CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Quarter 3 Project-Based Learning Experience
Carnival Catastrophe
Overview:
Local filmmakers are busy planning their latest movie, Carnival
Catastrophe. The plot involves a brother and sister as they try to
escape the ghost of a geometry teacher that is haunting the Anne
Arundel County Fair’s Midway.
The filmmakers do not have a very large budget, or any budget for that
matter, so they cannot afford to destroy actual carnival rides. Instead,
they have asked the county’s geometry students to create model rides
for the movie.
In this project, you will be a scenery artist creating a Ferris Wheel or
Drop Tower for the movie, Carnival Catastrophe.
Student Outcome: Student will design and analyze two carnival rides using trigonometry and
properties of circles.
Project Description:
Step 1: Create an Introduction by researching the Drop Tower and Ferris Wheel rides.
 Create a Tree Thinking Map for each ride. Include the following in your Map.
o Fun Facts; tallest, fastest, etc.
o History; when was it introduced and where, who designed the first, etc.
o Design; what do all rides of this type have in common, describe the structure
o Catastrophe; have there been any major accidents on the ride, how did the
structure fail, etc.
 Use the Tree Thinking Map to write a brief summary (6-8 sentences for each ride) of
what you learned about each ride.
 Include three images of each type of ride to accompany the summaries.
 Include references when possible.
You will use this information to choose which ride you would like to create
Step 2: Create a Vocabulary Reference page to include with your carnival ride design. Each
term from the following list must be represented both in a ride image and in words. You may
use the same ride for more than one term. (Additional terminology may be included.)







Angle of Depression
Angle of Elevation
Chord
Circumscribed Circle
Concentric
Diameter
Hypotenuse
Mathematics Office







AACPS 1/2014
Inscribed Angle
Inscribed Circle
Intercepted Arc
Leg
Radius
Secant Line
Tangent Line
Page 1 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Step 3 option 1: Create one design for the Drop Tower ride. Complete the design on the Drop
Tower Design Sheet your teacher provides. Consider the following while creating your
design:
 You must design the tallest tower possible.
 Your tower must look like an actual ride.
 Your tower may have three or four lateral faces. (Check the glossary in your text)
 More details are found on the Drop Tower Design Sheet.
Step 3 option 2: Create one design for the Ferris Wheel. Complete the design on the Ferris Wheel
Design Sheet your teacher provides. Consider the following while creating your design:
 A Ferris Wheel consists of two congruent circles connected by horizontal supports.
 You must design a Ferris Wheel with the greatest diameter possible.
 The Wheel must include a concentric circle.
 The Wheel must include an inscribed equilateral triangle, square, or hexagon.
 More details are found on the Ferris Wheel Design Sheet.
Step 4 option 1: Complete your Peer Analysis for the Drop Tower.
 Classmates will exchange their designs from Step 3.
 The reviewer will check the calculations.
 The groups will decide which drop tower is the best option for construction.
 Designs may be revised as necessary.
Step 4 option 2: Complete your Peer Analysis for the Ferris Wheel.
 Classmates will exchange their designs from Step 5.
 The reviewer will check the calculations.
 The groups will decide which Ferris Wheel is the best option for construction
 Designs may be revised as necessary.
Step 5: Create a physical model of the Drop Tower or Ferris Wheel (In groups).
 The model should be made of pipe cleaners.
 The model should resemble the plan with any changes noted in the final reflection
Step 6: Complete the Student Reflection sheet.
 All questions must be completely and clearly answered.
Mathematics Office
AACPS 1/2014
Page 2 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Quarter 3 Project-Based Learning Experience
Carnival Catastrophe
Include this Rubric with your Final Draft. (Standard requirement are in parenthesis)
1. The Introduction includes:
 Each ride is outlined on the Tree Thinking Map
 6-8 sentence summary for each ride
 Three images for each ride
 References included
2. The Vocabulary Reference page is neat and clearly and correctly represents each
term both verbally and with an example from a carnival ride.
 Angle of Depression
 Inscribed Angle
 Angle of Elevation
 Inscribe Circle
 Chord
 Intercepted Arc
 Circumscribed Circle
 Leg
 Concentric
 Radius
 Diameter
 Secant
 Hypotenuse
 Tangent (to a circle)
14 total points
+1 pt: Term is clearly and correctly represented both verbally and with a ride. A
ride may be used for multiple terms.
+0.5 pt: Term includes only one correct verbal or ride representation.
0 pt: Term is not used or both representations are incorrect.
3. The Drop Tower Design Sheet is accurate and easy to understand.
 One complete design in included.
 Tower design appears “reasonable”.
 All calculations of lengths and angles are included and are accurate.
______/8
______/14
8 total points
+1 pt: Design is created using a straightedge
+1 pt: The design is clearly labeled with all required measurements
+1 pt: Most or all calculations are included
+1 pt: Use of reasonable number of supplies
_______/8
4. The Ferris Wheel Design Sheet is accurate and easy to understand.
 One complete design in included.
 Ferris Wheel design appears “reasonable”.
 All calculations of lengths and angles are included and are accurate.
8 total points
+1 pt: Design is created using a straightedge and compass
+1 pt: The design is clearly labeled with all required measurements
+1 pt: Most or all calculations are included
+1 pt: Concentric circle is accurately constructed
Mathematics Office
AACPS 1/2014
______/8
Page 3 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
5. The Peer Analysis for Drop Tower helps to choose the best design to use through:



