Solar Powered Vehicle
1. Title of the Lesson: Solar Powered Vehicle
2. NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards addressed in the lesson.
 5.1.12.D.1 (Science involves practicing productive social interactions with peers, such as
partner talk, whole-group discussions, and small-group work): Engage in multiple forms
of discussion in order to process, make sense of, and learn from others' ideas,
observations, and experiences.
 5.1.12.D.2 (Science involves using language, both oral and written, as a tool for making
thinking public): Represent ideas using literal representations, such as graphs, tables,
journals, concept maps, and diagrams.
 5.1.12.D.3 (Ensure that instruments and specimens are properly cared for...):
Demonstrate how to use scientific tools and instruments...
 5.2.C (Forms of Energy): Knowing the characteristics of familiar forms of energy,
including potential and kinetic energy, is useful in coming to the understanding that, for
the most part, the natural world can be explained and is predictable.
 5.2.D (Energy Transfer and Conservation): The conservation of energy can be
demonstrated by keeping track of familiar forms of energy as they are transferred from
one object to another.
 5.2.E (Forces and Motion): It takes energy to change the motion of objects. The energy
change is understood in terms of forces.
 5.2.12.E.1 (The motion of an object can be described by its position and velocity as
functions of time and by its average speed and average acceleration during intervals of
time.): Compare the calculated and measured speed, average speed, and acceleration of
an object in motion, and account for differences that may exist between calculated and
measured values.
 5.2.12.E.2 (Objects undergo different kinds of motion (translational, rotational, and
vibrational).): Compare the translational and rotational motions of a thrown object and
potential applications of this understanding.
 5.2.12.E.3 (The motion of an object changes only when a net force is applied.): Create
simple models to demonstrate the benefits of seat belts using Newton's first law of motion.
 5.2.12.E.4 (The magnitude of acceleration of an object depends directly on the strength
of the net force, and inversely on the mass of the object. This relationship (a=Fnet/m) is
independent of the nature of the force.): Measure and describe the relationship between
the force acting on an object and the resulting acceleration.
3. Identify Resources needed.
a. Teacher Use: Sunny day, flat smooth outdoor location (see teacher notes section)
b. Student Use: Solar car kit with assembly instructions, ruler, craft knife, scissors,
sandpaper, pen/pencil
4. Describe what students should know before they start the lesson.
 Students should be able to work cooperatively in small groups. They should listen to and
have respect for others' ideas.
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Students should understand energy conservation and how it relates to the motion of the
vehicle.
Students should understand Newton's 2nd law, that the acceleration of the vehicle = Net
force exerted on vehicle/ mass of vehicle.
Students should understand that engineers build a physical prototype as part of the
engineering design process.
5. State the objectives of the lesson.
 Students will increase their ability to work cooperatively to solve a problem.
 Students will learn how to use a systematic approach to solving a problem.
 Students will learn that engineering involves using their ideas and knowledge to solve
real-world problems.
 Students will gain experience in constructing a physical prototype from a verbal
description.
 Students should understand that real engineers designed the vehicle they are assembling,
and also designed the specific kit pieces and packaging. Students will learn how different
types of engineers work together to produce these kits, and more generally that engineers
work together on many projects.
 Students will apply their knowledge of physics to a real world object.
6. Identify important ideas in terms the subject area - describe in detail.
 Conservation of work-energy: The energy of the photons emitted by the sun is
transformed into electrical energy through the photoelectric effect. This electrical energy
is then transformed into rotational kinetic energy of the motor, which is then transformed
into the kinetic energy of the vehicle.
 The net force exerted on the vehicle can be determined from the acceleration and mass of
the vehicle, Newton's 2nd law.
 Friction: The vehicle will only accelerate if the force exerted on it by the motor is greater
than the static friction force exerted on it by the surface (sidewalk)
 Torque: Torque = Force * radius * sin Θ. For the vehicle's wheels, sin Θ = 1 so the torque
exerted on the wheel by the surface, which causes the wheel's rotational motion, =
friction force exerted by surface on wheel * radius of the wheel. But if this lesson is
designed for early in the year or for a lower level course, I will not get into torque and
rotational motion but rather just discuss the kinematics of the vehicle's motion and where
the energy comes from that is transformed into the kinetic energy of the vehicle.
