Arizona STEM

Acceleration Project

Roller Coaster- Conservation of Total Mechanical Energy

ROLLER COASTER- Transformation and Conservation of Mechanical Energy

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An 8th Grade Lesson

Kenn Patrick E. Bulaso

(April 17, 2023)

Notes for Teachers

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• This lesson takes place in a classroom for one or more hours.
• Students may work in small groups of 3-5.
• An emphasis on the target product (a functioning roller coaster).
• Creative solutions should be encouraged.
• Facilitate student activity in building their designs and demonstrating the required skills.

List of Materials:

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• Roller Coaster Kits
• Tracks
• knots
• bolts
• Roller Coaster
• Rubber bands
• Scissors
• Reading Material: Look! No Hands! A reading article taken from Activelylearn.com

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Arizona Science Standards

Science Standards:

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8.P4U1.3 : Construct an explanation on how energy can be transferred from one energy store to another

Science and Engineering Practices

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• ask questions and define problems
• develop and use models
• plan and carry out investigations
• analyze and interpret data
• use mathematical and computational thinking
• construct explanations and design solutions
• engage in argument from evidence
• obtain, evaluate and communicate information

Arizona ELA Standards

8.RI.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

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8.RI.5 Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.

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8.W.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self‐generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

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8.W.6 Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

Objectives:

Students will be able to…

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1. Design and engineer a working roller coaster.
2. Explain how conservation of energy applies to the roller coaster in terms of gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, and friction.
3. Mathematically calculate the potential and kinetic energy and make modifications to optimize the coaster’s energy conservation.
4. Research and write an informative essay on real-life roller coasters designs and how they incorporate the conservation of energy.

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Agenda (5 sessions)

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Day 1

• Brainstorming
• Experience with Roller coaster

Day 2-3

• Planning and engineering roller coaster tracks

Day 4

• Testing and Modifying of designs
• Problem solving applying PE and KE formula

Day 5

• Oral and written assessment

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What is a roller coaster ?

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Roller Coaster

A roller coaster is an elevated railway with steep inclines and descents that carries a train of passengers through sharp curves and sudden changes of speed and direction for a brief thrill ride. Found mostly in amusement parks as a continuous loop, it is a popular leisure activity.

A roller coaster does not have an engine to generate energy. The climb up the first hill is accomplished by a lift or cable that pulls the train up. This builds up a supply of potential energy that will be used to go down the hill as the train is pulled by gravity.

Reading Activity

Students will log in on Actively to read the assigned reading article entitled Look! No Hands! Teachers will set to class into groups for their discussion. Guided Questions will be facilitated by teacher.

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1. What do they predict would make a roller coaster more exciting for passengers? Why?
2. After paragraph 4, instruct students to notice the definition of acceleration and the effect it has on riders.
3. After paragraph 6, instruct students to notice the definition of g-forces and the effect g-forces have on riders.
4. Before reading paragraph 10, discuss the poll question that appears before the paragraph. Were students' predictions accurate? What evidence from the text supports their responses?

Instructions

In a group of 4-5, students will brainstorm, plan, and engineer a roller coaster that will optimize the coaster’s energy conservation.

Constraints:

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• Time constraints
• One kit per group of 4-5 students.
• STEM parts are limited

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How do we assess our work?

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• We test our coaster and collect data such as the time it takes for the ride to travel through the length of the coaster using a stopwatch.
• We gather and compare results by solving the roller coaster gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, and total mechanical energy questions.
• We brainstorm and modify our design.

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We evaluate our final iteration’s ability to meet requirements and stay within constraints.

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Assessment

Test your roller coaster:

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• Does the coaster design work by going through the tracks?
• Does your coaster design optimize the conservation of energy? If not, what can you do?
• If yes, how much?
• Were you able to improve your roller coaster design?
• Is your group successful in collaborating with each other? If not, why?
• How did your group address challenges and difficulties?

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ELA Assessment

Students will research more about roller coasters. They are going to use several sources to write an informative essay about real-life roller coasters designs and how they incorporate the conservation of energy.

Differentiation

One way to differentiate in this lesson is to provide groups with opportunities to study several roller coaster designs and compare each design. They will brainstorm on each design’s strengths and weaknesses.

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Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Students who are successful right away will proceed to collecting important data including the measure of highest point, lowest point, and mass of roller coaster. They may also do some minor modifications on their designs. Groups will also present their work to lower grade levels and teach them concept of the conservation of energy. Groups will also identify and explain where these transformations and conservation of energy take place in our day-to-day life aside from amusement park rides.