Design Steps 3 and 4

DESIGN STEP 3 (DEVELOP SOLUTIONS):

  • Each individual student will download the Design Process Guide for Step 3. Record the meanings for the vocabulary and answer concept questions.   This worksheet will also require hypothesis statements for a gravity and aerodynamic properties for your dragster.
  • In your third team meeting, share your ideas using your thumbnail sketches. Critique each other and share ideas for improvement (you should understand how this works from game design).  Be mindful that you are part of a racing team and that your team should have dragsters that will be competitive in all four scoring categories.
  • Download and complete the Decision Matrix for CO2 Dragsters.  Meet with your team and make final decisions on the dragsters you want to design.
  • Once you have made design decisions as a team, each individual team member should develop four concept sketches. These should show more detail than the thumbnails and should be done in pencil on the concept sketching template, based on teacher demonstration.  Team members should help each other through this process.  Click here to open and print the concept sketches template.  Submit this to your teacher.
  • Write a reflection for STEP 3 on the Six Steps of Design worksheet. Note that your reflection must include a hypothesis about your design and how you expect it to perform (read the prompt carefully).

DESIGN STEP 4 (PRODUCE AND TEST):

  • Each individual student will download the Design Process Guide for Step 4-A. Record the meanings for the vocabulary, identify the alphabet of line symbols, and complete the concept summary.
  • Using CADD skills as demonstrated, produce a scaled 3D model of your dragster design using Sketch-up. Make sure it is dimensioned so that the measurements meet the size specifications as posted in the constraints.  Click here to open samples of 3D Modeling in Sketch-up.  Submit this electronically to your teacher upon completion.
  • To complete and upload your 3D Modeling, click here and follow the procedure.
  • Meet as a team to review the 3D modeling and make revisions.
  • Read the posted Technology Education Safety Rules.
  • Each individual student will download the Design Process Guide for Step 4-AB. Record the meanings for the vocabulary, identify the tools, and complete the concept summary.
  • Using the tools and materials provided for this project, and your 3D drawing as a reference, produce a working prototype of your solution. Your teacher will demonstrate how to transfer the design from the drawing to your balsa wood blank.  Use tools only after demonstration and with direct supervision.  Common procedures for this process are posted in this link.
  • Paint and finish your dragster as per your plan and as agreed within your team.
  • Assemble the dragster parts as demonstrated and based on the instructions posted in this link.
  • Download the Testing Documentation Worksheet. Meet with your team and complete the gravity and aerodynamic tests as explained on the worksheet.  Be sure to add data for the mass of your dragster after weighing it on the metric scale.    Record data from your tests and upload the worksheet to Edmodo when completed.
  • Write a reflection for STEP 4 on the Six Steps of Design worksheet.