It’s a fantastic challenge developed and supplied by The Learning Partnership that involves students designing and racing model rocket cars, integrating physics, engineering and teamwork.
The project offers students an exciting, hands-on educational opportunity, bringing together the different disciplines of STEM: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. As well as the learning benefits, this fun project helps young people identify their gifts and abilities through a very practical challenge. It brings out early leadership skills, innovative thinking and collaboration, transcending more conventional study.
The finished rocket car that the students work together to develop embodies the result of the very practical application of STEM. Executed as a kind of drag race, the purpose of the exercise is to pull together a range of skills to successfully create a high performing large toy size rocket car.
Mathematics is applied to calculate times and distances, and as well the effect of mass, volume and density. Along with data analysis and use of graphs, performance is measured and reviewed. Physics plays a strong part of the learning, with the principles of forces, motion and vectors all explored and applied.
The role of design and technology is then implemented, with resources provided for producing 2D and 3D designs, together with laser cutting, 3D printing, and material choices followed with testing.
What’s fantastic about this project is the broad scope of disciplines, requiring students of differing abilities to get involved. For those with a passion for computer science, the project offers the practical application of developing code to create timing systems as well as simulations and telemetry analysis.
Emulating aspects of a motorsport team, the project is promoted through the school’s arts and media students, engaging with creative video, photography, design for marketing their rocket car and producing a fun team car livery.
With so many disciplines involved, The Race to the Line project helps pull together students with differing abilities, enabling them to see how their respective skills are most effective when contributing to each other’s goals and ambitions.
The reason DL M&E Building Services Ltd is proud to sponsor Westhoughton High School Race to the Line project for 2024/25 is because the processes involved are very similar to the demands of the construction industry, where collaboration is at the heart of our operations. We hope this project in some way helps young people see the potential they have and how their skills, no matter how varied, can be applied in some way through engineering and project supporting roles.
Learn more about The Race to the Line:
www.thelearningpartnership.com
