Science Learning Community: Science and Engineering Lesson Plans
Rollercoasters: Ups and Downs in Design
Renee Helgeson
7/17/14
INFORMATION ABOUT THE LESSON
Grade Level and Subject Area
8th Grade Science – Kinetic and Potential Energy
Time Frame
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Lesson One: Introduction to Potential and Kinetic Energy --- 20 minutes
Lesson Two: Bouncing Ball Lab --- 45 minutes
Lesson Three: Rollercoasters: Ups and Downs in Design --- 120 minutes
Lesson Four: Assessment --- 20 minutes
Objectives: Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
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Identify the two states of energy
Demonstrate kinetic and potential energy
Observe energy transferring between potential and kinetic energy
Test for the effect of varying mass and height on kinetic and potential energy
Recognize the total energy in a system is equal to the sum of the potential and kinetic energy
Understand that energy cannot be created or destroyed
Apply and document an engineering design process that includes identifying, investigating, planning, creating, testing,
improving, and communicating a product or system that solves a problem.
Next Generation Science Standards
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MS-PS3-2 Develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of objects interacting at a distance changes, different
amounts of potential energy are stored in the system.
MS-PS3-5 Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes,
energy is transferred to or from the object.
MS-ETS1-2 Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and
constraints of the problem.
Standards for Technological Literacy
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STL-Design 8 Students will develop an understanding of the attributes of design.
STL-Design 9 Students will develop an understanding of the engineering design.
Common Core State Standards in Mathematics
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MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
7.RP.A.2 Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities.
Common Core State Standards in English and Language Arts
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RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of
explanations or descriptions.
WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline content.
SL.8.5 Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence,
and add interest.
Funded by an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title IIb Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality Grant in
Partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Stout
Page 1
Science Learning Community: Science and Engineering Lesson Plans
Prior Learning
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In prior instruction (6th/7th Grade Science) students have learned that energy can be in different forms: thermal, chemical,
electrical, nuclear, and sound.
Related 8th Grade Content:
Newton’s Laws and Motion
Motion and Forces
Energy and Work
Errors in understanding or misconceptions learners may have:
An object at rest has no energy
Doubling the speed of a moving object doubles the kinetic energy
An object always gains energy as it moves
The energy of an object does not depend on the mass of the object
Energy can be created
Energy can be destroyed
Materials
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PowerPoint
Beachball
Lab Handouts
Calculator
Tennis balls
Meter stick
5-7 6-foot lengths of foam pipe insulation tubing, cut in half lengthwise per group
Masking tape
Round toothpicks (~20 per group)
16 mm marbles
Containers to catch marbles
Flexible tape measure
Scissors
2 different-colored stickers: one marked “P”, the other “K”
LESSON IMPLEMENTATION – Introduction to Potential and Kinetic Energy
Objective: Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
•
•
•
•
Identify the two states of energy
Observe energy transferring between potential and kinetic energy
Recognize the total energy in a system is equal to the sum of the potential and kinetic energy
Understand that energy cannot be created or destroyed
Pre-Assessment
Interactive Science Notebook:
1.
2.
3.
What do you know about energy?
List any vocabulary words that are related to energy that you know.
Think of one thing that you use energy for. Where does that energy come from?
Draw a picture and explain your response.
Procedures
Funded by an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title IIb Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality Grant in
Partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Stout
Page 2
Science Learning Community: Science and Engineering Lesson Plans
Time
Instructional Strategies/Learning Tasks
Purpose
10 min
1. Toss a beach ball up and say “kinetic”. Catch it and say “potential”.
Repeat again. Toss the beach ball to a student and say “kinetic”. Prompt
the student to say “potential”. Allow students to toss the ball around a few
times saying “kinetic” and “potential” at the right times.
2. Ask students to Think-Pair-Share the meaning of potential energy and
kinetic energy based on their experience with the beach ball. Chart a
summary of the discussion by developing a class working definition for
potential energy and kinetic energy. Post the definition.
3. Display textbook definition and ask students to compare it to their own
definition. How are the definitions the same? How are they different?
4. Students complete notes and discussion on energy using PowerPoint.
Introduce the
difference between
kinetic (energy of
motion) and potential
(stored energy).
10 min
Formative Assessment
Questioning Prompts:
1.
What type of energy does this photo show, potential or kinetic?
(Pictures of everyday situations that involve energy)
Closure
Exit Slip: Write down one potential test question from today’s lesson.
Summative Assessment
Energy Quiz
LESSON IMPLEMENTATION – Bouncing Ball Lab
Objective: Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
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Identify the two states of energy
Demonstrate kinetic and potential energy
Observe energy transferring between potential and kinetic energy
Test for the effect of varying mass and height on kinetic and potential energy
Pre-Assessment
Interactive Science Notebook:
1.
How does the energy change as a pendulum swings back and forth?
Draw a picture and explain your response. Include the following labels:
high potential, low potential, high kinetic, low kinetic
Procedures
Time
Instructional Strategies/Learning Tasks
45 min
1.
2.
Pass out Bounce Lab Handout and materials to each group.
Students complete lab and graph their results.
Purpose
To investigate the
relationship between
potential and kinetic
energy.
Formative Assessment
Questioning Prompts:
1.
2.
Give an example of potential energy changing to kinetic energy.
Give an example of kinetic energy changing to potential energy.
Closure
Funded by an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title IIb Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality Grant in
Partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Stout
Page 3
Science Learning Community: Science and Engineering Lesson Plans
Each student formulates a question to ask another student using the following format:
• What happens to the total amount of energy when ______________ (example of potential energy
situation) changes to __________________ (example of kinetic energy situation?)