 Gear ratios: The gear attached to the motor has a smaller diameter than that attached to
the wheel. Since the gears are meshed, the smaller gear will turn at a greater rotational
velocity than the larger gear, but the larger gear (wheel) will exert a greater force on the
surface (ground) than the smaller gear does on the motor, which gives the vehicle more
power.
 The engineering design process includes constructing a physical prototype: starting with
plans and ideas, using materials to build the physical model.
7. Describe potential difficulties students may experience with the content. Describe all
formative assessments that you plan to use and how you will provide feedback.
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Students may have difficulty following the instructions. Sometimes it is easier to develop
your own idea than to follow someone else's specific instructions. Some students may
especially have difficulty with placing the screw eyes into the board, as this was
particularly frustrating. I will work with students to give hints as to how to best approach
a given step, but in general I will recommend that students work together and learn from
each other. However I will try to prevent students from just getting another student to do
the construction for them, since it is important that every student learn from this lesson.
I will monitor the students, and make sure to engage those who seem to be struggling
with the project. This also will ensure that all students understand the successes and
failures of their prototypes.
I will ask students what problems they are having, or what is standing in the way of their
meeting their goals, to engage them in a discussion about the possible strategies they
could employ to solve their problems.
I will ask students to draw a force diagram for the vehicle both in the sun and out of the
sun. I will ask them to consider whether the solar panel exerts a constant force on the
vehicle, how they know, or how they could determine this experimentally (measure
velocity versus time for the vehicle).
8. Provide a description of the lesson including an agenda for the lesson.
 See handout attached at end of lesson plan
9. Time Table – who is going to be doing what and when during the lesson to make sure that
students are actively engaged.
Clock
Title of activity
Students doing
Me doing
reading
0 - 5 min
Introduction
Listening, reading through Presenting the activity
the instruction manual
including available materials
5 – 35 min
Construction
Constructing prototype
Monitoring student work
35 – 40 min Final test
Testing final prototypes
Testing final prototypes
40 – 45 min Reflection,
Talking
Listening, commenting
Discussion of
questions
10. Describe the homework you will assign. What guidance will you provide the students?
 The homework will be for students to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the vehicle
design, and make at least one suggestion for a modification they could make that would
meet a different need/ solve a different problem. This engages the students in the
engineering design process. Discuss the homework the next day so students can learn
from the ideas of others.
11. Teacher's Guide
 Ensure that you are familiar with the materials and their use in the vehicle. Build a
prototype yourself.
 Test the vehicle in various light conditions, so you will know from looking out the
window if they will work on a given day. You will probably need to take the class outside
for testing the vehicles, and you don't want to get all the way out there just to find out it is
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too cloudy. This also means you need to take the weather into account when planning this
lesson- winter is probably not a good time for it!
The surface that the vehicle is on also greatly affects its performance, the surface needs to
be level and smooth. Sidewalks are too bumpy (frictional force too large) for effective
operation. So plan ahead, and look around for a suitable outdoor location with good light
to use as the vehicle testing spot.
With the homework, make sure students think about how many different types of
engineers might try to improve the SunZoom kit. Materials cost? Packaging efficiency?
More environmentally friendly materials? Vehicle performance enhancement? And so on.
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Solar Powered Vehicle
Goal: To use the design plans and materials to assemble a prototype solar powered vehicle
Use the SunZoon kit instructions and materials provided to assemble a functioning solar powered
vehicle. Please read through the instructions carefully before you begin assembling your vehicle.
Questions to think about and answer while you are working:
 Where does this activity fit into the engineering design process?

Where does the energy come from to make the vehicle move? Draw a bar chart for each
of the energy transformations in the process. Hint: Does the energy transform directly
from electromagnetic / light energy (sunlight) to kinetic energy of the vehicle, or are
there intermediate steps?

What steps were difficult for you? What changes or suggestions would you make to the
instructions? Do you think SunZoom ever revises their kits in response to student
difficulties?
Homework:
Engineers are constantly testing and improving their prototypes as part of the engineering design
process. If you were an engineer for SunZoom, what improvements might you make to the kit?
Think about the different types of engineers, and what aspect of the kits each of them would be
interested in improving. You need to describe at least two different types of engineers and the
specific aspects of the kit they would be interested in improving.
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