May 2019 – 5th Grade Derby @ John Muir Elem

Famous auto races: Daytona. Indianapolis. Monaco. And now … Martinez.

On Thursday May 30, the multi-purpose room at John Muir Elementary school was transformed into a workshop and racecourse for the entire 5th Grade class. Thanks to funding from the JME PTA and with support from Principal Kathy Frazer and teachers Ms. Magdefrau and Ms. Labrador, our CSW program ended the year on high note with a 3-hour workshop that allowed students to build their own propeller-driven cars from scratch. After a brief introduction and tutorial on wheel and propeller design, builders were able to select their own materials like cardboard, paper plates and cups, corks, bottle caps, and straws. In addition they got a 9v battery and a small DC motor to power their car.

After building and trouble-shooting their car designs, students showed off their creations and were able to compete. Prizes were awarded in categories like Fastest Cars, Straightest Driving, Most Innovative, and Most Artistic. At the end of the workshop everyone was able to take their cars home and were encouraged to keep working on them or to find another creative use for the motors and batteries