Physics/Calculus lesson on forces: This lesson uses inquiry and our community to learn about math,
science, and technology.
Ask: What makes the best roller coaster? This open-ended question allows students to start
brainstorming. There isn’t one correct answer here. Student will need to consider: How does a roller
coaster work?
Investigate: What are the forces behind the fun? What is speed? What is velocity? What is
acceleration? And more.. (how do coasters work??...give the students a link to reliable information)
After we investigate, we will come back together and discuss our finding.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/roller-coaster.htm
WE will then move on to a hands-on activity in the classroom.
Model – Hands on: Have students design their own roller coaster.
You are a team that has been hired by an amusement park called Rochester Coaster. Rochester Coaster
is in need of new and exciting roller coasters. Your job is to design, and build a model of a working roller
coaster. In order to design and build a roller coaster you need to learn about roller coasters and how they
work.
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You have this period only to design, build, test, and draw a diagram of your roller coaster.
The coaster must be a complete circuit just like a real roller coaster.
You must collect data by taking measurements of time and distance.
The marble must stay on the track through the whole roller coaster
The roller coaster can not be touched during the test. In other words the roller coaster can only be
supported by the masking tape and any objects other than your hands.
Your coaster must be stable. The track cannot move or shake when the marble travels along the
track.
Visiting guest, an experert in rollarcoaster design will help with the judging
Materials: [Materials will be provided for the students]
Field Trip: Sea Breeze Amusement Park right here in Rochester, NY! Feel the forces, see the
construction, and ask questions. During the trip the students will measure the period, gravitational
force, heights, and more. They will have worksheets to fill out based on their findings. As a large group
we will compare, evaluate, and discuss our findings.
Going Further
To students: You and your team have just designed, built, and tested your roller coaster. Now you need
to advertise your roller coaster to attract customers who would want to pay to ride it. The cheapest way to
reach a large amount of people is to make web pages and post them on the internet. A more expensive
but more effective a way of reaching a large amount of people is advertising on television.
Your Job: To design web pages that are linked together and clearly shows and describes the features of
your roller coaster to the public. Or develop a television commercial that clearly shows and describes
features of your roller coaster to the public.
Reflect: In journal reflect about your learning and experience. Where else do you feel forces in
your daily life?
Handouts
http://www.rocklin.k12.ca.us/staff/dfix/project_roller_coaster/overview_students.htm
Sea Breeze – Standards covered
Mathematics
1. Abstraction and symbolic representation are used to communicate mathematically.
2. Deductive and inductive reasoning are used to reach mathematical conclusions.
3. Critical thinking skills are used in the solution of mathematical problems.
Science
1.1. The central purpose of scientific inquiry is to develop explanations of natural phenomena in a
continuing, creative process.
1.2. Beyond the use of reasoning and consensus, scientific inquiry involves the testing of proposed
explanations involving the use of conventional techniques and procedures and usually requiring
considerable ingenuity.
1.3. The observations made while testing proposed explanations, when analyzed using conventional
and invented methods, provide new insights into phenomena.
4.4. Energy exists in many forms, and when these forms change energy is conserved.
Technology
5.1. Engineering design is an iterative process involving modeling and optimization used to develop
technological solutions to problems within given constraints.
5.2 Technological tools, materials, and other resources should be selected on the basis of safety, cost,
availability, appropriateness, and environmental impact; technological processes change energy,
information, and material resources into more useful forms.
5. 4. Technological systems are designed to achieve specific results and produce outputs, such as
products, structures, services, energy, or other systems.
Motion
1. The velocity of an object is the rate of change of its position. As a basis for under-standing this
concept:
a. Students know position is defined in relation to some choice of a standard reference point and a set of
reference directions.
b. Students know that average speed is the total distance traveled divided by the total time elapsed and
that the speed of an object along the path traveled can vary.
c. Students know how to solve problems involving distance, time, and average speed.
d. Students know the velocity of an object must be described by specifying both the direction and the
speed of the object.
e. Students know changes in velocity may be due to changes in speed, direction, or both.
f. Students know how to interpret graphs of position versus time and graphs of speed versus time for
motion in a single direction.
Forces
2. Unbalanced forces cause changes in velocity. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know a force has both direction and magnitude.
b. Students know when an object is subject to two or more forces at once, the result is the cumulative
effect of all the forces.
c. Students know when the forces on an object are balanced, the motion of the object does not change.
d. Students know how to identify separately the two or more forces that are acting onÊ a single static
object, including gravity, elastic forces due to tension or compression in matter, and friction.
e. Students know that when the forces on an object are unbalanced, the object will change its velocity
(that is, it will speed up, slow down, or change direction).
f. Students know the greater the mass of an object, the more force is needed to achieve the same rate of
change in motion.
Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful
investigations.