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Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to design and build a vehicle that will climb a hill, cross the crest, and prevent your opponent from crossing in the opposite direction.
The objective is to end the match with your vehicle and your opponent's on the other side of the hill. |
1. You may only use the materials listed to power your vehicle.
2. Your vehicle may use any means you can devise for reaching the other side of the hill and for preventing your opponent from reaching your side.
3. Your vehicle must be battery-propelled (your battery). You may not touch it after the match has begun.
4. Your vehicle may be no longer than 12 inches and no wider than 8 inches at the moment it starts.
5. The hill will rise 3 inches from its base. The base, each side of the hill, will be 3 feet from the crest. There will be sides 3 inches high to prevent either vehicle from falling off the hill and the inclines will be 10 inches wide.
6. Vehicles will randomly compete 2 at a time. The winner will advance to the next round with other winners. The competition will continue to a championship round.
7. After 15 seconds or when all motion has stopped, whichever comes first, the vehicle that remains on the opposite side of the hill from its start will be declared the winner. If neither vehicle has crossed the crest or both finish on the sides opposite their starts, a draw will be declared and both vehicles will be allowed to race 2 more times, if necessary. If, after the rematch(s) neither have won, both cars will be disqualified.
- You may use any materials available. Remember the size limits.
- Your truck must be powered by a 9volt DC motor powered by 1 or 2 of your batteries.
- Dangerous items will not be allowed.
- Your "truck" transmission must use at least 3 gears.
Project Notes
- Students may work in teams or alone.
- The DPPW must be followed and completed before testing.
A vehicle may run on wheels or tracks. It may launch itself through the air. It may extend an arm, throw or drop an object, bulldoze the opponent or take any action to prevent the opposing vehicle from crossing the crest. It must, however, do so automatically, once the machine is started.
The 3" rise may sound slight, but it is an 8% grade - a good hill on any highway.
Questions to Consider:
1. How can I design my vehicle to move up the hill and cross the crest?
2. What can I design and build into my vehicle to prevent my opponent from reaching my side of the hill first or pushing my vehicle backward?
3. How can I use energy stored in rubber bands and/or mouse traps to help my vehicle win?.
Work list:
- Select a team, brainstorm a name.
- Read and understand the Design Brief.
- Read and understand the DPPW.
- Make a team folder in the Stuff folder. copy (save as) the DPPW on the desktop and place in your folder. fill out the top area and step 1- Problem.
- Start your Research- step 2. This involves understanding the sport of Tractor Pulling.
- Step 3- Solutions- Each team will draw 6 thumbnail sketches, these should include car shape, propulsion, and choice/placement of wheels. Record the ideas you come up with for these design areas in your DPPW. Pass in your thumbnails.
- Include these good design parts in your step 4- Best Solution drawing. Use graph paper and draw an accurate full size drawing. Include the design areas. Be neat, your King of the Hill Prototype should look very similar to your drawing. Pass in your rough sketch.
- Build your Prototype- step 5. Make sure it conforms to the activity specs.
- Once your prototype is built, test it with the driver. Fill out step 6- Testing & Modifications, list any changes you made to your final solution.
When satisfied with your design, test out your King of the Hill car on the real track. Race another car!
Lastly, record any changes you would make for the better, or figure out why your design did not work. List these in step 8- Re-Design.
skip step 7- communicate. Take the end of activity Quiz. You may use your "Inspiration" outline for help in answering the questions.
Research Start your Research- step 2. This involves understanding the sport of Tractor Pulling. Check out his site:
Read this link, and research the info to create an "Inspiration" web outline. This can be used during your end of activity King of the Hill quiz. Print and pass in your "Research".
The "Inspiration" program is found in Start/ Programs/ Inspiration k-12. Be sure to save in your stuff folder.
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Truck Model completed & tested built, not tested not completed Research completed, good content lacks good content on topic not completed DPPW complete missing no more than 2 sections missing more than 2 sections Competition first or second competed did not enter Cooperation helps team in all ways works 70% of time works less than 70% Quiz 85% or greater 70-84% less than 70% A 24-30 B 18-23 C 18-22 D 12-17 F 0-11
