Rooftop racing

Year 8 students studied ‘Energy’ during Term 1, culminating in a project that saw them build a model solar car.

After spending the term studying various forms of energy and learning how to make electrical circuits in science, Year 8 students were tasked with the challenge of building a model solar car.

A group of children and adults gather on a rooftop sports court beside a yellow track, watching a rooftop car race. The background shows a fence, buildings, and a partly cloudy sky.

The project — which spanned over two weeks — culminated in students racing their creations on the roof on the final Monday of term.

A group of pupils in school uniforms gather around a yellow racetrack outdoors, excited to watch rooftop racing as two classmates set up small model cars at the starting line. Several adults stand in the background observing the activity.

“It taught me a lot about building circuits and solar energy,” said Ruby

Three students in school uniforms work on a project with cardboard tubes, tape, and paper at a table on an outdoor sports court, creating what appears to be a rooftop racing game, with city buildings visible in the background. .

On the day of the race the Year 8 students received a talk from Michael Richards, outreach coordinator at the UNSW Photovoltaics department.

“It was also cool that we got to meet people who actually study this kind of thing, and are using it to try to make the world a better place,” said Year 8 student Elliot.

A man in a red shirt speaks to a large group of students seated on stairs and the floor in a modern library with wooden walls and indoor plants, discussing strategies for a rooftop car game as another adult stands nearby, observing the scene.

Year 8 student Noah found the renewable energy exercise to be a worthwhile one, stating, “I think the Solar Car Race was a great way to learn more about solar energy, which will be important in our future.”