"King of the Hill" Battle Challenge
The King of the Hill Battle Challenge provides an opportunity for students to become engineers through an active learning experience and allows students to use their math and science knowledge for practical applications. Students designed and fabricated a multi-functional battery powered mechanical system that will climb an incline on a determined angle, cross the crest and prevent their opponent from crossing in the opposite direction. The major objective is to end the match with your vehicle on the other side of the hill, and your opponent’s on the same side.
Learning Objectives
The physical science concepts this project covers are forces and motion more specifically, friction and mass. The goal of the King of the Hill Battle Challenge is to design and fabricate a mechanical system that moves quickly and has the mass to prevent an opponent from reaching their goal. Students can measure the force used and then calculate how efficiently their design uses energy. Mathematical concepts such as geometry can also be used in this project. Students will observe how round objects with different diameters can travel at different speeds. Engineering principles include brainstorming of ideas, analyzing, testing, and revision of ideas. Students can work individually or in teams of two. Using creative problem-solving techniques, students will brainstorm about the best material to use, and then design their solutions based on their brainstorming ideas. By having each team create its own design, each solution will be very unique.
Learning Objectives
The physical science concepts this project covers are forces and motion more specifically, friction and mass. The goal of the King of the Hill Battle Challenge is to design and fabricate a mechanical system that moves quickly and has the mass to prevent an opponent from reaching their goal. Students can measure the force used and then calculate how efficiently their design uses energy. Mathematical concepts such as geometry can also be used in this project. Students will observe how round objects with different diameters can travel at different speeds. Engineering principles include brainstorming of ideas, analyzing, testing, and revision of ideas. Students can work individually or in teams of two. Using creative problem-solving techniques, students will brainstorm about the best material to use, and then design their solutions based on their brainstorming ideas. By having each team create its own design, each solution will be very unique.
