A brief presentation will be made on the material each week. Your responsibility is to go through the Student Handout information for each week (usually 2 handouts), perform the investigations and do what is outlined. Your team must complete the assignements listed and review what you have done with a teacher or mentor before moving on to the next set of handouts.
Remember that any extra time you have should be used to experiment with your ideas for your design in that subject area. Build prototypes to prove out your ideas with the materials you can find and bring in.
Class
1
 		JSS PROGRAM INTRODUCTION
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #1: Program Introduction

What your team should do this day:

  • Brainstorm overall car concepts and sketch them
    • How might your model solar car look?
  • How do motors make things move?
    • Find examples of machines, toys, vehicles, etc. with mechanical components
  • Come up with lists of questions that need answers before selecting a design
  • Select Team number, name and color
  • Continue brainstorming in class
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Select Team Name
  2. Select Team Colors
  3. Select Team Number
Class
2
 		DESIGN PROCESS
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #2: Design Process

What your team should do this day:

  • Brainstorm overall car concepts and sketch them
    • How might your model solar car look?
  • How do motors make things move?
    • Find examples of machines, toys, vehicles, etc. with mechanical components
  • Come up with lists of questions that need answers before selecting a design
  • Select Team number, name and color
  • Continue brainstorming in class
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Finalize Team Name
  2. Finalize Team Colors
  3. Finalize Team Number
  4. 2 or more rough sketches / ideas for your car
Class
3
 		CHASSIS
Principles, Prototypes, & Experiments
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #3: Chassis

What your team should do this day:

  • Conduct experiments to answer design questions
    • Build a prototype chassis
  • Come up with additional lists of questions to be answered before design can be selected
  • Continue sketching concepts
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Build a chassis
  2. Show notes from investigations 3-1 & 3-2
  3. 2 or more rough sketches / ideas for chassis
Class
4
 		WHEELS, AXLES, & BEARINGS
Principles, Prototypes, & Experiments
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #4: Wheels, Axles, & Bearings

What your team should do this day:

  • Conduct experiments to answer design questions
    • Build a prototype chassis and mount prototype wheels, axles, and bearings
    • Build something that rolls
  • Come up with additional lists of questions to be answered before design can be selected
  • Continue sketching concepts
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Build a chassis with wheels that rolls
  2. Show notes from investigations 4-1 & 4-2 & 4-3
  3. 2 or more rough sketches / ideas for wheels, axles and bearings
Class
5
 		MOTORS & TRANSMISSIONS
Principles, Prototypes, & Experiments
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #5: Transmissions

What your team should do this day:

  • Conduct experiments to answer design questions
    • Experiment with various transmission types
    • Mount motor and transmission on test chassis
    • Build something that moves under its own power
  • Come up with additional lists of questions to be answered before design can be selected
  • Continue sketching concepts
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Build something that moves under its own power
  2. Show notes from investigations 5-1 & 5-2 & 5-3
  3. 2 or more rough sketches / ideas for transmissions
Class
6
 		GEAR & WHEEL CALCULATIONS
Principles, Prototypes, & Experiments
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #6: Calculating Gearing Ratios

What your team should do this day:

  • Conduct experiments to answer design questions
    • Experiment with various wheel diameters
    • Experiment with various transmission types
    • Mount motor and transmission on test chassis
    • Build something that moves under its own power
  • Come up with additional lists of questions to be answered before design can be selected
  • Continue sketching concepts
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Build something that moves faster under its own power
  2. Show notes from investigation 6-1
  3. 2 or more rough sketches / ideas for transmissions
Class
7
 		MOTORS, ELECTRICITY, & SOLAR PANELS
Principles & Experiments
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #7: Solar Panels

What your team should do this day:

  • Conduct experiments to answer design questions
  • Choose designs for
    • Solar panel mount
    • Build something that moves under solar power
  • Come up with additional lists of questions to be answered before design can be selected
  • Continue sketching concepts
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Build a chassis with wheels that moves under solar power
  2. Show notes from investigations 7-1
  3. 2 or more rough sketches / ideas of your solar panel
Class
8
 		BODY SHELL, & AERODYNAMICS
Principles & Experiments
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #8: Body & Shell

What your team should do this day:

  • Conduct experiments to answer design questions
  • Choose designs for
    • Chassis
    • Solar panel mount
    • Body / Shell
    • Build something that moves under solar power
  • Come up with additional lists of questions to be answered before design can be selected
  • Sketch final car designs to choose from
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Build a chassis with wheels that moves under solar power
  2. Show notes from investigations 8-1 & 8-2
  3. 2 or more rough sketches / ideas of your body shell
Class
9
 		SELECT OVERALL DESIGN & PREPARE PRESENTATION
Make final plans
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #9: Design Reviews and Considerations
Student Handout #10: Design Review Planning Form

What your team should do these days:

  • Review concept sketches and select one design to be built
  • Plan how to build it as a team
    • Discuss building materials and methods
    • Split up building tasks
  • Consider aesthetics
  • Consider Rules and Specifications
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Make final drawing of car design
  2. Make a list of materials for your final car
  3. Prepare for design review in front of calss
Class
10

 		DESIGN REVIEW PRESENTATION
Present Ideas in front of Class
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #10: Design Review Planning Form

What your team should do these days:

  • Involve everyone in presentation
  • Sell your ideas
  • Have support information for decisions
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Present Design for class review
Class
11
12
13
 		CONSTRUCTION OF VEHICLES
Build & Test Components
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #11: Tools & Materials
Student Handout #12: Safe Use of Hand Tools
Student Handout #13: Optimizing your Design

What your team should do these days:

  • Build Vehicle
    • Wheels
    • Chassis
    • Mount wheels and axles on chassis
    • Build transmission and connect to motor
    • Body
    • Solar panel mount
    • Aesthetics including car number and name
  • Begin testing vehicle
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Build components for your car
  2. Assemble components of your car
Class
14
Race
Day 		PRE-RACE PREPARATIONS
Last Minute Adjustments
Student Study Materials:

Student Handout #14: Race Rules

What your team should do this day:

  • Complete optimization experiments
  • Rework components as necessary
  • Set up race team in positions
    • Finish line person
    • Start line person
    • Repair equipment & specialists
  • Race your creation
Requirements for Completion of this Segment:
  1. Race your car
  2. Show team spirit
  3. Be helpful to team-mates & other teams
  4. Follow the race rules