Watch some of the 973 RAMP videos on
designing with sketches in CAD. One thing we've been known to do is print off full-scale drawing templates to trace for our prototypes and actual parts. Works great and gives the students an additional visual aid in addition to using traditional measuring tools.
The trick is to build your prototype to a high enough quality that will allow you to actually learn from it. A flimsy prototype that falls apart on its first use isn't a good prototype. Wood is a great material because you can keep drilling and adjusting things on the fly too.
For rookies, I'd highly recommend getting your AndyMark drive base assembled ASAP (have a few people start building it week 1, heck even day 1) and then attach your prototypes ontop of that frame to give you a more real-world test. Most teams use previous season drive base platforms but you most likely won't have that option.