Theme: Sports Science
Title: “Skateboard Design and
Construction”
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Overview: Riding a skateboard can be taken for
granted. The technology and consideration of
materials that have gone into making the final product
has been substantial. All things have been considered: weight of materials,
energy transfer, cost, material location, etc., to provide the best product for your
money. This lesson will look into some of those considerations – why it was
designed and how it was constructed. This lesson is about the anatomy of a
skateboard.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subject Matter:
 Physics
 Engineering
 Science and Technology
Duration: 3-5, 50-minute lessons
National Standards Addressed:
Science and Technology

Abilities of technological design
 Understandings about science and technology
Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
 Identify the necessary materials that go into skateboard construction.
 Specify why a skateboard is designed the way it is.
 Outline how a skateboard is constructed from raw materials to the final
product.
Materials:
 Computers
 Internet access
 Disassembled skateboard
Procedure:
1. Hook
2. Skateboard Materials
a. Brainstorming activity
i. To do this activity ask around and see if you can obtain a
skateboard from one of your students. Disassemble the
skateboard (or have the student do it) down to the deck,
trucks, and wheels.
ii. Pass out the three parts to three large groups in your class.
Assemble the large groups ahead of time.
iii. Have the students brainstorm/contemplate the following:
1. What kinds of materials make this up?
2. What processes were involved in making this?
3. Devise a plan to construct the item you are holding.
iv. Have your students write their results on a whiteboard and
share them with the class.
b. Pass out the handout entitled “What’s is a Skateboard.”
c. Students should work alone or in pairs depending on how many
computers you have available to you.
d. Throughout this lesson provide a means for the students to listen to
the Pulse of the Planet programs.
3. Skateboard Design
a. Start this portion of the lesson by asking the following questions:
i. (hold up the deck) Why is the deck curved? What purpose
might that serve? Listen to answers.
ii. (hold up the trucks) How can you steer a skateboard with
these? Listen to answers.
iii. (hold up the wheels) Why does this material give skaters a
better ride/”feel?” Listen to answers.
b. Hand out the assignment entitled: “Skateboard Design.”
i. Describe the assignment to the students.
ii. The students may work in pairs.
iii. Establish a due date.
iv. Provide at least one full period to work on it in class. This
will provide time for you to answer questions and give
direction if needed.
4. How a skateboard is made
Handouts:
What’s In a Skateboard
Answer the following questions.
1. The three parts of a skateboard are ________________,
__________________, and ______________________.
2. The average dimensions of a skateboard are: _______ x
_______.
3. The wheels range is size from _____ to _____ and are made
out of ______________________.
4. What are skateboard decks made out of?
5. Why is maple wood the consistent choice for skateboard
decks?
6. How many plies of wood are used to make a deck?
____________
7. What are “trucks?”
8. What are trucks made out of?
9. What is grip tape used for?
Resources
 Pulse of the Planet program 4361: Skateboard 101
 http://www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Skateboard.html
 http://www.exploratorium.edu/skateboarding/skatedesign.html#
boards
 http://www.skatewarehouse.com/skateology.html
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skateboard
Skateboard Design
Deck Design
Write a (bulleted) list of facts about the design of a skateboard deck.
Use a separate piece of paper. Use the following list of words and
phrases to guide you: curvature, concave, strength, plan form,
symmetrical, longboards, retroboards, Maplewood, ply vs. waffled
wood, sizes vs. purpose/age.
Resources
 Pulse of the Planet program 4366: Skateboard - Waffled
 Pulse of the Planet program4363: Skateboard - Wood
 http://www.exploratorium.edu/skateboarding/skatedesign.html#
boards
 http://www.warehouseskateboards.com/howtobuy.asp
 http://www.skateboarder2.com/
Wheel Design
Write a (bulleted) list of facts about the design of skateboard wheels.
