Chariot of the Gods
Event Location: Virtual
Competition: Junior Solar Sprint
Division: 3-5
School: Buck Lake Elementary
Team Size: 2
Cora, 3rd grade Digital Learner @ Buck Lake
Engineering Design Process
- Ask: Can I make a car using solar energy?
- Imagine: I came up with ideas in my head and put one of them into my journal.
- Plan: I planned out my design (with help).
- Create: I put my design on my car (I love to create!).
- Improve: I tested the car in my driveway, and added some weights to even out the car so it didn’t curve. I tested it and made more improvements.
- Share: I shared it with my class, my family, my grandparents, and my teacher.
First, we learned about solar energy and how it works. Then, I drew a sketch of what I wanted my car to look like. (It did not turn out like that though. It turned out to look better!) Next, I received my solar car materials and started building! Before decorating, I had to test if it moved, so I went outside on my driveway to test it out. My driveway was TOO hilly so when the solar car was going down the hill, I couldn’t tell if it was rolling or if it was moving from solar power. My driveway was too steep for the solar car to move. The next day, we took the car to a flat sidewalk. When we tested it out on the flat land it finally moved, but it went crooked! I added some extra weight to even it out, and it helped a little. Most surprising, the extra weight made the car move faster, and even moved uphill a little! These are two of the many problems I solved. Once the car was working, it was time to decorate! This is the part where my sister helped. I was looking for a theme for my car, and my sister said, “Why don’t you base it on one of the books you read?” I was reading The Last Olympian, so I thought, why not make it Greek god themed? This is why my car (And team) is called Chariot of the Gods!
Zoooom! This is the sound that your motor will make when it is hooked up with…….SOLAR ENERGY! How does solar energy work? You ask. Well, first you will have to take your alligator clips and hook them to the ends of the wires on your motor, and the ends of the wires on your solar panel. Then, if you take it outside in the sun, it should make a buzzing noise. Then, you will start making your pulley system. You have to hook a rubber band around the motor, and then put the car in the sun and it should start moving (After you add the other wheels of course!)! As the wheel turns, the axle (Kabob Stick) will also turn, making the wheel turn on the other side It makes the car move forward! The body could be Balsa or, like me plastic corrugate which is used for voting signs.
Team Members
Cora! 3rd grade (The student)
Cora Likes: Dogs, Tater Tots, and Broccoli
Rosie! Kindergarten (The little sister and my little helper)
Rosie likes: Baby Yoda, French fries, and Broccoli Slaw.
(If you have not figured it out yet, we are sisters.)
Dimensions
With: 20.6 CM
Length: 20.9 CM
Height: 10.5 CM
Front 
Back 
Left 
Right 
Top 
Bottom
Throne of Zeus 
Zeus 
Greek Horse
Rock of Olympus 
Lightning bolts (Clothespins)
Sketch 
Note
Nice job, Cora! I love how you tied together science and literature!!
Cora—this is fantastic! I love that you let Rosie help, too!
I like how you did the background with (Zeus’s?) chariot! I also liked how you called your rock the “Rock of Olympus.”
Nice problem solving skills, well done!
It is a amazing and cool car. It is very fast and the steering apears to have stabalized. Great work!
Great job, Cora!
Wallace Knight
LCS Science Curriculum Developer
Thank you for looking at my project!
I love how you used the rock to get the car to go straight!!!!!!! So inventive
I love all of the detail especially Zeus he was so cute.
Fantastic Cora! I love the story!
I like how it is Greek god themed and it goes very smoothly.
Great job Cora. I like the design, thank you for sharing!
Great job! i love how much work and effort you put into it.
I really love how you based your car on Greek Mythology! It’s super cool!
Great Job Cora!!! I love how you added Rosie to the ” Team Members ” section. That was so sweet!!!
I like it! I like the theme-Greek god
Thank you for all your help!
great work! I love the design and name, hope you are having a good day
Great job, Cora! We know that you worked really hard on this project and are proud of you!
What a great story teller and car-maker! I love the theme and the follow through, and the thoughtfulness that went into problem solving. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for looking at my project!