8th Grade Technology Education

Eighth Grade A

A class for students wanting to explore the field of Manufacturing and its aspects of design, building, machine use, and team work. Students will use their problem solving skills as they use the craft production skills to create a unique cookie and then work together with the rest of the class to mass produce a product selected by the students. (ex. games, rubber band dragsters, birdhouses)

Transportation Technology (Tech Ed B)

A class for students wanting to explore the field of Transportation and its aspects of design, building, machine use, and team work. Students will use their problem solving skills as they work together and individually to design and present a CO2 Metric Dragster.

Land Speed Record Vehicles (LSRV)

Identify the Opportunity

The NMS Automotive Company wants a new, fuel-efficient, aerodynamic, stylish, and innovative dragster.
You will be in charge of the designing, constructing, testing, and explaining your proposal to the board.
All dragsters will be compared in design, craftsmanship, aerodynamics, and speed.

Design Brief

Create Thumbnail concept Sketches (20 points) to share with your design team.
Turn in a Design Team Group Evaluation (10 points) grading your fellow group members.
Your Design Team will also be Evaluated by the teacher. (15 points)
You team will need to complete and submit a Design Team Worksheet. (25 points)
The Design Team will then present the reasons why they choose their ideas(15 points)
Individually complete a Paint Plan (25 points) illustrating the general shape and the colors of your LSRV.
Individually complete a Working Drawing (50 points) illustrating the exsact size and shape of your LSRV.
Before working in the lab you will be required to complete a Lab Rules Activity (25 points)
Your finished and ready to race Dragster will be graded (100 points)
At the end of the construction you may earn points for the Dragster Race or Design Competition. (extra credit)
During the racing you will create a Dragster PowerPoint Presentation (100 points) explaining the process you went through.
You will then present your Presentation to the class in a professional manner. (50 points)

Generate possible solutions

you are required to record at least 20 thumbnail (concept) sketches to this problem,
before moving on. Any addtional unique ideas will be counted as extra credit.

Choose a possible solution

The next drawing that you will need is the “Paint Plan” it will be used to show the general shape of
your dragster, as well as, showing what it will look like when it has been painted.

After the “Paint Plan” you will be creating the "Working Drawing" which is an exsact drawing
of the size and shape of your LSRV. It will be copied and used as a pattern to cut out your
dragster so you will need to be as percise as possible. Neat, clean lines are mandatory.

Develop your solution

Now that you have finished with the design phase of the process you are ready
to move on to construction, and the actual building of your CO2 Metric Dragster.
The process has many steps, here they are:

Get a photocopy of your working drawing
Cut out the shape of your dragster
Get your LSRV body blank from the teacher
Trace the design of your dragster onto the blank
Check measurements, and alignment to engine housing
TEACHER CHECKS WORK UP TO THIS POINT
Use a scroll saw or band saw to cut out body shape
TEACHER CHECKS CUTTING
Sand dragster to shape
Check measurements
TEACHER CHECKS SANDING
Get axels and wheels
Prime dragster
Paint dragster
Clearcoat dragster
Get & install screw eyes
Teacher checks work
Prep for race.

Test your solution

Compete in the school race and design competition to see if it breaks the school record.
the current school record is here.

Evaluate your solution

Complete a PowerPoint presentation explaining the process you went through and present it to class.

Your presentation must include the following pages:

Title Page (First & Last Name, Class Hour, Date, and “CO2 Metric Dragsters”)
Design Page (Explain how you came up with your idea.)
Development Page (Explain the process you went through to build your dragster.)
Testing Results Page (Explain the results of testing your dragster.)
Evaluation Page(s) (Explain to the board what was good about your idea. Explain how any bad or problem areas could be overcome. Explain why the board should pick your idea above the others in the class.)
OR,
(Explain what was learned through your project that will help the development of another idea.)
Thank You Page (The last page in your presentation should thank and give credit to everyone who worked on the design process with you. Don’t forget to give credit to yourself! )

In addition your presentation should:

have at least one picture of your vehicle.
be interesting, but not chaotic or flamboyant.
make use of custom animation.
make use of transitions.
last more than 1 minute and less than 5.
be presented by yourself, dressed professionally.

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