Math2Go and The FTRC were initiated
out of an NSF grant in the late
1990's in which the investigators
were tasked with finding ways to
integrate differentiated learning
and problem/project-based learning
into the classroom. It was
cutting-edge at the time and the RC
car was the stand-out tool in that
development because it can reach
struggling students and high
achievers alike...at the same time.
Today's programs are the product of
over 10 years of curriculum, network
and resource development by STEM
professionals, motorsports
professionals, teachers, community
leaders and of course...students.
**No
Consumeables** As educators
and engineers, this has always been
important to Ten80's development.
The More You Know, The
Faster You Go! The FastTrack RC National STEM League is the 'little league'
through which future engineers, scientists, marketing and creative
professionals prepare for their futures.
FastTrack RC students form teams around 1:10 scale R/C cars that mirror professional race teams.
Why motorsports? Because it is the only sport won or lost in real time by applying STEM.
Drivers have a chance to win because engineers get it right.
These
inquiry-based Challenges grow in
complexity from teacher-initiated
and teacher-guided activities into
student-initiated and student-led
investigations.
Without calling it math, students
use the themes of
driving, transportation and
motorsports to learn how to look for
patterns in data and proactively use
graphs to solve problems. Without
naming it science, they apply
Newton’s Laws of Motion and
experience the difference between
work and power.
See Samples below.
Grades 3-5
1. Math2Go for Elementary
At the earliest stages of
learning, connect purpose and
practice with the procedures of
science and math with these six
grade-specific challenges that can
last all year.
Each Math2Go Challenge poses
a fun question and guides students
to actively seek a scientific
answer. 3rd,
4th and 5th graders have a
motivating reason to measure,
compute, organize their own data and
plot charts to improve scores.
Incorporate applied challenges on a
weekly, monthly basis in the
classroom or as an afterschool club.
Table of Contents, Grade 4
Grades 6-8
1.
FastTrack Racing Challenges for
Middle School
The middle grades FTRC curriculum
lays the foundation for active
inquiry and investigations using the
Math2Go (small) cars then moves
students into the more technically
advanced (and much faster) FastTrack RC cars.
Read more about the National STEM
League, projects and integrated
STEM lessons at the FastTrack RC web
site.
Pave the way to success in problem
solving, physics, algebra and higher
math by engaging middle grade
students in scaled-down Challenges
that real professionals encounter.
¤ Understand
how time, distance relate, speed
and acceleration relate
¤ Reinforce
basic computation, measurement
and units
¤ Before
talking about them, experience
the difference in:
Speed &
Acceleration
Instant.
&. Average Acceleration
Power &
Work
Linear &
Quadratic equations
¤ Bridge
the gap between symbolic
math/science to applied
math/science
¤ Move
beyond making graphs to using
graphs for making informed
decisions
1. The FastTrack Racing Challenges
Projects, investigations and lessons can be integrated into the core math, science, technology, engineering, or STEM courses.
The FTRC is often kicked-off as a
summer camp, implemented as an after school science or STEM club with teachers using the appropriate lessons to teach
core physics and math lessons during the formal school day.
Read more about the
National STEM League, projects and
integrated STEM lessons at the FTRC
web site.
2.
Math2Go for High School
High school students get all the
benefits of the middle grades
Math2Go, but these advanced
Challenges extend to include formal
physics and higher math.
¤ Move
beyond 'plugging and chugging'
when learning concepts in
physics.
¤ See that
Newton's Laws of Motion really
do describe our experience as
they do the movement of planets.
¤Derive the
quadratic equation from your own
data
¤ Use regression
analysis to make real decision
then see the consequences of
those decisions.
¤ Find
derivatives of equations YOU
derived to improve scores
