The Bookworms
Event Location: Cocoa-FL
Competition: Junior Solar Sprint
Division: 4-6 (JSS Green)
School: Sumter STEM 4H
Team Name: Bookworms
Project Name: Bookworms
Team Size: 4
Junior Solar Sprint 2024
Introduction
We are the Bookworms. Our team members are Joseph (8), Layla (9), Caroline (9), and Jada (10). For some of us, this is our second year competing in the energy whiz. We picked The Book Worms as our team name because we like to lose ourselves in books and we thought it is cute. We tried to make our car as light as possible so that it is fast. We named our car The Book Mobile. We also used the open book design so that it is aerodynamic. We hope we win the race.
![](https://www.energywhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/leftside-1024x768.jpg)
The Book Mobile
Our solar car is named “The Book Mobile” because we love to read or listen to stories. We like to lose ourselves in books. Our favorite books are adventure and fantasy. We are excited to have our very own adventure at the Energy Whiz competition!
Organization Name:
Sumter Stem 4-H Club – Sumter County, FL. Our team is representing our 4-H Club. Our club focuses on STEM based projects, including robotics, engineering, gardening, and computer science. We meet weekly to work together on projects.
Team Members:
Joseph F. – 3rd – Homeschool
Layla C. 3rd- Homeschool
Caroline C. – 4th- Homeschool
Jada F.- 5th- Homeschool
![](https://www.energywhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_1008-1024x768.jpeg)
Car Pictures:
![](https://www.energywhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/frontcar-1-1024x768.jpg)
![](https://www.energywhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/leftside-2-1024x768.jpg)
![](https://www.energywhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/rightside-2-1024x768.jpg)
![](https://www.energywhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/backview-1-1024x768.jpg)
![](https://www.energywhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bottomview2-1-768x1024.jpg)
![](https://www.energywhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bottomview-1-768x1024.jpg)
Introducing The Book Mobile
![](https://www.energywhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/leftside-1-1024x768.jpg)
Car Drawings:
![](https://www.energywhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BookwormDrawing1-1-768x1024.jpg)
![](https://www.energywhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BookwormDrawing2-1-768x1024.jpg)
Car Specifications:
Length | 26.8 cm |
Width with wheels | 15 cm |
Width of solar panel | 12.75 cm |
Length of solar panel | 26.6 cm |
Height | 17 cm |
Weight | 267 g |
Back Wheel Size | 4.2 cm |
Front Wheel Size | 3.5 |
Gear Ratio | 4:1 |
Total Cost | $49.25 |
Materials and Cost Breakdown:
Solar car kit: $48
stickers: $0.25
Battery Pack: $1
K cup: Recycled
Paint: donated
Hot glue: donated
Recycled Foam for the books
Amazon box for book covers
Alligator clips: donated from last year’s project
Paper (Solar Sprint Instructions): Recycled
Project Diary Log
Date | Time | Duration | Tasks Completed | Team Attendance | Location | Mishaps/Redesigns | ||
3/11/24 | 4:30pm – 5:30 pm | 1 hour | – made teams – discussed focus and responsibilities, – brainstormed designs, – came up with The Book Mobile idea. – Made first sketches | Joseph Layla Caroline Jada | ABC church | |||
3/15/24 | 1:30 pm-4:30pm | 3 hours | – Built chassis – Experimented with gear ratios – Assembled and installed axel – Installation and troubleshooting motor | Joseph Layla Jada | Layla’s House | Gears were way to big and the car wouldn’t drive. | ||
3/18/24 | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm | 6 hours | -Worked on solar panel support (sanded and hot glued) -Brainstormed and designed table tennis ball holder (K cup) | Joseph Layla Caroline Jada | ABC church | |||
3/21/24 | 10:00 am- 4:00 pm | 6 hours | -Painted solar car -Installed K cup -Installed solar panel -Worked on website -Time trials with battery and solar panels | Joseph Layla Caroline Jada | ABC church | |||
3/25/24 | 10:00 am- 4:00 pm | 6 hours | -Finished website -Recorded interview videos -Video editing -Photoshoot with our car | Joseph Layla Caroline Jada | ABC church | |||
Solar Panel Timed Trials
Trial | Time | Distance | Speed | Conditions | Comments | |
1 | 9.26 seconds | 20 meters | 2.16 m/s | Sunny | String was not tight | |
2 | DNR | 20 meters | – | – | Car not hooked on string | |
3 | DNR | 20 meters | – | – | Clip came off motor | |
4 | 7.29 seconds | 20 meters | 2.74 m/s | Sunny | Good run | |
5 | 8.27 seconds | 20 meters | 2.47 m/s | Sunny | Good run | |
6 | 7.02 seconds | 20 meters | 2.85 m/s | Sunny | Best run |
Battery Pack Trial
Time | Distance | Speed | Comments | |
1 | 11.13 seconds | 20 meters | 1.8 m/s | ? batteries |
2 | 7.72 | 20 meters | 2.59 m/s | new batteries |
Project Reflection
We all liked working on the car with our friends. It was a lot of fun. We got to know each other better and we were able to use our imagination to design a perfect car. At first our ideas seemed wacky, but we made them happen. Our book mobile is a fairy tale come true.
Special Thanks
Thank you to our moms for helping with our project, and to Mr. Tom (Caroline’s dad) for soldering the clips for us. Our moms helped with videoing, transportation, lunch, and website design.
Absolutely amazing!! Such an original idea.
Love the use of recycled materials, and you really incorporated your theme well. The bookshelves with little books were a grat touch!