Mercedes Benz and Mattel partnered to make a Matchbox car that is a replica of a 1962 Mercedes driven by a woman named Ewy Rosqvist when she won a grueling road race at a time when women barely did such things – let alone win! Her story can be inspiring for any kid who believes they have NO LIMITS in what they can accomplish. The National Girls Collaborative has helped distribute thousands of cars to kids across the country.

The project was originally conceived to help combat gender stereotypes in toys. When handed a toy car, the girls dismiss it as being “for boys.” But after seeing the short film about Ewy, each of the girls has a visible attitude shift. This mirrors research suggesting that when young girls are exposed to strong positive messages about their gender, it helps to reduce the impact of stereotypes. This is important for boys, too!

Below are activities that you can do at home with an Ewy Rosqvist Matchbox car, or with ANY Matchbox car! 

Note that these activities were written in early April 2020 in Montana and are written to follow current guidelines on social distancing. These guidelines may change at any time and may be different in some areas

Visit https://youtu.be/NAMo2QHGs2E to see the inspiring story of Ewy Rosqvist

Visit https://youtu.be/Boi6E8hhb4c to see any overview of the project

To download a discussion guide, visit: https://www.mbusa.com/en/about-us/no-limits

 

Science & Engineering challenges

  • Build a track or ramp for the car and measure what works best – cardboard, toilet paper tubes, blocks, etc. Test to see how far or fast your car goes when the ramp is steeper or flatter. Does the car go faster or farther if the ramp is made out of different materials? You can even keep track of the measurements and make a graph or table!
  • Can you make the car go faster or slower by adding to it or modifying it? What if you add a parachute? Can you add wind resistance?
  • Make your own car! Make your own car or other wheeled vehicles out of materials around the house. You can put it through the same tests for speed, distance and wind resistance.

Roller coaster challenge

Have you always wanted to learn how roller coasters work? Disney has released a fascinating video delving into the science and engineering behind one of the most thrilling attractions at Walt Disney World.

https://wdwnt.com/2020/04/video-disney-parks-delves-into-the-science-and-engineering-behind-rock-n-roller-coaster-plus-a-build-your-own-roller-coaster-launch-at-home-project/

Hot Wheels STEM Speedometry curriculum

This site, from the Mattel Children’s Foundation, includes free lessons for fourth graders and kindergartners to deepen their understanding of speed, angles, slopes, collisions, kinetic energy and potential energy. Note that some activities suggest group work that may not be possible during times of social distancing.

http://origin2.hotwheels.mattel.com/en-us/explore/speedometry/index.html

ScienceBuddies Motion Activity

This activity was designed for middle schoolers but could be modified. Combine Newton’s third law of motion with engineering design in one fun lesson! Students will learn about equal and opposite reaction forces as they design and build a bumper to protect a toy car during a crash.

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/teacher-resources/lesson-plans/engineering-car-crash-safety-newton-third-law?

Upcycled Toy Car Marker Bots

Turn your car into a motorized art project!

NOTE: This is a really cool activity but may require some supplies (like a hobby motor) that are more difficult to acquire during COVID shutdown.

https://leftbraincraftbrain.com/upcycled-hot-wheel-toy-car-marker-bots/

STEAM CHALLENGES

STEAM is STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) plus the Arts

  • Write a story, song or poem about Ewy and her car
  • Create a special scene (diorama) for your car – use whatever you can find: LEGO, blocks, items in Nature, etc.
  • What is your dream car? Draw a picture of yourself in your car
  • Draw a map that shows your car visiting a special location

LEARNING ABOUT CARS

  • If you have access to a car, look at the car with your child. Point out the different parts of the car. How are they the same or different than what is on the model of Ewy’s car?
  • Pop open the hood and look at the parts inside the car. Can you name any of them? What do they do?
  • Do you have a friend or neighbor who is really good at working on cars? Ask if you can observe them from a safe distance while they check the air in the tires, refill the wiper fluid, check the oil, or perform routine maintenance on their car.

Learn about parts of a car:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_auto_parts

Free downloadable matching game

https://busyteacher.org/16665-parts-of-a-car-matching-activity.html

Parent-child discussions

Is this a “boy toy” or a “girl toy?”

Watch this short video before asking your child whether the car is for boys or for girls. You could have a bunch of toys out and ask the child about each one, or have them sort toys into different piles (toys for boys, toys for girls, toys for anybody). Ask questions to prompt a discussion with your child.  The goal is for you to help your child understand that both boys and girls can play with ALL toys.

Ewy’s story

  • What did you like about the story of Ewy Rosqvist?
  • How do you think Ewy felt when she won the race?
  • What advice do you think Ewy would give to girls today?
  • If you could share this story with one person, who do you think would really like learning about Ewy?

Role models

  • Do you think most race car drivers today are men or women? Why? How could we change this?
  • Are there other careers that seem to be more for men than for women?
  • Do you have a friend who does a job that is often considered a “man’s job,” or a “woman’s job” (like a man who is a nurse or a preschool teacher; or a woman who is a firefighter or scientist or carpenter). Could you call or videochat with them and ask about their career?

"No Limits at Home" is a program of the Montana Girls STEM Collaborative, which is housed within the MSU Science Math Resource Center and is an outreach program of Montana NSF EPSCoR. This material is based upon work supported in part by the National Science Foundation EPSCoR Cooperative Agreement OIA-1757351