Middle School

Alternative Room Studies Motion + Design

by Stephanie Van Tilburg

March 15, 2006

Students in Kelly Sloan and Stephanie Van Tilburg's middle school alternative class recently designed vehicles using K*nex toys in a hands-on study in Motion + Design.

Prior to building the vehicles, the students studied balance, aerodynamics, applied force and load capacity and its affects on speed and distance.

The students were challenged to design a lightweight, sturdy vehicle that could carry a load (wooden blocks). The finished vehicles were then tested for distance with and without a load. Students learned that the amount of direct force applied to the vehicle would determine its overall performace. Trial and error proved that excessive applied force resulted in loss of overall control and ultimately a crash. Vehicles in which the load was stacked too high or too broad also demonstrated less balance and control.

The students put each vehicle to the test in a Hallway Drag Race, eliminating the more ponderous vehicles in heats. The ultimate champion of the Hallway Drag Race was sixth grader, Elsa Leal. Seventh grader, Josh Dawn, under the misconception that 'More Is Better', crashed his vehicle in the second heat where it exploded into several pieces after hitting a wall. No one was injured. Other race participants were Daniel War Bonnett (8th grade), Josh Lamoree (8th grade), and Taylor Bear, (6th grade), who made it into the final heat with his "Road Devil".

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