Chelsea project highlights STEM initiatives as students build solar cars

The end of the school year brought with it sunshine and the opportunity for over 260 fifth graders at Chelsea Intermediate School to experiment with solar energy. Students participated in a unique project that highlights STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) initiatives. The opportunity was provided through an Ecolab Foundation Visions for Learning Grant for a project entitled “Engineering Design with Solar Cars.” Chelsea teacher, Christine Meade, wrote a successful proposal and was awarded the grant.

Using solar car kits purchased with the grant, fifth grade students designed and built cars with a motor connected to a solar panel. Once the cars were built, students headed outside to test their designs. Students analyzed the factors that affected the performance of their vehicles. Some cars were slowed down by friction, while others were affected by the angle of the solar panels. Based upon their observations and test runs, students redesigned their cars to improve their performance.

At the end of the redesign process, a solar car rally was held in front of the school. The rally was held over two days because there were so many students interested in competing. Students were excited to challenge each other and see their redesigned cars at work.

Students learned a little bit about solar energy and a great deal about the engineering design process. The fifth graders enjoyed the cooperative learning opportunity to build cars from the kits and then redesign them based on their test runs. Teachers were excited to see the students engaged in a challenging and meaningful activity at the end of the school year. District 157-C Superintendent, Dr. Maura Zinni, had a chance to be in the science lab on one of the days the students were building their cars. She stated, “It was such an awesome experience watching the young ‘engineers’ at work on this STEM project – it is truly the way of the future.”

At the conclusion of the unit, the fifth graders disassembled their cars so they can be used by next year’s class of students.

Shown photo 1 -Chelsea fifth graders Aidan Dauber and Nolan Goudy assemble their car during the solar car project.
Shown photo 2 - Chelsea fifth grader Sophia Roh with her winning car during the solar car project.

Other photos - Chelsea solar car rally day 1 and day 2.