The Engineered Dragster: Sketching, Drafting, and Prototyping Teacher’s Guide

Available now in both print and free digital download!

Students start designing their own CO₂ dragsters, produce a foam prototype of their dragsters, and then create a finished Custom Cruiser model. The culminating activity is to deliver a polished presentation about the process of creating the Custom Cruiser.

Through these activities and challenges, students learn about and apply several concepts:

• Thumbnail sketches
• Scaling
• Orthographic drawings
• Drafting and tools for drafting
• Modeling

Student materials in the guide are reproducible for distribution in your classroom.

Equipment and materials needed to complete guide activities include Pitsco Custom Cruiser Body Blanks, CO_2> dragster supplies, digital scale, measuring tape, Roll Test Ramp, drafting board, T square, 30°/60°/90° triangle, compass, drafting pencil or lead holder, French curve, sandpaper sharpener, freehand hot-wire cutter, acrylic spray paint, hand drill with 1/8" bit, carving tools, drill press, band saw, safety glasses, digital camera and digital video camera, photo- and video-editing software, presentation software (PowerPoint), plastic wheels, straws, steel axles, modeling clay, expanded polystyrene foam blank, drafting tape, balsa wood sealer, and standard classroom tools and materials. Note: This list is for all activities; individual activities don’t require all listed materials.