes and belts
⏱ about 15 min

Thursday: Test It, the Seat Belt

Rocket rolls a toy car with a small toy on top. He stops it fast.

The toy flies off! "Whoa!" says Rocket.

Raven asks, "What do you notice when the car stops?"

Nova glows a strap. "Would you like a hint? What holds you in a car?"

Why seat belts matter

When a car stops fast, you keep moving forward.

A seat belt holds you in your seat.

It keeps you safe if the car stops hard or crashes.

Even a slow car can toss you around without a belt.

Buckle up in every seat, on every trip.

What you need

  • A toy car or a small box with wheels
  • A small toy figure or a block
  • A rubber band or a strip of tape
  • A soft stopper, like a pillow
  • Paper and a pencil
Safety first
Roll the car on the floor, not on a table.
Aim the car at a pillow, never at a person or pet.
Rubber bands stay on the toy, not on fingers or faces.
Small toys stay away from younger siblings and mouths.
  1. Set the toy on the car with no belt.
  2. Roll the car gently into the pillow.
  3. Watch the toy. Did it stay or fly off?
  4. Write what happened in your table.
  5. Now strap the toy on with the rubber band.
  6. Roll the car the same way into the pillow.
  7. Write what happened.
TestWhat the toy did
No belt
With a belt
WHAT HAPPENED?
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
With no belt, what did the toy do when the car stopped?
With a belt, what did the toy do?
Why roll the car the same way both times?

Wearing a belt the right way

The lap belt sits low across your hips.

The shoulder belt goes across your chest and shoulder.

Never put the shoulder belt under your arm.

Kids 12 and under ride in the back seat.

SentenceTrue or false?
A seat belt holds you in your seat.?
You only need a belt on long trips.?
The lap belt sits low across the hips.?
Kids 12 and under ride in the back seat.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEA belt holds you in a stop, so buckle up every trip.
A FAIR SEAT BELT TEST
  • Tap a card.
  • Then tap its spot.
1First
2Next
3Then
4Last
For a grown-up
Next car ride, let your child check their own belt fit.
Ask: why did the toy fly off with no belt?
Praise careful, same-way rolling.
Draw your test. Show the toy with no belt and with a belt.

You tested a seat belt with a fair test. Super!

Tomorrow, you explain how a car moves.

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