Use of a reasonable number of supplies
Calculations of all lengths and angles are clear and accurate
Coming up with an appropriate plan
Name of Peer Analyzer:___________________________________________
The Designer will receive credit for the Peer Analyzer’s work. Cooperation is encouraged
so that the designs and the calculations are clear and accurate.
6 total points
+2 pt: supplies check
+2 pt: design and calculations are easy to read and understand
+2pt: plan
6. The Peer Analysis helps to choose the best design to use through:
 Calculations of all lengths and angles are clear and accurate.
 A concentric circle and inscribed polygon (equilateral triangle, square, or hexagon)
is included in the design.
 Coming up with an appropriate plan
Name of Peer Analyzer:___________________________________________
The Designer will receive credit for the Peer Analyzer’s work. Cooperation is encouraged
so that the designs and the calculations are clear and accurate.
6 total points
+2 pt: Reasonable number of supplies
+2 pt: Design and calculations are easy to read and understand
+2 pt: Inscribed polygon is accurately constructed
7. The Drop Tower Model is created physically or virtually.
 Drop tower is made
 Construction is sturdy
 Construction resembles plan
_______/6
_______/6
______/15
8. Each prompt on the Student Reflection is completely and clearly addressed.
+7 pt: Each prompt completely and clearly addressed
_______/14
Total Points
Mathematics Office
AACPS 1/2014
_______/65
Page 4 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Drop Tower Tree Map
Drop Tower
History
Mathematics Office
Design
AACPS 1/2014
Fun Facts
Page 5 of 15
Catastrophes
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Ferris Wheel Tree Map
Ferris Wheel
History
Mathematics Office
Design
AACPS 1/2014
Fun Facts
Page 6 of 15
Catastrophes
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Vocabulary Reference
Term
Mathematics Office
Definition In Your Own Words
AACPS 1/2014
Carnival Ride
Page 7 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Drop Tower Design Sheet
Goal:
Design the tallest possible tower.
Requirements:
 The tower must use a reasonable number of supplies—
we’re on a budget afterall. The tower must resemble an
actual carnival ride.
 The tower must be “structurally sound”. It must not
look like it could easily fall down.
 The tower must have three or four lateral faces. See
examples below.
Mathematics Office
AACPS 1/2014
Page 8 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Tower Design:
On the grid below, use a straightedge to design one lateral face of the tower. This design will be
repeated for all three or four lateral faces of your tower.
Select a scale for the grid. Examples include one block = 1 inch
All pipe cleaners are 12 inches long
Mathematics Office
AACPS 1/2014
Page 9 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Tower Calculations:
 Determine the lengths of all pieces in your design. (Lengths longer than 12 inches are
not permitted.)
 Determine the angle measures for all interior angles in your design.
 Determine the total number of pipe cleaners used in your tower.
o Remember that you must consider the leftover pipes cleaners you could not use.
o Consider that the vertical pipe cleaners in your design will be shared by each face.
Mathematics Office
AACPS 1/2014
Page 10 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Ferris Wheel Design Sheet
Goal:
Design a Ferris Wheel with the largest possible diameter.
Requirements:
 The Ferris Wheel must resemble an actual carnival ride.
 The Ferris Wheel must be “structurally sound”. It must not look like it could easily fall down.
 The Ferris Wheel must use a reasonable number of pipe cleaners.
 The Ferris Wheel will consist of two identical circular designs.
 The Ferris Wheel must feature one or more concentric circles. Circles must be constructed
using a compass.
 The Ferris Wheel must include an inscribed equilateral triangle, square, or hexagon. This
must be constructed using a straightedge and compass.
 The two identical circular designs will be connected using horizontal supports. Please see
the example below. Note: Your design will require more supports!
Horizontal Supports
must be included
Mathematics Office
AACPS 1/2014
Page 11 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Ferris Wheel Design:
On the circle below, use a straightedge and compass to design your Ferris Wheel. This design
will be duplicated to complete your Ferris Wheel.
The design does not need a scale. Label all lengths and angle measures in the design based upon
your own calculations.
Mathematics Office
AACPS 1/2014
Page 12 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Ferris Wheel Calculations
 Determine the lengths of all pieces in your design.
 Determine the angle measures for all interior angles in your design.
 Estimate the total length of wire used in your Ferris Wheel.
o Remember that the completed Ferris Wheel will have two identical circular
designs and several horizontal supports.
Mathematics Office
AACPS 1/2014
Page 13 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
Student Reflection
1.
Look at the Tree Thinking Map you created at the beginning of the project. Compare
and contrast your ride designs with designs of the actual rides you examined. Use
geometry vocabulary when appropriate.
2. For each ride design there was a constraint on the amount of materials you could use;
How challenging was it to meet these requirements? How did your designs change in
response to these requirements?
3. When you analyzed a peer’s design, how was their design different than yours? Did they
use a different strategy from you in meeting the requirements for the ride? If so, describe
their strategy.
Mathematics Office
AACPS 1/2014
Page 14 of 15
CCSS Geometry
Marking Period 3 PBL
Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Pd: _____
4. How did your group decide which ride design to use?
5. What changes did your group have to make to the original ride design during construction?
Be specific.
6. What did you like most about this project?
7. What would you like to know more about? If you do not want to know any more, what
did you learn about Geometry while completing this project?
Mathematics Office
AACPS 1/2014
Page 15 of 15