Roller Coaster Project

David ShapiroPhysics Teacher – Natick High School

Action Plan #1Capsule Project

Action Plans

Action Plan #1 – Roller Coaster Design ProjectNinth grade college prep students will design and fabricate

a roller coaster. The project will be completed before they take their midterm exam.

Action Plan #2 – Generating ElectricityPhysics for engineers students (senior elective) will design

and fabricate a device that generates electricity using a sustainable energy source. The generator will then be used to power another device during a power outage.

Action Plans

Action Plan #1 – Rollercoaster Design ProjectNinth grade college prep students will design and fabricate

a roller coaster. The project will be completed before they take their midterm exam. COMPLETED

Action Plan #2 – Generating ElectricityPhysics for engineers students (senior elective) will design

and fabricate a device that generates electricity using a sustainable energy source. The generator will then be used to power another device during a power outage.

MARCH 2012

Original Plan

During the project students will• Design a Roller Coaster to meet a variety

of constraints.• Create a Roller Coaster using K’NEX.• Perform a variety of calculations on the

Roller Coaster (potential energy, kinetic energy, velocity …).

• Present their Roller Coaster to the class.

Original Timeline

Timeline – 1.5 to 2 weeks in January1. Introduction to the project and

distribute project documents.2. Design the Roller Coaster with

specific constraints. (1 – 2 days)3. Create the Roller Coaster with

K’NEX. (2 days)4. Complete tests and calculations

on the Roller Coaster. (2 days)5. Presentation (1 day)

Initial Hurdles

• TIME• Creating a common project for all physics 11

classes.• TIME• Preparing students for their midterm.• And TIME

Implementation• Each physics 11 class built their own roller

coaster.• Roller coasters were built in one period (78

minutes).• Students were placed in groups of four and

each group had a specific part of the roller coaster to build.

• Students received a power point describing the project and each part of the roller coaster that needed to be built.

• 12 roller coasters were created.

Student PowerPoint Example: Goal

• Your goal– Design a roller coaster out of K’NEX with two hills

and a straight away.– Communication: each group will build a specific

part of the rollercoaster.– Perform velocity, acceleration, force, energy, work

and momentum calculations on the roller coaster.– Create a PowerPoint presentation regarding one

of the physics concepts above.– The most efficient roller coaster will receive bonus

points.

Student Power Point Example A – The first Hill

Design the highest point of the rollercoaster. The picture below will help you.

Collaboration

Roller Coaster

Roller Coaster

Finished Product

During the Building

• Students had to communicate with each other.

• Some classes ran out of pieces as they wanted to build the tallest coaster.

• Each class had to design an aspect of the coaster for it to work.

Measurements • After the roller coasters were built each group

was assigned a specific roller coaster to analyze. • Students measured gravitational potential

energy, kinetic energy, acceleration down the first hill, change in position, friction along the flat and momentum conservation at the bottom.

• Students could use any of the equipment in the room including video analysis to make these measurements.

Measurement Pictures

Video Analysis

Presentation?

• Students handed in their roller coaster project packet with their calculations.

• We ran out of time to present our findings in order to spend a day reviewing for the students’ midterm.

• Couldn’t present the findings after the midterm because of our tight schedule with the physics MCAS.

Challenges

• Getting all of the physics teachers on board with the project.

• Space for the roller coasters.• Unique ideas in each section. Students wanted

to copy other designs.• Wrapping up the project. Lack of

presentation.• TIME

Reflection• A majority of the students were engaged.• Each class had unique ideas regarding how to

make the roller coaster.• Students were introduced to the engineering

process.• Positive feedback from the students.• Positive feedback from the physics teachers.• Increase in midterm scores?• More open ended in the future with the

presentation piece.