Lesson Plan Originally Created By:
James Nichols
Mousetrap Powered Racer 3/4 Modeling 2
Part of Unit: Projects-Beginning
Lesson Plan Overview / Details
Wheels and Axles (circles) In this lesson we will be working on making the wheels for the mousetrap vehicle in AutoCAD. This will require the students to begin thinking about the specific dimensions of their wheels and axle.
Lesson Time
- One Class Period
- 55 Minutes
Standards
California Career and Technical Education Standards
- ED.C.C2.1 Use methods and techniques for employing all engineering design equipment approp...
- ED.C.C2.2 Apply conventional engineering design processes and procedures accurately, appro...
- ED.FS.11.0 Demonstration and Application
- ED.FS.5.1 Apply appropriate problem-solving strategies and critical thinking skills to wor...
- ED.FS.5.2 Understand the universal, systematic problem-solving model that incorporates inp...
Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS)
- FS.BS.A. Reading -- locates, understands, and interprets written information in prose and...
- FS.BS.C. Arithmetic/Mathematics -- performs basic computations and approaches practical p...
- FS.BS.D. Listening -- receives, attends to, interprets, and responds to verbal messages a...
- WC.I.A. Participates as Member of a Team -- contributes to group effort
- WC.T.A. Selects Technology -- chooses procedures, tools or equipment including computers...
Objectives and Goals
Students will model the wheels and axles of their mousetrap vehicle in AutoCAD.
Activities in this Lesson
- When Wheels FAIL! - Hooks / Set
- Not a good Idea [ View Image ] [ Download Original ] Here's what happens when you don't think it through.
- Poor Kid.... [ View Image ] [ Download Original ] A ROUND wheel might work better.
- Wheels and Axles - Demo / Modeling
With theLCD projector broadcasting and the student machines running AutoCAD, you will demonstrate to the students how to make a circle in AutoCAD. The students should be following along with the teacher on their own computers to form the wheel and axle solids.
-In AutoCAD click on the circle icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
-Orient your curser to the workspace and (left) click the mouse button to begin drawing the circle. At this point, you can see a dialog box appear for you to enter the specific radius or diameter that you would like to use as the value for your circle.
-The Command: line at the bottom of the screen wil indicate wether you are entering a R (radius) or D (diameter). Make sure that you are entering the correct value for your particular wheel.
-Click ENTER to accept the measurement.
-Click ESC to deselect your shape.
-At this point, you have a 2 dimensional circle on your workspace.
-On the Command Line at the bottom of your screen, type extrude (ext) then enter.
-Now you may either type in the thickness of the wheel or manually drag the vehicle's wheel to the thickness that you desire.
REMEMBER: IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE USING A CD, RECORD ALBUM, PLASTIC LID, ETC., YOU WILL NEED TO ACCURATELY MEASURE THE EXISTING MATERIAL TO DETERMINE ITS THICKNESS.
-Press Esc to deselect
Assessment
- Assessment Types:
- Demonstrations, Portfolios, Observations,
Students will need to use these files when they begin to 'assemble' their mousetrap cars in a later lesson. Make sure that the students are cognisant of the diameter/radius of their wheels because they will need to be able to use these measurements to calculate their projected distance their car will cover.