Use a separate piece of paper. Use the following list of words and
phrases to guide you: durometer (hardness durability, speed), nylon,
size, urethane – pro’s & con’s, dye’s vs. pigments, deformation, hard
vs. soft, rebound factor.
Resources
 http://www.exploratorium.edu/skateboarding/skatedesignwheel.
html
 http://www.warehouseskateboards.com/howtobuy.asp
 http://www.skatelog.com/wheels/specifications.htm
Truck Design
Write a (bulleted) list of facts about the design of skateboard trucks.
Use a separate piece of paper. Use the following list of words and
phrases to guide you: baseplate, hangar/axle, bushing, pivot point,
kingpin nut (tight vs. loose), durameter, energy dispersion, impact.
Resources
 http://www.exploratorium.edu/skateboarding/skatedesigntruc
k.html
 http://skateboard.about.com/od/skateboardingdictionary/g/Gl
osTrucks.htm
Construction of a Skateboard
Objective: Understand how a skateboard is assembled by
writing a how-to manual for constructing a skateboard.
Final Product: a “manual” on how to construct a skateboard
from start to finish.
The how-to manual should include:
 Materials list
 Mention of the type and location of the wood.
 Construction of the deck
o Veneer/plies
o Glue
o The machines used and the process to form and trim the
deck
o Sealer
 Construction of the trucks
o Sand molds
o Aluminum ingots
o Assembly of the trucks:
 Kingpin
 Pivot cup
 Risers
 Baseplate
 Construction of the wheels
o Mixed polyurethane
o Curing
o Lathing
o Artwork
 Assembly of the skateboard
o Application of grip tape.
o Attaching the trucks
o Bearings and wheel attachment
Resources
 Pulse of the Planet program 4363: Skateboard - Wood
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx2qfpk_n8s
 http://video.google.com/videosearch?sourceid=gmail&q=how
+a+skateboard+is+made&um=1&ie=UTF8&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=5&ct=title#
 http://www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Skateboard.html
o Please cite all resources at the end of your manual.
o If different sites are used for this manual, please
reference them at the end of the manual.
Additional Resources
Web Sites
Kids’ Science Challenge (click on the skateboard at bottom of page) – Pulse of
Planet
http://www.kidsciencechallenge.com/
Skateboard FAQ’s – About.com
http://skateboard.about.com/od/skateboardingfaq/f/
How Skateboarding Works – Howstuffworks.com
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/skateboarding.htm
The Basics of a Skateboard – Howstuffworks.com
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/skateboarding1.htm
How to Build a Complete Skateboard – Dick’s Sporting Goods
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/info/index.jsp?categoryId=524107
Createaskate.org
http://www.createaskate.org/
Video
Skateboarding (webcast) – Exploratorium.edu
http://www.exploratorium.edu/skateboarding/webcast.html
Skateboard Videos (skate ollie, finger board, skate factory) –
Kidsciencechallenge.com
http://www.kidsciencechallenge.com/
About the Create a Skate Program – Createaskate.org
http://www.createaskate.org/about_where.php
Make a Skateboard – Youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGjG0UWJVOs
Learn the Basics of Setting Up a Skateboard – Youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfQ6IcGOSJw&feature=related
Step By Step Guide to Making a Skateboard – Roarockit.com
http://www.roarockit.com/stepdemo.php
Audio
“My Fellow Americans: Barbara Odanaka, Skateboard Mom” (1/14/05) - NPR
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4283628
Other
Skateboard Projects (PDF) – Pulse of the Planet / Kids Science Challenge
http://www.kidsciencechallenge.com/pdfs/KSC_ScienceProject_Skateboard_200
8.pdf
Special thanks to the following scientists for their help with this project:
Pulse of the Planet Programs: 4361 Skateboard 101, #4363 Skateboard - Wood,
4366: Skateboard - Waffled
Paul Schmitt
Founder, CreateAskate.org
Header Image
Name: Skateboard Clip Art 1
Credit: PDClipart.org