2015 Junior Solar Sprint

1. 2015 Junior Solar Sprint

2. Table of Contents • Introduction to the AEOP and TSA • What is Junior Solar Sprint? • The Challenge • Judging • Competitions • Resources and Lesson Plans • Timeline • Wrap-Up

3. What is AEOP all about?

4. AEOP Overview and Pipeline Army-sponsored research, education, competitions, internships and practical experiences designed to engage and guide YOU in STEM education!

5. JSS and the Technology Student Association (TSA) • TSA is a national nonprofit organization that offers STEM competitions to middle and high school students • TSA administers the JSS program • JSS is an official TSA middle school level competition • Students who compete at their TSA state conference or at an Army host location are eligible to compete at the national JSS competition, held at the national TSA conference

6. Junior Solar Sprint (JSS)

7. What is Junior Solar Sprint (JSS)? • JSS is an exciting solar car competition where 5th – 8th grade students work in groups using principles of science and math to design and build the fastest, most interesting, and best crafted vehicle possible. • Through JSS, students: • Investigate environmental issues • Gain hands-on engineering skills • Incorporate STEM skills

8. The Challenge… • Using a solar panel kit or a solar panel and other found/recycled materials, teams of two to four students and one team coach work together to create and build a model solar car. • Through JSS, students: • Develop Teamwork • Improve Problem Solving Skills • Gain hands-on engineering experience • Use principles of science and math in a real world application

9. The Judging • JSS entries are judged according to the official TSA middle school competition rules • Entries are evaluated in four (4) areas: • Display • Notebook • Artisanship and engineering of the model • Model’s racing performance

10. The Judging: Display and Notebook • A decorated shoebox is used as a display stand during judging for the model car. • Each team must submit a notebook that contains the following items: • Title page • Table of Contents • Project Log • Design drawings • Separate specification page • Components list • Design process description

11. The Judging: Artisanship • The materials used to construct the car must cost less than $50 • 1 solar panel and 1 motor allowed per car • The remainder of the vehicle can be innovative in design and materials • Model must reflect the design process outlined in the official TSA middle school competition rules.

12. The Judging: Racing Performance • Each race lane must be 60 cm wide and 20 m long on a hard, flat surface • Teams are permitted roughly 3 time trials • The fastest times of the time trials determines the 16 top semifinalists to be raced

13. JSS Competitions • JSS competitions are held at state TSA conferences and at Army host locations. Check the JSS website for the location nearest to you! • Teams will be judged according to the Official TSA Middle School Competition Rules • 1st place winners from each region are selected to compete in the JSS National Competition in Dallas, TX in conjunction with the National TSA Conference.

14. 2014 National Competition • The 2014 JSS competition took place at the national TSA conference in Washington, DC, July 27 – July 1, 2014. • Over 60 teams competed in the event. • 22 states were represented at the national competition.

15. JSS Curriculum and Standards • JSS topics can be woven into existing lesson plans and curriculum! • JSS supports the NGSS and STEM Standards • 2, 4, and 8 week syllabi PLUS sample lesson plans • Common Core Curriculum • JSS correlates with the PLTW curriculum unit “Energy and the Environment”

16. What are people saying? “The impact that Junior Solar Sprint has on STEM teaching and learning in the classroom is that it brings it all together for the students. There is no better way for students to learn and connect all the parts of STEM than through hands-on learning. Being able to see that the rays from the sun can change into electricity to power their vehicles is something exciting for a middle school student. Brainstorming, designing, building, problem-solving, drawing, measuring as well as finding the best gear ratio is what STEM is all about. Hands-on means minds-on.” - Joel Kaplan, Technology Teacher and TSA Advisor, Brookside Middle School, Florida “STEM instructors engage students when they are allowed to design, collaborate with their peers, and construct projects. The engineering design practice attempts to create and harness excitement regarding STEM for students. Integrating engineering design into your course description is an engaging way to support student teaching and learning mathematics and science. Junior Solar Sprint is the perfect way to introduce STEM concepts.” • Barbara Dunham, TSA Advisor, Eastwood Middle School, Cottondale, Alabama

17. JSS Time-Frame • Check out the JSS website for updates and details.

18. Wrap-Up • The Technology Student Association (TSA) administers JSS on behalf of the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP). • JSS is a design engineering challenge where students in fifth through eighth grade conceptualize, design and build model solar electric cars. • Students enter competitions and are judged on the merits of the design, teamwork and the success of the model solar electric cars. • JSS allows students to use STEM principles, creative thinking, experimentation and teamwork to design and build and race high-performance solar electric vehicles.  • The JSS website (jrsolarsprint.org) offers many educational JSS resources, including an event calendar, a ‘Host a JSS Race’ Guide, Tutorials, Lesson Plan Listing, STEM Standards, Local Competition Rules and Instructions and other resources.