Great Book Race challenge

The Great Book Race is about to start. They’re under starter’s orders … they’re away! Can you make a vehicle for the Great Book race, that can carry a book right across the room?

Levels of difficulty:
Level 1 - Make a vehicle that will carry a paperback book
Level 2 - As level 1, with a motor
Level 3 - As level 2, that will carry the book right across a room

Equipment: K’NEX set, plus a paperback book. Also, for level 2, a K'NEX battery motor.

Approach: Carrying a book along isn’t quite as easy as it sounds! How can you build a vehicle strong enough to carry the weight of the book? How will you stop the book falling off as the vehicle goes along?

For level 2, how can you attach a motor to your vehicle?

For level 3, does your vehicle steer in a straight line? It will need to if you are going to complete the Great Book Race!

Handy Hints (Please click to view):
A2 - 3 ways to connect rods and connectors
A4 - Making corners with blue and purple connectors
A6 - Wheels and tyres
W6 - Making rods turn with wheels or connectors
M2 - Battery motors

Teachers' Notes

A project to set a specific practical design and technology task, in which the design of the vehicle required is entirely up to the child.

Possible solution: See photo.

Before starting: Mark the start and finish of a test track across the floor.

Conclusion: Firstly, compare the different designs which have successfully completed the course, and list the different ways that the objective has been used. Then predict what will happen to each of the models as the number of books is increased, and carry out tests to check those predictions .

Copyright © Andy Shercliff 1996 and K'NEX User Group 2004

KNEX resources > 90 Challenges > 30 traditional K'NEX challenges > Great Book Race challenge


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