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IN THE CLASSROOM:
Miniature cars electrify kids
Clark Magnet High School students get on a roll learning the nuts and bolts of auto engineering.
By Ani Amirkhanian
Joseph Delgado, a freshman at Clark Magnet High School, made the final adjustments on his miniature electric car for a classroom project on Friday.
The 15-year-old was one of about 20 students in the school’s engineering club who last week studied the mechanics of electric automobiles. “I’ve never had experience with cars or designing stuff, so this is a great opportunity to see the basics of engineering,” Joseph said.
Students each received a chassis, wheels, batteries and an electrical unit to build their own cars.
Joseph used a screwdriver to tighten the wheels onto his car’s axle. “It’s about traction,” he said. “You need traction to go up the hill.”
Megan O’Dean, 14, put the finishing touches on her mini-car. She worked with her peers to determine what she needed to do to have her car go faster.
“It’s fun to be able to do something hands-on,” Megan said. “It’s more interesting. It seems complicated at first. And it’s all about how you put the gears together.”
After students finished tuning up the cars, they took turns to see whether their cars had enough power to go up an incline. They placed the cars on a flat surface and watched them go up a ramp.
“We are trying to find which car can climb the steepest slope,” teacher Jerry Gruss said.
Gruss changed the angle of incline after each try and challenged students to make changes to give the car more power.
Students have been making modifications to their cars for the last week, Gruss said. “It’s a lot of hands-on, and students learn about circuitry,” he said.
After learning that he needed work on getting his car to speed up, Gor Sargsyan modified the gear ratio of the wheels.
“A smaller gear ratio is better for a faster race,” the 14-year-old said.
The club is designed for students interested in the fundamentals of engineering, Gruss said. For 15-year-old Brian Higgins, the club provides an outlet to explore his curiosity about the mechanics of cars.
“It’s fun to learn about how electric cars are designed,” Brian said. “It’s more of a hobby.”
Other students, including Rafik Mughnetsyan, 14, are interested in a career in engineering. The club is a way for them to what an engineer does. “It’s a good start for my future,” Rafik said.
The 15-year-old was one of about 20 students in the school’s engineering club who last week studied the mechanics of electric automobiles. “I’ve never had experience with cars or designing stuff, so this is a great opportunity to see the basics of engineering,” Joseph said.
Students each received a chassis, wheels, batteries and an electrical unit to build their own cars.
Joseph used a screwdriver to tighten the wheels onto his car’s axle. “It’s about traction,” he said. “You need traction to go up the hill.”
Megan O’Dean, 14, put the finishing touches on her mini-car. She worked with her peers to determine what she needed to do to have her car go faster.
“It’s fun to be able to do something hands-on,” Megan said. “It’s more interesting. It seems complicated at first. And it’s all about how you put the gears together.”
After students finished tuning up the cars, they took turns to see whether their cars had enough power to go up an incline. They placed the cars on a flat surface and watched them go up a ramp.
“We are trying to find which car can climb the steepest slope,” teacher Jerry Gruss said.
Gruss changed the angle of incline after each try and challenged students to make changes to give the car more power.
Students have been making modifications to their cars for the last week, Gruss said. “It’s a lot of hands-on, and students learn about circuitry,” he said.
After learning that he needed work on getting his car to speed up, Gor Sargsyan modified the gear ratio of the wheels.
“A smaller gear ratio is better for a faster race,” the 14-year-old said.
The club is designed for students interested in the fundamentals of engineering, Gruss said. For 15-year-old Brian Higgins, the club provides an outlet to explore his curiosity about the mechanics of cars.
“It’s fun to learn about how electric cars are designed,” Brian said. “It’s more of a hobby.”
Other students, including Rafik Mughnetsyan, 14, are interested in a career in engineering. The club is a way for them to what an engineer does. “It’s a good start for my future,” Rafik said.
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