The primary purpose of building your Future City model is to give judges a three-dimensional perspective of one section of your city. Your students, however, will view this task quite differently; for them, this is the fun part. This is where they get to stretch their imaginations, demonstrate their creativity in finding appropriate materials and get their hands dirty in the building process. But, before they go overboard in their grand plans and designs, it's important they understand a few simple rules.
Their model must be built to scale. Since real-world engineers must know how the size of one thing is relative to another, judges will want to know that your students understand and adhere to this important concept. You might begin this process by having your Engineer/Mentor bring in a scale model of his own to describe the concept. And, while there is no set scale that you must use for your model, you will have to indicate what scale you did use, i.e., a quarter inch equals one foot.
Regardless
of the scale you choose, your final model may not exceed a width
of 25", a length of 50 " or a height of 20". Also,
it's a good idea to avoid using heavy materials so your student
team members can easily move it.
Your model must also utilize at least
one moving part to provide power to the city. In the past, these
self-contained devices have ranged from mechanical (such as pulleys,
magnets and levers), to solar and even wind-powered, with students
blowing on their windmills. You may also use an electrical device
as long as it's battery or generator operated, since plugs and outlets
will not be provided.
There is also a $100 limit on purchasing any materials used to build your model, including materials used in support of the verbal presentation. This limitation however can easily become an asset when you tell your students they can collect their building materials from items they can easily find in their homes, recycling centers and various businesses in your community. There are many hints in the handbook for ways to collect the materials you'll need.
Two more items to remember about building the model. Even though the model accounts for approximately 30% of the competition's overall score, it does not have to be complex in either its design or use of materials. Indeed, the models of many winning designs are noteworthy for their simplicity. Remember that the judges are looking for the thought process for the model's design, and quality workmanship in its construction. Also, since this is the most time-consuming portion of the competition, be sure to start the building process early. You can begin gathering materials, for instance, before completing your design. Consulting the timeline will help you gauge the amount of time you'll need to complete the model.
Do
let your students have fun with this part of the competition. Yes,
there are some limits to their model's size, cost and design, but
not to the imagination they'll use to build it.
