Get Students Excited About Science With This Remote Control STEM Challenge (Plus a Free Activity)

Smiles. Laughter. Determination to win. That’s what you can expect to witness when you use this remote control STEM challenge in your classroom. In case you’re wondering, no student is too old to enjoy playing with RC tractors — and better yet, they’ll learn about science as they do.

How? A tractor pull is an excellent phenomenon through which to study friction, gravity, normal force and more. The sled used in the tractor pull is designed to gradually increase resistance, which allows varying endpoints based on the strength of the pull. The tractor and sled system offer an interesting – and fun! – STEM challenge that can be adapted for any class to explore science concepts simply or at a more mathematically sophisticated level. Plus, it’s exactly the kind of student-driven engagement that’s so important in a post-COVID world.

Introducing the RC Tractor Pull Challenge 5-Pack With Pulling Sled

The RC Tractor Pull Challenge 5- Pack With Pulling Sled may quickly become your students’ favorite learning aid. Each package includes a set of 5 tractors, RC remotes, and a variety of components to adjust on each tractor: washer weights, pinion and spur gears and tires. Larger weights are also included for the pulling sled.

As soon as you unpack your tractors, the learning starts. Students will explore tractor systems and structures as the disassemble and reassemble each tractor. Use the included curriculum to introduce your students to the concept of a tractor pull, configuration, gears and tires, and weight and friction.

Of course, the lessons end with an in-class tractor pull competition, during which students will compete to see who can pull the most weight the farthest.

STEM challenge fun

Science and fun collide during the challenge, when students put the STEM concepts they learned through the curriculum to use. Different gears and weight distribution will positively or negatively impact students’ ability to pull effectively — and it’s up to them to figure out the best options.

Fortunately, the RC Tractor Pull Challenge includes a comprehensive curriculum that aligns to CASE (Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education). It introduces the science and mechanics of a tractor pull students will need to understand to pull effectively.

As you can see in this overview, the curriculum helps you walk students through fundamental concepts while addressing the important scientific takeaways.

Students will begin by exploring the parts of the tractor and how to modify them, then learn how to design and conduct a fair test. In the third lesson, the study of gears and tires let students practice calculating the mechanical advantage of a set of gears, choosing appropriate gearing for speed or power, calculating mechanical advantage for a compound system and more. The fourth lesson introduces students to Newton’s 3rd Law and explores normal force. The final lesson culminates in a discussion of frictional force and force at an angle – key concepts for a tractor pull.

Free RC Tractor Pull activity

This activity is from the first lesson of the “Physics of the Tractor Pull” curriculum that accompanies our RC Tractor Pull Challenge.

Designed to capture students’ attention and help them focus, this lesson will introduce students to a tractor pull and start to consider the forces behind a successful competition.

Get the activity

More resources:

• Learn more about our RC Tractor Pull Challenge:

• Watch our free, on-demand webinar, “Bring STEM Concepts to Life with The New Remote Control Challenge“

• These learning aids also support STEM concepts in the classroom