Project-Based Learning on Wheels: Students Build an Electric Car

TL;DR

High school students design and race electric cars in the Electron Marathon with strict guidelines and competition elements.

Transcript

[Engine starting]. >>Student: Look at the thing roll, baby. Smooth as a baby's bottom. >>Narrator: For the past five years, high schools from the islands of Hawaii have designed and built exotic electric vehicles, and raced them in the Electron Marathon. The team from the West Hawaii Explorations Academy on the Big Island, has won the race twice, a... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤗 Student involvement in hands-on STEM projects like building electric cars.
• 🧑‍🎓 Importance of mentors like Bill McKown in guiding student projects.
• 🧑‍💻 Integration of tech, math, science, and teamwork skills in the competition.
• 😨 Emphasis on presentation skills and website design in addition to car construction.
• 📽️ Impact of strict guidelines and budget constraints on project creativity.
• ❓ Significance of learning from failures and striving for continuous improvement in competitions.
• 🤔 Experience of creative problem-solving and critical thinking in building and racing electric cars.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the key components students receive to build their electric cars?

Students receive a kit containing parts like electric motors, chains, and sprockets, while they have to provide batteries and can only spend $2,500 on additional parts for their cars.

Q: What role does mentor Bill McKown play in the project?

Bill McKown, a retired food executive, mentors students on the electric car project and shares his expertise to help them succeed in designing and building their vehicles.

Q: How do teams earn points in the competition?

Teams earn points by designing a website (30% of the score), giving oral presentations, answering random questions about their project, and competing to complete the most laps in the race.

Q: What improvements are the West Hawaii team planning to make?

The West Hawaii team is determined to learn from past mistakes, increase their car's performance, enhance documentation, and strive for first place in future races.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• High school teams in Hawaii design and build electric vehicles for the Electron Marathon.

• Each team receives a $2,500 budget and a kit with essential parts to construct their cars.

• The competition includes website design, oral presentations, and racing for the most laps.