Level III: Engineering Photosynthesis
The Design of Solar Vehicles
Session
1. The Solar Car
Kit
2. Solar Energy
Efficiency
Time
Question
45 – 60 min
45 – 55 min
How do you increase
the efficiency of
solar collection
Activities

Follow the instructions from the solar car kit, build a solar car and test it outside

Review yesterday’s module questions: “How is solar energy captured and stored?” “How do
the methods differ between humans and plants?”
Follow the prezi, describe heliotropism, how humans have adapted it, but why solar cars
can’t do so; quickly describe Snell’s law and internal refraction
Have students bounce tennis balls outside to study Snell’s law and refraction
Journal: describe what you have learned about making solar collection efficient
Run through the world solar racing challenge online a couple of times, record your chosen
components and end time

3. Virtual Solar
Car Race
30 – 45 min



4. Ultimate Solar
Car Design
45 – 60 min

Create your own solar car, choose your own components and calculate your cost,, create a
design
5. Solar Car
Design &
Building
45 - 60 min

Work on Solar Cars
6. Solar Car
Design &
Building
45 - 60 min

Work on Solar Cars
Hands-on Activities are Highlighted in Green; Journal Activities are Highlighted in Red
University of Michigan, College of Engineering
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Level III: Engineering Photosynthesis
The Design of Solar Vehicles - #1
Session Name: Building with the Solar Car Kit
Session Learning Outcomes:
 Building the Solar Car Kit
Session BIG QUESTION:
Professional Development/Tech
Comm./Math Highlight Opportunity:
Differentiation Opportunities:
All: Determine what happens when you reverse
the wires connecting the solar panel to the
motor; Determine what happens if the rubber
band is too tight.
Some: Try the differences between a front
wheel and back wheel drive vehicle
Session Resources (Groups of Fours):
Italicized items may be consumed during the activity
 Solar Car Kits
Lesson Outline: 45 minutes – 60 minutes
Time
Lesson Outline
30 - 45 min

Show students a completed solar car built from the solar car kit. Ask
students to follow instructions to complete the solar car. Depending on the
car kit, different levels of aid may be needed.
15 min

Allow students to head outside and test their solar cars. What direction
does the motor turn? Does the vehicle go straight? Any ways to make it
move faster or with less weight? What happens when you turn the wires
around? What happens if the rubber band is too tight?
University of Michigan, College of Engineering
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Level III: Engineering Photosynthesis
The Design of Solar Vehicles - #2
Session Name: Solar Energy Efficiency
Session Learning Outcomes:

Session BIG QUESTION:
How do we make solar energy
collection more efficient
Professional Development/Tech
Comm./Math Highlight Opportunity:
Differentiation Opportunities:
All:
Most:
Session Resources ():
Italicized items may be consumed during the activity
 Prezi
 Tennis balls

Lesson Outline: 55 minutes – 55 minutes
Time
Lesson Outline
10 - 15 min

Follow the prezi and review yesterday’s module questions: “Why is solar
energy useful?” “How is solar energy captured and stored?” “How do the
methods differ between humans and plants?”
15 - 20 min

Introduce the session question, how do we make solar energy collection
more efficient. Explain heliotropism and how humans have adapted it for
use in solar power plants. Ask students if such a idea is useful for cars.
Explain why the additional weight makes such a useful unsuitable for
solar cars.
20 - 25 min

Explain Snell’s law and refraction. Ask students to go outside to test out
Snell’s law by bouncing a tennis ball at different angles toward a partner.
Measure the height of the resulting bounce.
10 - 15 min

Ask students to journal on what they have learned about how to make
solar collection on solar cars more efficient.
University of Michigan, College of Engineering
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Level III: Engineering Photosynthesis
The Design of Solar Vehicles - #3
Session Name: The Virtual Solar Car Race
Session Learning Outcomes:
Session BIG QUESTION:
Professional Development/Tech
Comm./Math Highlight Opportunity:
Differentiation Opportunities:
All:
Most:
Session Resources ():
Italicized items may be consumed during the activity
 Prezi
 Computers w/web access

Lesson Outline: 35 minutes – 45 minutes
Time
Lesson Outline
5 - 10 min

Following the prezi, introduce the solar race website and the basic
instructions (have student copy the url onto their journals).
30 - 35 min

Give students the opportunity to run the races a couple of times with
different equipment configuration. Compare times against the other
student groups in the class.
University of Michigan, College of Engineering
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Level III: Engineering Photosynthesis
The Design of Solar Vehicles - #4
Session Name: The Ultimate Solar Car Design
Session Learning Outcomes:

Session BIG QUESTION:
Professional Development/Tech
Comm./Math Highlight Opportunity:
Differentiation Opportunities:
All:
Session Resources ():
Italicized items may be consumed during the activity
 Prezi
 Computer w/ web access
 Worksheet
Lesson Outline: 50 minutes – 60 minutes
Time
Lesson Outline
5 - 10 min

Follow the prezi, describe the task, research the critical components of a
solar car, and design your own vehicle
45 - 50 min

Students, working in groups, should do research to find the perfect
components for their own solar car design. Have student collect as much
information on their chosen component as available, including price,
weight…etc; Allow students to also diagram their design once the
components are chosen. This activity is challenging, provide ample
guidance as needed.
University of Michigan, College of Engineering
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Level III: Engineering Photosynthesis
From Solar Panels to Electricity - #5
Session Name: The Solar Car – Part #1
Session Learning Outcomes:
Session BIG QUESTION:
Professional Development/Tech
Comm./Math Highlight Opportunity:
Differentiation Opportunities:
All: what is a solar car, why they are not
commercially available yet.
Session Resources ():
Italicized items may be consumed during the activity
 Solar Car Kits
 Construction Supplies
 Card board (from pizza boxes)
Lesson Outline: 45 minutes – 60 minutes
Time
Lesson Outline
45 - 60 min

Using the solar car kits as the base, asks students to build a more
challenging solar vehicle (for example one that is longer than the one
allowed by kit).
University of Michigan, College of Engineering
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Level III: Engineering Photosynthesis
From Solar Panels to Electricity - #6
Session Name: The Solar Car – Part #2
Session Learning Outcomes:
Session BIG QUESTION:
Professional Development/Tech
Comm./Math Highlight Opportunity:
Differentiation Opportunities:
What is a solar car?
All:
Session Resources ():
Italicized items may be consumed during the activity
 Prezi
 Solar Car Kits
Lesson Outline: 20 minutes – 40 minutes
Time
Lesson Outline
45 - 60 min

Build and design their own solar vehicles
University of Michigan, College of Engineering
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