Ramp and Roll

Division: A – Elementary

NC Essential Standards Alignment: 3.P.1, 5.P.1, Science as Inquiry

SEP Practices: SEP 6

Event Rules: See 2025 Division A Rules Manual

Clarifications: The RAMP does not have to be built from K’nex. Additional ramp pieces can be impounded with the ramp in a separate labeled bag.

Description:

This is a building event. Teams will build a ramp and vehicle to travel a certain distance and stop as close to the finish line as possible at the tournament.

Materials:

Teams MUST bring something to write with, their box full of K’nex materials, and a ramp. Teams may bring only 1 picture no larger than 8.5” x 11” of their device. This must be 1 picture, not a collage. No other resources are allowed.

Scoring:

Teams will be ranked into tiers based on adherence to the challenge instructions. Within each tier, teams must be ranked based on the scoring criteria for the build-off selected.

Recommendations:

Make sure the lid fits flush on the top of the box, and likewise do not bring any prohibited materials or tools, even if teams do not plan on using them.

Teams can only bring one picture of their device. This cannot be a collage of photos.

Any K’nex pieces can be used from any kit to construct the challenges. If your team has an obscure piece or you think it might be questioned, feel free to include a picture of the part in the box showing that it is a K’nex piece.

FAQs:

10/29/24:

Can we label the picture they are allowed to bring into the event? No, the picture should be without text, labels or instructions. (My preference but the rule doesn’t state. I don’t think we want to allow a gray area where the “picture” becomes “instructions” which in past STEM/K’nex challenges have been permitted)

Can we have a pencil holding the car in place at the start line that is lifted to allowed the car to start or does the vehicle need to be held in place by a hand? I don’t think this was an issue in the past. My preference is to have students start the vehicle by releasing by hand. As rules are written a pencil would be permitted. The biggest clarification is that “the front wheels of the vehicle must be touching the designated line on the ramp when released“.

Can we label the knex pieces in the box? The clear bags or containers used to organize the Knex materials may be labeled

Can we attach hot wheels tracks to the ramp as a guide for the vehicle? The ramp may be constructed out of any material (as long as it is safe for students) and may not touch the car outside of the 60 x 60 starting box/square on the floor.

1/14/25:
The rules say that the ramp must have a protective covering on the bottom, but doesn’t list what counts as a protective covering. If the bottom of the ramp is not constructed of anything with rough edges, does it still need a protective covering? Any part of the device that touched the ground/surface has to have a protective covering – usually some sort of rubber, shelf liner material, felt pads, foam pads, between the device and the floor — should not be a hard surface to hard surface contact (ie…pvc/wood/metal/plastic all should be covered).

Rules say the vehicle pieces can’t be preassembled in the box. Does this include the tire/wheel combos? We consider rim + tire = one piece – so yes, technically, tires can be pre-attached to rims

Event Resources:

Youtube Video explanation for Ramp & Roll (2020 rules – learn how to stop your car!)

Ramp & Roll 2019 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2020 Rules)

Ramp and Roll 2018 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2019 Rules)

Dave’s Ramp and Roll Overview- 2019

Engineering for Kids – links for learning engineering techniques