Grade Seven Technology
[Inventory Checklist Document]
Roller Coaster Project - "Ride Mania"
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RIDE
MANIA is an extended interdisciplinary project that studies roller coaster
design in science, mathematics, and language arts classrooms. Students learn
and apply laws of motion, linear equations, and technical reporting. As the
eight-week project unfolds they move from learning content-specific knowledge
and skills to applying what they learn in a group design task. Ultimately, students
must convince the theme park to accept their group's design through persuasive
presentations.
The Process: Generating Knowledge
The project is organized in four phases that generate knowledge about design
principles of roller coasters:
Phase 1: Accessing prior knowledge about roller coasters.
Phase 2: Investigating content-specific skills and knowledge with experiments
in math and science that build understanding about force and the laws of
motion.
Phase 3: Expanding knowledge of roller coaster design with research and further
experimenting related to roller coasters.
Phase 4: Applying and contributing new knowledge to the design and construction
of a roller coaster model.
Phase One: Accessing Prior Knowledge
Students reenact
the feeling of roller coaster forces.
The project begins with a video that features a top roller coaster.
The video initiates a discussion and prompts students to think about their own
experiences with the motion and forces experienced on amusement park rides.
Students then write a science journal entry in response to the following:
Describe the experiences you have had at amusement parks.
What are your favorite and least favorite rides? Why?
Describe the forces and motion you experience while on these rides.
Student journal entry
Where was the first American roller coaster and what year was it created?
Explain how the two types of energy work in a roller coaster.
What are the different types of wheels on a roller coaster?
What was the nation's first theme park?
What was the first tubular steel coaster called?
What is momentum?
What is velocity?
Phase Two: Investigating to Build
Foundation Knowledge
Students conduct many experiments in both science and mathematics classes,
establishing underlying concepts and skills and meeting content area
requirements. Complete lists of the activities follow.
Science: Investigations of
Math: Investigations of Linear Equation
Build Your Own
#3 (Press F11 for Full Screen View!) NEW!!!
Alter Newton's Laws on a
Roller Coaster
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ACTIVITY 1: Discovery Channel's
Roller Coaster Builder |
Go to the Discovery
Channel's Roller Coaster Builder. Build a roller coaster that will make the
Fear-o-Meter really rise. Describe what makes a scary coaster.
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ACTIVITY 2: Looking at Roller
Coaster differences |
Now use the Funderstanding
Roller Coaster. Adjust the hills and loops to build a coaster that works.
What did you have to do to make sure the car stayed on the track and got to the
end of the ride? Record your answer on your worksheet.
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ACTIVITY 3: Changing friction and
gravity. |
Use the Funderstanding
Roller Coaster again. This time put friction all the way to the maximum.
Now what do you have to do to make the coaster work?
Now put friction back to the middle and gravity in the middle.
What changes do you have to to make to the coaster to make it work?
Phase Three: Expanding Knowledge
Roller
Coaster Database
Roller Coaster
Statistics
At this point, students begin connecting underlying principles (force, motion,
and linear equations) with roller coaster design.
Science: Students work in a computer lab using the Internet to research coaster
information. They build a database of useful coaster sites and practice
designing successful roller coasters using online simulations.
Internet Activities to Expand Roller Coaster Knowledge
Math: Students build track and begin to test their ideas related to mathematics
in roller coaster motion. In one investigation, they use computer-based motion
detectors and graphing software.
Investigations of Design and Motion
Excel
Spreadsheet with the following data:
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Roller Coaster Name |
Ride Time (Min:sec) |
Maximum Drop (feet) |
Maximum Speed (mph) |
Track Length (feet) |
Ride Capacity
(passengers/hour) |
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Kingda Ka |
0:51 |
418 |
128 |
3118 |
1400 |
Roller
Coaster Sites:
http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/*
http://library.thinkquest.org/C005075F/English_Version/history%20coasters.htm?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0601*
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Students fill in a table with the Roller Coaster Web sites they
found. |
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Instructions: Search the Internet for sites that address the
following four aspects of roller coasters:
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Roller
Coaster Database
Phase Four: Applying and
Contributing Knowledge
Students will be divided into 4 person project teams. Each student will be
assigned one of the tasks listed below to complete.
Architect