Roller Coaster Design
Technology Project
Kelly Majewski
Ellis Middle School
School District U-46
8th Grade Science
This learning activity was developed as part of the requirements for the Aurora University/ District U-46 graduate credit course Design
Problem Based Learning: OEDC 6047, Summer 2006, under the guidance of instructor Richard Levine.
Project-Based Learning
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Students will be answering the following
question: “How do roller coaster designs
obey the laws of physics?”
Students will answer this question as a
culminating project after a unit on energy, force,
and motion.
Students will investigate the laws the physics
that take place on a roller coaster as they build
their own roller coasters with pipe insulation
tubing, tape, and a marble (the passenger).
They will further calculate the speed of their
design. They will use the process of design
technology to make a book of their designs and
findings.
Goals and Curriculum
Illinois Learning Standards
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11.B.3a Identify an actual design problem and establish criteria for
determining the success of a solution.
11.B.3b Sketch, propose, and compare design solutions to the
problem considering available materials, tools, cost effectiveness,
and safety.
11.B.3c Select the most appropriate design and build a prototype.
11.B.3d Test the prototype using available materials, instruments
and technology and record the data.
11.B.3e Evaluate the test results based on established criteria, note
sources of error and recommend improvements.
11.B.3f Using available technology, report the relative success of
the design based on the test results and criteria.
12.C.3a Explain interactions of energy with matter including
changes of state and conservation of mass and energy.
12.D.3a Explain and demonstrate how forces affect motion.
Essential Questions
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How can physical science be observed
in our every day lives?
How can science laws describe what is
happening in the world?
How do scientists use the process of
technological design to constantly
redesign and improve items?
How do scientists build on the
knowledge of others to further
technology?
How do science and technology work
together to bring us the items we have
today?
Interdisciplinary Considerations
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This project incorporates math skills as students
calculate the speed of their roller coasters
(Speed = Distance/Time).
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I will ask the math teacher on my team to spend
a short period of time discussing how variables
can be manipulated to solve for distance and
time as well. Also, the math teacher can discuss
what happens to speed as distance and time
increase and decrease.
The students benefit by seeing how math and
science are interrelated.
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Timeline
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This project will take approximately two weeks to complete.
„ Day 1 – View United Streaming clips on roller coasters and take notes.
„ Day 2 – View Roller Coaster movie by Nova and take notes.
„ Day 3 – Use the internet to further read and take notes. Practice
building roller coasters on www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics
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Day 4 – Decide on a first design with group and sketch it.
Day 5 – Build sketch with group, try it out, identify design problems, and
establish criteria for a successful roller coaster.
Day 6 - Sketch two or three new designs to improve roller coaster
considering available materials, tools, cost effectiveness, and safety.
Day 7 – Pick one sketch to build final prototype and calculate speed.
Day 8 – Write conclusion and use notes from days 1-3 to explain and
make a diagram of three to four forces acting on the roller coaster and
how these forces affect motion. Lastly, explain two to three forms of
energy used by the roller coaster to transfer energy.
Day 9 – Share books with other students in class and share books with
7th grade students. Take books home at night to share with parents.
Target Audience and Other
Participants
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Students will share their books with three other people.
After they have read and explained the book, the person
they shared the book with will sign a sheet and comment on
the book and how well the student did in explaining the
physics laws used by a roller coaster. See comment sheet.
The first person they will share the book with is another
student from class.
The second person they will share the book with is a 7th
grade student. I will ask the 7th grade teachers if my
students can share their books with the 7th graders. This
should only take 10-15 minutes of their class time.
The third person they will share the book with is their
parent/guardian or another adult if neither parent is
available.
Project Level
Bloom’s Taxonomy
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Knowledge – Students will name the forces and forms of energy
acting in the roller coaster.
Comprehension – Students will identify design problems. They will
describe how forces affect motion and how energy is transferred.
Application – Students will sketch a first design and two or three
improved designs. Students will make a diagram showing how
forces affect the motion of the roller coaster.
Analysis – Students will analyze data collected, report on the
success of the design, and state what was learned from their
designs and testing based on test results in the conclusion.
Synthesis – Students will design and assemble their own roller
coasters. They will construct a data table, collect data, and
calculate speed.
Evaluation – Students will evaluate and compare new designs to
pick one to build a final prototype. They will assess their final
prototype for sources of error and recommend further
improvements.
Technology
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Students will use technology as they view clips
and a movie about roller coasters to take notes.
Students will use the internet to further take
notes on how energy and forces are acting on
roller coasters.
Students will build a roller coaster on an internet
site to see how physics laws contribute to the
design. Their final roller coaster will be evaluated
for them, so they can see how safe and fun their
design turned out.
Students will be given extra points for neatness if
they choose to type up the information that is
placed the book.
Roles of Students
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Each student will be responsible for turning in
their own design book. They will work in
groups of three to four to build the roller
coasters.
We will discuss the different roles and tasks
that need to be accomplished during building
and testing, such as timer, recorder, marble
launcher, and builder.
The students will choose and divide up the
tasks in their groups.
Students will be actively engaged in the
project as they design, construct, test, and
analyze their own ideas.
Students as Problem Solvers
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Students will be responsible for
coming up with their own sketches
and designs. They will identify design
problems and rebuild their roller
coasters with improvements.
Students will choose what role and
task they will accomplish in their
group.
I will tell the students what information
needs to be on each page of the
book, and then they will add their own
creativity and organization.
Managing Student
Groups
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On the third day after their research is complete, I will
collect their notes and evaluate them for depth and
accuracy. The notes will be given back to students to
add to or fix if they need to be. I will keep their notes
and give them back to them when they are ready to
complete the final page of the book.
Students will determine their roles and tasks in their
groups.
Students will be told what page or pages to work on
that day with brief instructions on what the page(s)
should include, so students know exactly what they
should be doing during class.
Checkpoints
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I am going to have three different checkpoints
during the project. See checklist
„ 1st – When research is complete, after day three,
the students will turn in their notes.
„ 2nd – After day five students will need to have
completed the cover through page 2.
„ 3rd – After day seven students will need to have
completed up to page 6.
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If a student does not have his/her work completed
for that checkpoint, I will have a discussion with
him/her to determine if the student needs additional
help or if we need to make a plan to make sure the
book is completed on time.
Working with Others Outside
the Classroom
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I am going to have my students share their
books with the 7th grade students, so they
can explain their book to someone
younger.
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By sharing their books three times this will
help solidify the physics concepts they
have learned.
Technological Resources
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Conceptual/Language Readiness
„ I will give them the web sites that
they will use to do their research.
This way I will know that the sites
are appropriate in content and level.
See approved sites
„ The students will view video clips
and a movie before using the
internet, so this will help build prior
knowledge when they do the reading
from the web sites.
Technological Resources
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Technical Readiness
„ I will check to make sure the students
have turned in the form to use the
internet.
„ The students need to know how to
navigate to different sites, but I will give
them the sites they can use.
„ The students may choose to type the
information that is put in their books.
„ I will review with them how to make a
table in Microsoft Word for any students
that are interested.
Technological Resources
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Research Skill Readiness
„ I will review with the students how to take
good notes, and I will provide them with a
sheet of the concepts they need to focus
on.
„ I will give them approved web sites to
conduct their research.
Assessing Students and Evaluating
Products
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Students will become active learners as
they design, modify, and test their own
roller coasters. They will actively work on
a few pages of their books every day.
The students will be allowed to suggest
criteria for what makes a good book.
The students will be provided with a rubric
before the project begins so they know
what is expected of them.
„ See rubric