Introduction
Do you love to ride roller coasters? Did you know that roller coasters are one of the most popular rides in an amusement park? They draw people in because of their height, length, speed, and the overall thrill of being on them.
The City of Thrillsville has decided to put in an amusement park, with roller coasters, water rides, and many other fun things. Can your company design a roller coaster for the City of Thrillsville that will be thrilling and exciting, but also original and creative at the same time?
Task
The City of Thrillsville wants to build a few roller coasters but needs to know what forces effect roller coasters in order to build a fun but safe ride for its customers. Your company has been hired by the City of Thrillsville’s Amusement Park Board to research information about forces and motion, and to come up with an idea for a new coaster. After researching, your company will test your coaster design ideas on specially designed websites. When you have finalized your design, you will submit this idea with a labeled sketch or drawing and present your ideas to the Amusement Park Board.
Process
There are 7 steps, so be sure to follow along:
Step 1. You and your partners will research Force and Motion to learn all you can so you will become experts. Click on the links below to find out about what forces such as gravity and friction are. As you read through the different sites, take notes about the important information on each one. You will also need to know about Newton's Three Laws of Motion.
Sites to look at:
Force: http://www.edinformatics.com/math_science/force.htm
Friction: http://www.physics4kids.com/files/motion_friction.html
Gravity: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/what-is-gravity/en/
Momentum: http://www.physics4kids.com/files/motion_moment.html
Newton's Three Laws: http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/newton3laws.html
Now that you know the basics it is time to put what you know to practice. Click on the links below and practice.
Step 2: Now that you are an expert with force and motion you will apply that information to the simulation. Click on the link below and take notes. Your notes should include information about how the design of the roller coaster was affected by the different forces.
Funderstanding Roller Coasters: http://www.funderstanding.com/coaster
Discovery Kids: http://content3.jason.org/resource_content/content/digitallab/4859/misc…
Step 3:
You will now get into your expert groups.
1. Designer- You will look at what is appealing to people about existing roller coasters and report back to your Graphic Artist.
2. Graphic Artist- You will become an expert at designing and building roller coasters. Once the Designer reports their finding to you.
3. Statistician- You will conduct a poll of the 5th grade students to see what they like about roller coasters.
Step 4:
Once you do your part, you will then get into three groups, one for the Graphic Artist, one for the Designer, and the last for the Statistician and share what you found. You will then go back to your original group and share what you learned from your expert group.
Step 5:
Now that you know the basics and have shared all of your information it is time to begin designing your roller coaster.
Keep in mind the information you received from the stats, and ideas from existing roller coasters. The Graphic Artist will need to be in control of the mouse or paper. As a team discuss what you want the roller coaster to look like and the GA will begin drawing it. Once you have finished your roller coaster you will need to turn it in.
Step 6:
Begin working on your presentations.
You will need to persuade the amusement park board on why your roller coaster should be the one they pick for the amusement park.
Step 7:
Make your presentation. You may use Google Slides or Prezi.
Be sure to include:
* Why the board should choose your design?
* Describe what your coaster will look like.
* Anything else you think will persuade the board to choose your design.
Evaluation
The Rubrics below tell you how you will be graded on your roller coaster sketch/picture and your presentation. Every student will receive a group grade for the coaster sketch and for the presentation.
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Scientific Drawings: Rollercoaster Design |
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CATEGORY |
6 |
5 4 |
3 2 |
1 |
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Design Safety |
The roller coaster design is safe and reflects what you learned in the online simulations. |
The roller coaster design is safe and reflects most of what you learned in the online simulations. |
The roller coaster design appears to be safe and reflects a number of things you learned in the online simulations. |
The roller coaster design does not appear to be safe and reflects very little of what you learned in the online simulations. |
|
Drawing - details |
The details of the drawing add interest and show a lot of creativity. |
The details of the drawing add interest and show some creativity. |
The details of the drawing add some interest and show some creativity. |
The details of the drawing show little interest and show little creativity. |
|
Scaffolding |
The scaffolding lines are evenly spaced and parallel to each other. |
Some of the scaffolding lines are evenly spaced and parallel to each other, but not all. |
The scaffolding lines are evenly spaced or are parallel to each other but not both. |
The scaffolding lines are not evenly spaced and are not parallel to each other. |
|
Track Design and Smoothness |
The roller coaster track appears to have enough momentum to carry the passenger cars from the beginning to the end without stopping. The track looks smooth enough to carry the car without crashing. | The roller coaster track appears to have enough momentum to carry the passenger cars from the beginning to the end without stopping. The track looks smooth enough in places to carry the car without crashing, it is rough in places. | The roller coaster track appears to have enough momentum to carry the passenger cars from the beginning to the end without stopping OR The track looks smooth enough to carry the car without crashing.
