Solar Cup 2021
Solar Cup
Project Team
• Julie Miller Kalbacher ~ Solar Cup Coordinator
• Metropolitan Water District
• Joseph Chavez
• Metropolitan Water District
• Royetta Perry
• Metropolitan Water District
• Chuck Oravec ~ Technical Support
• Occidental College
• Giselle Serafin
• SEI
Water Wholesaler
26 Members Agencies
5,200 square miles
21 million people
$1 trillion regional economy
4 million acre-foot average water demand
Solar Cup
2021
Overview
Kit Challenges
• Robotics
• Electronics
• Solar Vehicle
Non-Kit Challenges
• 3D Cad
• Video Game
• PSM’s
• Career Webinar
Solar Cup 2021 Overview
• Solar Cup 2021 will be team event
• Students can work on any Challenge that interests them
• Will score all work submitted & award team highest score earned by their student
• 10 Challenges
• The 11th Challenge is an additional Challenge, it is optional
• Challenges have some optional activities
• Optional item points will be kept separate.
• Two divisions ~ Schools select which division at beginning of program
• Greater Time Commitment
• Gain more content mastery
• Lesser Time Commitment
• More of a surface level mastery
Solar Cup 2021
Tech Challenges Introduction
Technical
Challenges
• Six technical challenges developed by Occidental College Students, edited by MWD
• Every challenge will be scored separately
• Our Focus:
• Hands on learning
• Game development
• STEAM skills
• Career and resume building
Six
Technical
Challenges
• Blender / Onshape – 3D Game Building
• Unreal Engine – Game playing and
building ~ Optional Challenge
• Robotics – Building and programming
• Basics of Electronics – Unpacking kit,
learning how things work
• Solar Panel – Measurements and
graphing
• Electric Circuits – Experimentation with
kit
Challenge 1: Blender / Onshape
• Build a computer game
with an easy to learn game engine
• Blender has the largest user community of 3D graphics amateurs and professionals
• Large number of tutorials available
• All skills learned will
translate to any other 3D software
• Career Building skills
Challenge 1: Onshape • Onshape is an
industry standard
3D CAD program
• Browser based
• Runs on low
power PC’s
• Runs on a
Chromebook
• Career building skills
Unreal
Engine
• Our optional Technical Challenge, this
software is not available to students using
Chromebooks
• Build a computer game using a world class
game engine
• Real world job skills
• Works hand in hand with Blender to
create game assets
Robotics Challenge
• Build a working robot from a kit
• For those with robotics experience, can create own robot, will work with teams on deadline and scoring for this approach
• Our kit is great robot for someone with limited/no programming experience
• Program to run specific courses
• Program to spell out letters
Basics of Electronics
Challenge
• Students sign up for kits that will be mailed to their homes or school
• Each team will have limited
number of kits they can receive
• 200 total kits will be ordered
• First Electronic Challenge will cover electronics fundamentals
Solar Panel
Challenge
• Build and measure a solar panel circuit from a kit
• Hands-on kit
• Each team will have
limited spots to sign up for kits
Circuits Challenge
• Third of the Electronics Challenge
• There will be an online tutorial video for the Electronics
Challenges as well.
• Students will learn to build and measure electronics circuits from parts in their kit
Technical
Challenges
Outcomes
• Even with just a minimum time commitment the students will learn valuable hands-on skills
• They get to keep the solar panel and electronics components
• The school gets to keep the robot for future use
Technical Challenges Time
Commitment
Vary in time commitment:
• Minimum – 1-2 hours
• Greater – Average 3-4 hours
• Blender game challenge – 12 hours
Solar Cup 2.0
Other Challenges Introduction
SEI
Challenges
SEI: Building Leaders for a
Resilient World is
partnering with So Cal
Edison on creating content
for Solar Cup 2021
• Will be hosting a career
webinar that connects to a
Challenge on careers
• Creating a PSM Challenge
• Assisting us with the
electronic vehicle
Challenge
Public Service
Message
(PSM)
Challenges
There will be two PSM
Challenges
• One will focus on water issues
• One will focus on larger
environmental topic
We will partner with SEI
on one of the PSM topics
Solar Vehicle
Virtual
Racing
Challenge
We will use the Solar Vehicles that were built
for the SEI Vehicle Challenge to create a timed
event
• Schools will be given course length to set up
• MWD will provide zoom appointments to time vehicles
• Bring some racing to Solar Cup 2021
Solar Cup 2021
Program Details
Solar Cup 2021
Timeline
Challenges will begin on Thursday, February 4 ~ Program will conclude in early May
• Blender / Onshape Challenge ~Feb 4 launch
• Unreal Engine ~ The Optional Challenge ~ launch in early March
• Robotics Challenge—will email sign up soon ~ late February release
• Career Webinar—March release
• PSM Challenge 1—March release
• Electronics Challenges (3)—Mid April- may change with spring break vote
• Solar Vehicle—Mail out kit mid April
• PSM Challenge 2 ~ mid April release
• Will race the Solar Vehicles virtually ~ late April appointments
• Virtual Closing Ceremony ~Early May- exact date to be determined
MWD Solar Cup Webpage
• Challenges will be posted on the MWD Solar Cup webpage
• www.mwdh2o.com/solarcup
• New Challenges: Teachers will be notified via email
• Deadlines: Challenges will have due date listed on them
• Fine line between
procrastination and life interfering with deadlines
• Contact Julie with deadline concerns
Solar Cup
2021
Details
Solar Cup
Scoring
Each Challenge will have points attached to
various activities
• We will evaluate all the work turned in
• Award team the highest points earned from their students
We will have some items that are extra points
• Social Media or “Document It” is optional
• Unreal Game Engine is optional
• These will be evaluated and kept separate from overall scores
• Students will be able to earn awards for these categories
