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CO2 CarsIn
this S.T.E.M. lesson the students will learn about cars and the design process. Students will learn about
designing, building, manufacturing, aerodynamics, and racing. All of these skills
will be put to the test as they build a car for a race against their peers,
NHRA style!
The students will start by researching different designs that they might use to model their car after. There are many resources on the internet that they can pull from. Some students have tried to model their cars after actual cars, NHRA dragsters, and even fighter airplanes. The choice is up to them. During this stage the designs are wild and crazy. Then they will sketch a few of the thumbnail models while trying to keep it in proportion to the material block they will be making it in. There will be no attachments to their cars, such as glued on wings or spoilers, so students must keep this in mind. This starts to weed out some of their original designs, as they are seeing that some of their ideas will be too hard to craft or keep within the block. From this stage the students will review their sketches and select the one that they like best and put it onto paper as a blue print. Students are given metric graph paper and a list of specs that they must meet in order for their car to be competition legal. One of these specs is the weight of the car. It must be within 30-170 grams. Students will draw their car in two views, the top view (Birds eye) and the side view. If their design is approved and meets the specs then they can move onto the next stage. This stage is where designs are starting to come to life. Students will develop a prototype car from their design on Styrofoam. This will help the students envision the steps they need to take in making their car and point out any flaws in their design. Students often must make changes to their original design, much like engineers do. This is also the stage where the students must be trained to run machines such as the bandsaw, drill press, and sanders. All students will be: shown safety videos, given a machine demonstration, given a safety sheet to study and keep, and must pass a test in order to run any machine. Any questions they miss on the test will be gone over on the machine to help point out any misunderstandings. There must be a clear understanding on safety and machine operation. From there, the students will adjust or modify their blueprints for the final product. They will glue their blueprint down onto the wood block and then start the manufacturing process by using the drill press to drill out their wheel axel holes. After that they will use the bandsaw to cut out the profile of their car. This now puts them in the sanding and dremel stages where they can round any edges and smooth out the contour of their vehicle. Upon completion they can be painted and assembled. Before any racing is done on the track, all cars must pass an inspection much like NASCAR race cars do after a race. The inspection checks to make sure that they have met the specs such as axle length, weight, body width, and height. During this process the students will also get to see some objects in a wind tunnel. Students will see fog go over the objects and see its wind drag. This is very similar to the videos below. The lesson will conclude with a race off. The students will have a time trial to set-up an elimination bracket tournament, where one student will be crowned the champion and walk away with the certificate. PA State Standards: 3.4.10.C1: Apply the components of the technological design process. 3.4.10.C2: Analyze a prototype and/or create a working model to test a design concept by making actual observations and necessary adjustments. 3.4.10.D1: Refine a design by using prototypes and modeling to ensure quality, efficiency, and productivity of a final product. 3.4.10.D3: Synthesize data, analyze trends, and draw conclusions regarding the effect of technology on the individual, society, and the environment. |
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