February is typically a big month for race fans, with the Daytona 500—one of the sport’s biggest events—happening and the kickoff of a new season. If your students love sports, sharing Daytona 500 activities in your classroom can help keep them engaged while learning important background information and skills!

• Discover the science behind the Daytona 500’s fastest cars
• Meet driver Rajah Caruth in social studies
• Explore new transportation technology in ELA

[Discover the science behind the Daytona 500’s fastest cars](id-sci)

Science influences every racecar driver’s strategy before and during their time on the track. Teach students more about the principles that can be the difference between first and second place with these science activities:

Discover the science behind car racing

Car racing is both an art and a science. Students can learn more about the the calculations and plans drivers make to give themselves the best chance at winning by completing the following activity:

• Have students read about how and why race car drivers usually blink at the same places in each lap.
• Explore NASCAR’s initiatives to promote STEM education in the classroom.
• During the lesson have students complete a Write-Pair-Share worksheet to track their observations.

Teach students about kinetic energy

Kinetic energy is the type of energy that a race car has when it’s in motion. Teach students why this type of energy matters out on the track with resources like:

• A video that explains the properties of Kinetic energy.
• An article that explains how kinetic energy affects car crashes. 
• An article that compares kinetic energy to another type of energy: Potential.

Explore energy transfers

In racing, energy transfers help convert chemical energy from fuel into the kinetic energy that moves the car. Students can learn more about these types of transfers by reviewing articles on topics like:

• An overview of what energy is.
• An explainer article that describes how batteries work.
• An article that explores the physics of bumper cars and how they’re different from driving a real car.

Introduce students to forces

A force is an action that works on an object, like a push or a pull. Help students understand how forces affect movement by examining articles on topics like:

• An explainer article on the basics of forces.
• The difference between contact and non-contact forces.
• The six types of simple machines that work thanks to forces.

Compare and contrast types of forces

There are many types of forces that work on a car and driver during a race. Help students better understand how these forces interact by exploring topics like:

• What balanced and unbalanced forces look like.
• The basics of electricity and magnetism.
• The properties of magnets and how they work.

See how friction affects motion

When tires roll over the racetrack, it creates a force called friction that affects the speed and grip of the car. Students can learn more about how friction affects motion with the following lesson:

• Read about how scientists still study friction to learn more about its properties.
• Discuss what athletes like Olympic speed skaters do to minimize friction during competition.
• Pose the reflection question, “How does friction affect the position and/or motion of an object?”

Experiment with energy and speed

Once students understand the concepts of energy and force, it’s time to put them into action! Try these experiments that better demonstrate the properties of energy and speed:

• Create a downhill rolling race with cardboard, balls, and cans.
• Build a rubber band-powered car.
• Make a balloon-powered car.

Find out why tires are made of rubber

Why are car tires made of rubber? Could they help drivers race in bad weather, like thunderstorms? Students can ponder this everyday mystery by examining articles on topics like:

• Discovering if rubber protects cars from lightning strikes.
• An introduction to insulators and conductors.
• How manufacturers make and use rubber.

Decide if electric vehicles can compare to gas-powered ones

Most professional race cars run on gas, but could that change someday? Have students dive into the new technology of electric vehicles by exploring articles on topics like:

• How engines work.
• Why the California governor called for a ban on gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035.
• Why major automakers like Tesla rolling out electric cars could affect our planet’s emissions.

Take a virtual field trip to a Toyota factory

Toyota is just one automaker that supplies vehicles for both NASCAR teams and everyday people. Take students on a virtual field trip to a Toyota factory to help them discover how cars are made. During the trip, you can explore:

• How Toyota engineers cars to be safer for driving.
• The lesser-known steps involved in manufacturing, like production and quality control.
• How Toyota workers use the engineering design process.

Don’t forget to download your in-class worksheet that students can fill out during the trip to record their thoughts and observations!

[Meet driver Rajah Caruth in social studies](id-ss)

Who can become a NASCAR driver, and what does it take to reach victory lane? In social studies, students can learn more about the efforts to diversify the sport by reading articles on topics like:

• An interview with Black teenager Rajah Caruth, who joined NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Development Program.

• How video games help keep people connected during time apart.
• How a man named Isaac Burns Murphy went from being born into slavery to becoming the first person to win the Kentucky Derby three times.

[Explore new transportation technology in ELA](id-ela)

Will technology make race car drivers a thing of the past? Students can debate the pros and cons of the development of self-driving cars in their ELA classes by digging into resources like:

• An article that looks at Waymo’s self-driving car technology.
• An interactive video about the history of transport and travel around the world.
• A pro/con discussion about the risks and benefits of allowing autonomous vehicles on the road.

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