Meets one but not both. |
The roller coaster track does not appear to have enough momentum to carry the passenger cars from the beginning to the end without stopping. The track does not look smooth enough to carry the car without crashing. |
| Excitement Factor |
The overall design would make a very exciting ride. | The overall design would make an exciting ride. | The overall design would make a good ride. | The overall design would make an ok ride. |
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Persuasive Presentation with Power Point or Glog |
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CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Background |
Background does not detract from text or other graphics. Choice of background is consistent from card to card and is appropriate for the topic. |
Background does not detract from text or other graphics. Choice of background is consistent from card to card. |
Background does not detract from text or other graphics. |
Background makes it difficult to see text or competes with other graphics on the page. |
|
Originality |
Appropriate paragraph organization. Logical and Appropriate sequencing of ideas. Engaging introduction and conclusion. Effective use of transitions. |
Appropriate paragraph organization. Logical sequencing of ideas. Effective introduction and conclusion. Varied use of transitions. |
Beginning to establish appropriate organization. Attempted to sequence ideas. Attempted introduction and conclusion. Some use of transitions |
Unclear organization. Minimal use of sequence of ideas. Ineffective introduction and conclusion. Limited use of transitions |
|
Text - Font Choice & Formatting |
Font formats (e.g., color, bold, italic) have been carefully planned to enhance readability and content. |
Font formats have been carefully planned to enhance readability. |
Font formatting has been carefully planned to complement the content. It may be a little hard to read. |
Font formatting makes it very difficult to read the material. |
|
Ideas |
Establishes a clear position. Maintaining full focus and point of view throughout paper. Uses complex and relevant examples, facts, and details. |
Establishes a clear position. Maintaining full focus and point of view throughout paper. Uses complex and relevant examples, facts, and details. |
Establishes a clear position. Maintaining full focus and point of view throughout paper. Uses complex and relevant examples, facts, and details. |
Establishes a clear position. Maintaining full focus and point of view throughout paper. Uses complex and relevant examples, facts, and details. |
|
Content - Accuracy |
All content throughout the presentation is accurate. There are no factual errors. |
Most of the content is accurate but there is one piece of information that might be inaccurate. |
The content is generally accurate, but one piece of information is clearly flawed or inaccurate. |
Content is typically confusing or contains more than one factual error. |
|
Use of Graphics |
All graphics are attractive (size and colors) and support the theme/content of the presentation. |
A few graphics are not attractive but all support the theme/content of the presentation. |
All graphics are attractive but a few do not seem to support the theme/content of the presentation. |
Several graphics are unattractive AND detract from the content of the presentation. |
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Spelling and Grammar |
Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors. |
Presentation has 1-2 misspellings, but no grammatical errors. |
Presentation has 1-2 grammatical errors but no misspellings. |
Presentation has more than 2 grammatical and/or spelling errors. |
|
Cooperation |
Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively all of the time. |
Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively most of the time. |
Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively some of the time. |
Group often is not effective in delegating tasks and/or sharing responsibility |
Conclusion
What will the Amusement Park Board think of your proposal? Will they take your suggestion or the suggestion of one of your fellow classmates? Who knows, your coaster could be the next one built at Thrillsville's new Amusement Park! Good Luck!
Credits
Original Creator: Abby Mims, Sikeston Public Schools, Sikeston, Missouri
Teacher Page
Web Quest Skills and Objectives
During this web quest, the students will:
- Use websites to gather information.
- Take gathered information and draw conclusions.
- Make predictions about the success of a new roller coaster based upon information gathered and analyzed.
- Take previously learned knowledge and apply it to roller coaster building simulations on the Internet.
- Take previously learned knowledge and use it to create a basic roller coaster design on paper.
- Use personal experiences to create a basic roller coaster design on paper.
- Design a basic roller coaster by drawing it