Roller Coaster Project
Introduction
An amusement park has decided to open a theme park to be located in Arizona. It is an exciting time for Arizona and the residents are anxiously anticipating the grand opening of the new amusement park. Your team has been hired to design a roller coaster for this theme park.
Task
Your team is responsible for naming and designing the roller coaster. It is important to remember that this roller coaster is to be the fastest and most exciting roller coaster ever built. You will be creating a PowerPoint that will include:
- A title page
- The history of roller coasters
- Explanation of the types of roller coasters
- The components of a roller coaster
- Features of various roller coasters
- Three famous roller coasters
- A proposed design with labels that demonstrate different physics terms
- A picture of the proposed car with an explanation of features
- A glossary of physics terms associated with the coaster. (Acceleration, Centripetal, Inertia, Kinetic Energy, Potential Energy, Velocity)
- Safety information regarding roller coasters.
Historian: Will research the history of roller coasters and compile pictures and information describing some of the most popular roller coasters ever built.
Designer: Will investigate the components and style of the roller coaster.
Safety Coordinator: Will research safety, insurance, and liability issues involved in the building of roller coasters.
Process and Guidance
Your team will consist of three members. Six class periods will be allotted for you and your team to complete this project. If additional time is needed, you and your team is expected to do the work outside of class.
Day One/Day Two
- Research information specified by your job description. Using e-mail, internet access, and library resources, you and and your team will compile the research information into a manila folder provided by your teacher.
- Each person will write a brief summary of information gathered for your job description(Your summary must contain 3 paragraphs: introduction, body, and closing)
Day Three
- During science class, you will use the internet to log onto specific sites provided by your teachers. These sites are virtual roller coasters in which you can manipulate physical factors to create a successful roller coaster. http://www.Funderstanding.com/k12/coaster/
- http://kids.discovery.com/games/build-play/build-a-coaster
- Write a paragraph describing the kinetic motion of your simulation. It is important that you use vocabulary found at the following site:http://www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics/glossary.html
Day Four/ Day Five:
- Your team will design a roller coaster. Use your research information to help with the design of the roller coaster.
- Be sure to determine the heights of the hills, how many hills, number loops, turns and etc..
- Once the roller coaster has been designed, draw to scale using graph paper provided by your teacher.
- Submit the worksheet and the drawing to the teacher.
Glossary Terms: Acceleration, Centripetal, Inertia, Kinetic Energy, Potential Energy, Velocity
Resources
Historian:
http://www.bobholland.com/amusementparks/coasterhistory.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_coaster
http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/history/start/history_early.shtml
http://www.learner.org/interactives/parkphysics/coaster2.html
Designer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roller_coaster_rankings
http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/
http://www.learner.org/interactives/parkphysics/coaster.html
http://jvsc.jst.go.jp/find/rikigaku/english/index.htm
http://www.howstuffworks.com/roller-coaster.htm
http://www.brainpop.com/science/energy/kineticenergy/
http://www.ohiomathworks.org/themeparks/rollercoasters1.htm
http://kids.discovery.com/games/rollercoasters/buildacoaster.html
http://dep.disney.go.com/sodi_app/index.html
Safety Coordinator:
http://www.rideinsider.com/
http://www.ohiomathworks.org/themeparks/rollercoasters2.htm
http://www.coasterquest.com/coastersafety.htm
http://www.learner.org/interactives/parkphysics/ridesafety.html
Evaluation
screamrubric.doc
Conclusion
This unit is an exciting way to merge math and science through technology. Students are allowed to search the world wide web to further expand their knowledge of math and science skills in real world applications. This unit is engages learners at all ability levels.