FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What is the program grade level?
- What instructor materials/lesson plans are included with the program?
- What are the advantages of students working in teams vs. individually building a car?
- Do I need RC car experience?
- How long does it take to complete the program?
- What is the cost per student hour?
What is the program grade level?
The Model Car Program is designed for middle and high school students.
What instructor materials/lesson plans are included with the program?
The instructor will receive the Instructor Manual and an optional instructor car kit. The Instructor Manual contains the following sections for each module and is included at no charge with your order for student kits.
Key Points
Listed are the tips and tricks we have distilled from a decade of running and refining the Model Car Program. The main concepts that your students need to learn are also discussed in this section. These concepts together with the information in the Student Guide will provide all of the content you need for the lecture portion of your class.Building Tips
These tips will enable you to lead your students to success during the painting and assembly processes. They are a combination of do’s and don’ts that we have learned over the years.Pit Stop Answers
This section provides the answers to the questions in the Pit Stop at the end of each Student Guide module.Journal Section
This section in the Student Guides is included to encourage your students to reflect on their experience and write about it.List of Materials
A list of materials needed to complete each module is provided.Instructor car kit
We recommend that the instructor first build their own car to become familiar with the process and the Student Manual. The finished car also serves as a completed example the first day of class to show the students what their finished car will look like.
What are the advantages of students working in teams vs. individually building a car?
The advantage of having each student build the car is they then have a completed car to take home at the end of the program. There are, however, two advantages to having the students work in teams. One is it offers a lower cost/student to you and, two the students learn the value of teamwork, the challenge of competing, and the reward of winning the finished car. If you choose to work in teams, we recommend teams of 3.
Here is how the “competing and reward” part works. As the team is building the car, each team member is measured at each class meeting on a 5 point scale for attendance, teamwork, attitude, and participation – a max of 20 points per class. The team member with the highest score at the end of the program is awarded the car.
If you have the students work in teams, we recommend you provide extra car bodies and paint for the additional team members so each team member designs and paints their own car. Once the car body is complete, it acts as an added incentive to work on and win the finished car. The package for the additional team members is available (see “Pricing” tab) and also includes extra Student Manuals so each student has a set to read and interpret the directions during the assembly process and participate in the Pit Stop and Journal sections.
Do I need RC car experience?
Definitely not! The Instructor Materials discussed above give you all of the information you need. The car is simply the vehicle (no pun intended) to engage the students while the program presents math and science concepts. The program is designed to give the students real world experience and allow them to make connections between what they have learned and how it is applied. As one Principal put it when talking about the model car program, "Our kids today are experience poor and information rich. They need experience to make connections. This equals powerful learning."
How long does it take to complete the program?
The Model Car Program was originally designed for two or three hour after school segments. This allowed sufficient time for lecture, set-up, building, cleanup, and completing the Pit Stop questions. If you present the material within the shorter regular day class schedule, you may want to modify the recommended schedule. For example, you could do the Pit Stop questions from the previous class and lecture material for the current class one day and then devote the next class session exclusively to building the cars. We have done it very successfully but it does take a little planning.
The Instructor Guide along with the Student Manuals provides a wealth of material. You may scale the level of detail to your student’s and schedule needs. With a 2-3 hour after school schedule, the entire program will run from 24 to 30 class hours. If you use the shorter regular day class time, the total time may be longer because you will have more set-up and clean-up times.
What is the cost per student hour?
Cost per student hour will vary depending on the options you choose and the number of students in your class. Using a program time of 30 hours and a class size of 18 students,the cost per student hour would be as low as $5.92 for teams of 3 and $14.30 if all 18 students build their own car.
What is the total cost?
The total cost of the Model Car Program depends, of course, on how many students you plan to have and whether you choose teams or each student builds a car. Please go to the “Pricing” tab and enter your information to get a total cost. We have redesigned the pricing/order page so it is clear when you are using the price information and when you are placing an order. You do not need to place an order to view the pricing.
As you will see, your total cost could be as little as $1,066 for 6 students (two teams of 3).
