Air Racer Activity
Propel innovation and create your own electric fan car with this electric motor project straight from the Everglades! First, construct a frame that'll get you rolling. Then power up your motor and experiment with different propeller blade designs to really send your racer flying! The TeacherGeek build system makes it simple to tinker and redesign, allowing students to evolve their racer as they experiment and learn.
Each Air Racer Activity Pack comes with a printed Go-Guide to get kids started and inspire them to make their own unique racers. TeacherGeek also offers free science labs and engineering challenges to deepen student's understanding and challenge them even further as they explore topics such as propeller design and electricity.
Air Racer Educational Goals
- Utilize the design and engineering process
- Encourage creativity, critical thinking and problem solving
- Learn about electricity, blade angle, and propeller design
- Apply the scientific method
- Innovate (design, build and evolve your own unique design)
When working with this Activity, start with the Build Guide
Build Guide
Start by creating an example Air Racer using the Build Guide. This will be a great design to get you started. You’ll start to create your own amazing designs during the engineering challenges at the end of the Guide.
MS Word or PDF - Which document format should you download? Always download the PDF document, unless you want to edit/change it. If you want to edit/change the document, download the MS Word (Microsoft Word™) version.
Optional Resources
Available at two different learning levels, the TeacherGeek Engineering Notebook is designed to help students cycle thru the Design & Engineering Process and help them innovate and invent new designs. Use an Engineering Notebook page for each iteration of design. It is recommended that extra pages are printed and on-hand during activities.
STEAM Market-It Challenge
Add the STEAM Market-It Challenge to any completed TeacherGeek activity to teach students how to turn their TeacherGeek design into a retail product. Students will learn the 4 'Ps' of marketing - Product, Placement, Price and Promotion. Students have the option of completing a commercial, a billboard or retail packaging as a summative assessment.
TeacherGeek Tools You'll Need
What tools will you need to do this activity?
Process |
Process Description |
Recommended Tool |
Alternate Tool |
Cutting |
Cutting dowels, strips, recycling bin items, etc. |
Saw, Pruning Shears |
|
Reaming |
Change splined holes in components from press fit (dowels press and stay) to loose fit (dowels are able to slide and rotate). |
#3 Drill Bit and Drill |
|
Screwing |
Tighten and loosen screws |
None |
|
Holding and Pulling |
Hold nuts, pull apart components |
Pliers (optional) |
None |
Hammering and Tapping |
Tap components through holes |
Hammer (optional)
|
None |
Sets of tools can be found here.
Additional Supplies Needed to Build an Air Racer: This activity requires AA batteries, tape, scissors, safety goggles, and recycling material.
Make your Air Racer propeller with recycling bin material.
Air Racer Components
What's in the Air Racer Activity?
Component: | 10pk Quantity: | Single Quantity: |
Dowels | 30 | 3 |
Perpendicular Blocks | 20 | 2 |
1" Screws | 20 | 2 |
Hex Nuts | 20 | 2 |
Motor Mount(s) | 10 | 1 |
1.5-3V Motor(s) | 10 | 1 |
Connector Strips | 30 | 3 |
3in Slide Stop | 10 | 1 |
Zip Ties | 40 | 4 |
Wooden Wheels | 30 | 3 |
Battery Holder(s) (2 AA) w/ Switch & Leads |
10 | 1 |
Mini Motor Hub Cover(s) | 10 | 1 |
Mini Motor Hub Base(s) | 10 | 1 |
Hub Screw(s) | 10 | 1 |
Toothpicks | 100 | 10 |
This is an educational product and not a toy. It is intended for use by ages 9 and above with adult supervision.
Science, Math & Engineering Standards
TeacherGeek products fit proposals, grants or lesson plans with ease! Explore more resources below:
Next Generation Science StandardsNGSS Standards Download - PDF
NGSS Standards Spreadsheet - Editable /Searchable Excel Sheet
International Technology & Engineering Educators' Association Standards
ITEEA Standards Download - PDF
ITEEA Standards Spreadsheet - Editable/Searchable Excel Sheet