Getting schooled...

You think we learned something?  Well, we did go back to school today, and we may have learned that kids have changed in the past decade.

Today was our first stint in Steph's classroom, working with the kids on their Gravity Cruisers (gravity powered race vehicles).  They are in the early stages of building their cars - so we were able to give them some guidance.  We are not there to tell them how to build the cars, but we ask questions and try to get them to come up with solutions that will lead them to a more successful outcome with their designs.

The kids are put into 3 person teams, where they have to work together on this project.  For many of them, this is the first time they have been part of a team.  They have to decide together what design they want to use, and the construction technique.  Most of them are struggling with looking ahead to see what each design decision will have on their final build.  So, first you have to get them working as a team, then get that team pulling together.  On a schedule.

That means you have to be diplomatic in getting them to... move along.

Once the basic design is in place, there will be a process of testing weight (thus: the gravity) vs mechanical advantage.  It may seem easy to the casual observer, but this is pretty much a blank slate, even though they get to look at some previous years designs (including a kick-ass vehicle that Joan built a couple years ago).  There are options with chassis design, wheel placement, axle construction, the tower construction (which creates the height so gravity can do the work), and the final stage: weight placement vs balance vs power delivery.  Once they get to this point, the work that separates the winners from the pack is in the tweaking and testing.  They have to keep notes and see what affect the tweaks have on the distance the car will travel.  This is not a speed race - it is all about the distance.

There is an urge to tell them, "OMG - don't do that!" but they have to learn the consequences of their design choices.  We want them all to be successful, but this ends in a competition where there are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers... no "participation awards."

There are some designs - like putting axles above the chassis - that will give them major problems down the road.  Or: towers that are decidedly off kilter, that will result in the car not running straight.  As adults, you may think this is all common sense.  You have kids who are all about the look of the design, and don't consider the function.  You have kids that are used to getting their own way and haven't had to deal with teamwork.  Some special needs kids.  Some who barely speak English.

The GM guys (it is General Motors that sponsors this endeavor) were impressed with the progress the kids in our room made today.  We had one GM guy, Joan, and me in Steph's classroom.  The other competing classes had 3 GM guys.  I think Joan and I are pretty good at motivating and keeping things moving.  We'll see as the project progresses.  Our goal is to get them to the testing stage on their cars so they still have time for any design tweaks.

Here's a portion of the vehicles at the end of one class today...

Tomorrow night, we'll be "star gazing" with some of these kids.  Yeah, after dark.  Telescope.  Star charts.  This will be a first for us.