Summative Assessment
Energy Quiz
LESSON IMPLEMENTATION – Rollercoasters: Ups and Downs in Design
Objective: Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify the two states of energy
Demonstrate kinetic and potential energy
Observe energy transferring between potential and kinetic energy
Test for the effect of varying mass and height on kinetic and potential energy
Recognize the total energy in a system is equal to the sum of the potential and kinetic energy
Understand that energy cannot be created or destroyed
Apply and document an engineering design process that includes identifying, investigating, planning,
creating, testing, improving, and communicating a product or system that solves a problem.
Pre-Assessment
Interactive Science Notebook:
1.
Draw a roller coaster and label where the potential energy would be the greatest and where the kinetic
energy would be the greatest.
Procedures
Time
Instructional Strategies/Learning Tasks
Purpose
2-3 min
1. The city of Wahoo wants to build a new roller coaster ride as part of
the celebration of their 300th year. For consistency with the design, they
want a design to be as “loopy” as possible while keeping cost to a
minimum. They are looking for engineering designs that optimize the ratio
(inches of loop diameter/material costs) and are aesthetically pleasing.
Every section of a roller coaster has different characteristics. Some
portions have very light turns while others have more gentle curves and
turns. Each scenario has its limits for whether or not it will work.
Identify
2. Roller coasters at amusement parks utilize potential energy and kinetic
energy. Typically, a roller coaster car is pulled up by a motor, gaining its
initial potential energy. Once at the peak point, no motors are connected
to the car in any way. The car begins its winding and looping decent along
a track that has been designed to safely transfer the potential energy into
kinetic energy while making it a thrilling ride.
If the car is going through a loop-de-loop, and does not have enough
kinetic energy, it will not stay on the track as it reaches the peak of the
loop. Kinetic energy is measured as KE=(mV2)/2), where m is the mass of
the object and V is the velocity. Potential energy is measured as PE =mgh,
where m is the mass, g is the gravitational force, and h is the distance
above the reference point where the mass starts.
Investigate
5 min
Ideally, all the potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. This never
holds true, as some of the energy is lost to friction. Because of the loss of
energy, the peak of the loops must be lower than the initial starting point
of the car.
Funded by an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title IIb Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality Grant in
Partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Stout
Page 4
Science Learning Community: Science and Engineering Lesson Plans
20 min
45 min
45 min
3. Part 1: Design and Preliminary Testing
A. Discuss Worksheet 1.
B. Worksheet 2: Building Guidelines - Review the task and design criteria.
C. Divide the class into groups and pass out materials.
D. Each team designs and tests a preliminary prototype.
E. As they test, each group should be planning their final design and the
amount of materials that will be needed. Have them sketch their ideas on
paper and fill in quantities of materials on Worksheet 3: Cost and
Evaluation Sheet. At the end of class, have students return the materials
from the preliminary prototypes.
4. Part II: Final Design and Testing.
A. Obtain the materials listed in Worksheet 3 from the "store."
B. Permit additional materials to be purchased during the first phase of
design and testing, about 15 minutes. Once materials have been obtained
from the store, they may not be returned or exchanged.
C. Allow 10 minutes to finalize designs. Give each group one "P" sticker
and one "K" sticker. Remind groups to use the stickers to mark the places on
their roller coasters that have the greatest kinetic and potential energy.
D. Test each roller coaster individually by having a team member release
the marble to go through it. Remember, each roller coaster must be able to
stand alone and the marble must travel completely from start to finish.
Permit two tries per coaster, though more testing can be done if time
allows.
E. Identify an "aesthetic rating." Have each group look at all of the roller
coasters and come up with an aesthetic ratting (such as 1-6 if six groups,
with 1 being the best). Based on the group responses, the leader announces
the ratings.
F. Have groups measure the diameter of each loop in the roller coaster
and total the cost of purchased materials in Worksheet 3.
G. Have students compute the loop diameter to cost ratio, then add the
aesthetic ranking.
H. After all the groups have completed the tests, come to a consensus as a
class about the results. Lead a discussion on observations about effective
and non-effective solutions. Was there a stronger design/construction that
seemed to work? How did potential and kinetic energy play a role? Along
with justifying the best design, did your group consider structural integrity?
Is the ride safe?
Imagine/Plan
Create/Test
Improve
Communicate
Formative Assessment
Discuss with groups where their “P” and “K” stickers are placed and why.
Closure
Group Brainstorm:
Give groups of students each a tennis ball. Remind them that energy can be converted from potential to kinetic and
vice versa. Write a question on the board and have them brainstorm the answer in their groups. Have the students
record their answers in their interactive science notebook. Discuss the student groups' answers with the class.
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How can you throw a ball and have its energy change from kinetic to potential and back to kinetic without
touching the ball once it releases from your hand? (Answer: Throw it straight up in the air.)
Summative Assessment
Energy Quiz
Funded by an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title IIb Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality Grant in
Partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Stout
Page 5
Science Learning Community: Science and Engineering Lesson Plans
LESSON IMPLEMENTATION – Assessment
Objective: Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify the two states of energy
Demonstrate kinetic and potential energy
Observe energy transferring between potential and kinetic energy
Test for the effect of varying mass and height on kinetic and potential energy
Recognize the total energy in a system is equal to the sum of the potential and kinetic energy
Understand that energy cannot be created or destroyed
Pre-Assessment
Ask students if they have any questions before they take the quiz.
Procedures
Time
Instructional Strategies/Learning Tasks
20 min
1.
2.
Pass out Energy Quiz to each student.
Collect when complete.
Purpose
To look at student
understanding of unit
objectives.
Formative Assessment
Walk around the classroom as students complete the quiz to check for understanding/answer questions.
Closure
Review Energy Quiz
Summative Assessment
Physics Unit Test
Funded by an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title IIb Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality Grant in
Partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Stout
Page 6