Ready, Set, Race!

School:: Veterans Memorial Elementary
Subject:: Stem
Teacher:: Mattea Marks
Students Impacted:: 44
Grade:: 4
Date:: July 17, 2022

Investor

Thank you to the following investor for funding this grant.

Perna-Rose Foundation for Hope - $171.91

Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 40

Students were able to explore how circuits work, how wheels and axles are engineered on a vehicle, and solar and battery power in this activity. They also worked on problem-solving with their group when things weren't working the way they wanted them to work. They had to look at the weight of the car vs. the amount of power they were supplying and what type/size of the propeller they could use to make their car go. It was a wonderful activity that really piqued their interest in engineering and circuits. Many kids stated that they wanted to work on them at home also. Thank you for providing my students with this amazing opportunity!

grant photo

Original Grant Overview

Goal

To engage my students in a hands-on learning opportunity to learn about solar power, friction, speed, and motion.

What will be done with my students

Students will be building solar-powered cars similar to the ones in the picture. They will use toilet paper rolls as the base of the car and then add a solar panel, motor, propeller, and wheels. After students build their cars, we will take them outside and race them. We will use these cars to experiment with different variables.

Benefits to my students

My students will benefit from this experience by using these highly engaging cars to learn about various different scientific concepts. They will practice engineering skills while planning and building the cards. We will also learn about solar power and how it works. Then when they are built, we will be experimenting with different surfaces to learn about friction and how it affects speed and motion. We will also experiment with different ramps to learn about how slope affects speed and motion.

Budget Narrative

This budget includes a solar panel, motor, propeller, and 4 wheels for each student.

Items

#	Item	Cost
1	DC motors and mounts	$20.02
2	Propellers	$19.98
3	solar power mini cells	$79.95
4	wheels and axles	$51.96
	Total:	$171.91

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