MISSION 04 · CREATIVE ENGINEERING
First make a car roll freely, then let escaping air push it.
2 · Make It Move
Your new skill: Make a rolling chassis before adding air propulsion.
Revisit the skill you will reuse: Previous main-path mission
Match the names to your parts before you build. New parts appear when you first need them. You can point, say the name or show a grown-up.
A balloon can hold air. Escaping air can push a car; a rubbed dry balloon can attract tiny paper pieces.
Look for: Find the uninflated balloon and its neck.
Before using it: An adult inflates and ties it where needed. Keep broken pieces away from young children and stop if anyone has a latex allergy.
Your turn: Point to the neck where air will leave; save the test for the mission.
These are our building materials. Shape and arrangement can change how a structure holds a load.
Look for: Sort sticks by size and choose the paper stated in the mission.
Before using it: Keep the same material for a fair comparison. Ask for adult help with cutting and remove splinters.
Your turn: Predict whether a flat sheet and a folded sheet will hold the same load.
Glue and tape join parts. A stretched or twisted rubber band can store energy for a small moving model.
Look for: Find the joining material and band named in the mission.
Before using it: Let glue set; use small gentle twists and never aim a stretched band at anyone. Change only the joint or band test the mission names.
Your turn: Point to a joint that must stay fixed and a part that must stay free to move.
An axle supports a wheel. A straw bearing guides the axle while letting it turn. Wheels help our model roll.
Look for: Find the straight axle, straw sleeves and matching bottle-cap wheels. A separate third straw makes the balloon nozzle.
Before using it: An adult makes wheel holes and covers sharp tips. Wheels should turn freely before power or balloon air is added.
Your turn: Identify the part that stays fixed to the chassis and the part that turns inside it.
A video demonstration will appear here when it is ready. You can follow the written step now.
Before we build, match these names to the parts in front of you. Balloon. A balloon can hold air. Escaping air can push a car; a rubbed dry balloon can attract tiny paper pieces. Find the uninflated balloon and its neck. An adult inflates and ties it where needed. Keep broken pieces away from young children and stop if anyone has a latex allergy. Craft sticks and paper. These are our building materials. Shape and arrangement can change how a structure holds a load. Sort sticks by size and choose the paper stated in the mission. Keep the same material for a fair comparison. Ask for adult help with cutting and remove splinters. Glue tape and rubber bands. Glue and tape join parts. A stretched or twisted rubber band can store energy for a small moving model. Find the joining material and band named in the mission. Let glue set; use small gentle twists and never aim a stretched band at anyone. Change only the joint or band test the mission names. Axle wheel and straw bearing. An axle supports a wheel. A straw bearing guides the axle while letting it turn. Wheels help our model roll. Find the straight axle, straw sleeves and matching bottle-cap wheels. A separate third straw makes the balloon nozzle. An adult makes wheel holes and covers sharp tips. Wheels should turn freely before power or balloon air is added. Pause and point to the part that will do the main job in this mission. If it is missing or looks different, ask a grown-up before building.
WHAT YOU'LL USE
Kit list: match the named parts to your box and its component cards. Home list: gather these before starting; some may also be supplied in your kit. Reuse components between missions. Stop and ask a grown-up if an essential part or label is missing.
BEFORE YOU BUILD
Work on a clear table with a grown-up nearby. An adult handles cutting or making holes. Keep small parts away from mouths and younger children. Stop if a part breaks or a sharp edge appears. An adult makes cap holes and inflates the balloon. Cover exposed axle tips. Never aim at a face. Keep balloon fragments away from small children.
YOUR REWARD
PREDICT BEFORE YOU BEGIN
What do you think will happen? Say it, point to it or draw it. Then test your idea.
BEFORE YOU BUILD
• Read every step before using glue. • Lay out the structure without glue first. • Mark centre lines, axle positions or wire routes. • Check the adult-help label at the start of the mission. • Keep moving and electrical parts removable where possible.
PAUSE AND CHECK
Can the moving part turn, slide or balance in your dry layout? Fix the geometry now. Glue only after the movement makes sense.
YOUR CHALLENGE
NEW POWER-UP
You will build a chassis, align axles, reduce friction and observe action-reaction thrust.
You have just practised use a removable contact as a repeatable signal. Now: make a rolling chassis before adding air propulsion.
BUILD PATH
STEP 1 OF 8
Tape four large craft sticks into a light rectangular frame. Keep it square. Let glue dry if you use it instead of tape.
A video demonstration will appear here when it is ready. You can follow the written step now.
Tape four large craft sticks into a light rectangular frame. Keep it square. Let glue dry if you use it instead of tape.
WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING?
The balloon stores energy when stretched. Escaping air is pushed backward, and the car is pushed forward. Straight axles and low friction keep more of that energy moving the car instead of rubbing or turning it sideways.
Rockets, jet engines and some experimental vehicles move by pushing material in the opposite direction.
FAIR-TEST CHALLENGE
Change one feature, keep the rest the same and repeat your comparison.
WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK YET
WHAT YOU NOTICE POSSIBLE REASON TRY THIS Car curves Axles are not parallel or wheels differ Recheck straw alignment and wheel spacing. Car barely moves Air leak or rubbing wheel Test the balloon-straw seal and spin each wheel by hand. Wheel falls off Axle connection is loose Use a small clay stop or secure hub without gluing the axle to the straw.
CLEAN, RESET AND STORE
Switch off and disconnect any battery. Remove tape gently to recover reusable parts; store electronics dry and free of glue.
NEXT SKILL
Reuse the chassis with a stored-energy mechanism.