Dragster Overview

00:00 - 00:20 - Review of Yesterday and Overview of Today

00:20 - 00:30 - Explain New Challenge and Partner Selection

00:30 - 02:15 - Challenge 3 Work Time

02:15 - 02:20 - Final Thoughts

02:20 - 02:30 - Tear Down and Kit Organization

The goal of this activity is to get students to move beyond some basics of understanding beams and connectors to taking learning further with movement. Students will be challenged to develop a very simple LEGO EV3 2 motor car that moves accordingly to their code. This activity is building (no pun intended) upon the skills and ideas learned during the first challenge.

Additionally, the end result is to create the fastest moving robot. This classic challenge is one that never gets old and leads to some great engineering designs and gear comprehension. Students will be challenged to design and build a dragster than can measure and display its speed as it races down a 15 foot track.

We taped two FLL mats together with white tape for a total length of 16ft. We create a starting line 6 inches in and a finish line 6 inches in from the mats. Robots can be as big as the students want using the pieces they have.

The total track is 15 feet long. Additionally, if the robot drives off the 4 foot wide FLL mat, then it is disqualified and does not count for time.

You can see the simple track in the video below.

You could always just run tape on a smooth floor as well.

1. To develop the skills to design and build a two motor car that is firm enough to allow movement.
2. To develop additional experience with beam and peg construction.
3. To develop knowledge to use coding skills to have a two motor car move through a course
   1. Program using the motor blocks
   2. Move the robot forward and straight
   3. Track the speed and time of the robot
   4. Utilize sensors to trigger a reaction

• We recomend
  • Solo 1 person per robot kit
  • Partner Programming - 2 students to a kit

• 2 hours depending on prior knowledge of students and how advanced you want to take the activity (see rubric)

Each person will need

• One LEGO Mindstorms EV3 kit
• A computer

Bronze

A two motor car was designed and built that can complete the 15 foot track.

Silver

A two motor car was designed and built that can race when the ultrasonic sensor is triggered when the board behind the robot drops.

Gold

A two motor car was designed and built that can race when the ultrasonic sensor is triggered when the board behind the robot drops. The robot stops when it reaches the finish line using a color sensor. The robot also displays the total speed in cm/seconds to complete the 15 foot track.

Platinum

A two motor car was designed and built that can race when the ultrasonic sensor is triggered when the board behind the robot drops. The robot stops when it reaches the finish line using a color sensor. The robot displays it speed AND as well as the time.

Wheel Converter Tool

LEGO Wheel Chart

Sample Code