Curated OER
Physics of Roller Coasters
Students design a roller coaster and demonstrate their knowledge of Potential and Kinetic Energy. They determine the average velocity a given marble travels on their roller coaster and apply their knowledge of various measurement systems...
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
Roller Coaster Mania!
Raise the energy level of your physical science class with this exciting hands-on activity. Applying their knowledge of kinetic and potential energy and Newton's laws of motion, young engineers use foam tubing and marbles to create...
LABScI
Potential and Kinetic Energy: The Roller Coaster Lab
Ron Toomer, a famous roller coaster designer, suffered from motion sickness. Pupils design their own roller coasters, learning about potential and kinetic energy in the process. Labs focus on the importance of drop height, energy...
Curated OER
Roller Coaster Fun
Third graders review the effects of gravity on how objects move. In groups, they design a roller coaster and share it with their classmates. Using materials given to them, they build their roller coaster and let a ball roll on the...
Anchorage School District
Roller Coaster Project
Emerging engineers work in teams to design pipe insulation roller coasters for marbles that meet specific parameters. They are required to label along the track the areas where kinetic and potential energy are highest and lowest, where...
Curated OER
Roller Coasters
Twisting and turning through the sky, roller coasters are popular attractions at amusement parks around the world, but how exactly do they work? Explore the physics behind these thrilling rides with an engineering design activity....
Curated OER
Tubularastic Roller Coaster
Students observe the effect of gravity on objects. They use tubing and other materials to simulate a roller caster. Afterward, they create a journal to write their observations and summaries.
Curated OER
Roller Coaster Physics
Students design a roller coaster that allows a marble to run the course as fast as possible. Students create an experimental roller coaster taking into account the steepness of the hills and the sharpness of the turns. Students use a...
Teach Engineering
Amusement Park Ride: The Ups and Downs in Design
Groups design the ultimate roller coaster by considering potential and kinetic energy. They test their designs using marbles and then go on to rate each group's design based on aesthetics, loop diameter, and cost.
Curated OER
Building a Roller Coaster
Students describe the law of conservation of energy. They identify the conversion between potential and kinetic energy. They investigate and describe the application of Newton's Laws of Motion.
Curated OER
May the Force Be With You
Students read an article, brainstorm ideas and prepare journals investigating why people enjoy 'thrill' rides, what forces affect the body on these rides and how they can become dangerous.
Curated OER
Physics of Roller Coasters
Young scholars study the physics used to design today's roller coasters. In this engineering lesson students complete several activities including designing their own roller coaster.
CK-12 Foundation
Loop-the-Loop
What prevents a roller coaster from falling when it goes upside down? Scholars experiment with a roller coaster simulation controlling the mass of the coaster, the height of the hill, and the radius of the loop. They learn which factors...
Curated OER
Electricity's Attraction
Students explore the different features of a roller coaster using an interactive website. For this physical science lesson, students explain the role of science to make this thrill ride possible. They develop a creative presentation...
Curated OER
Roller Coasters Lab
Pupils study kinetic energy and friction and how it pertains to a roller coaster. In this roller coaster lesson plan students complete a lab activity.
Curated OER
Roller Coaster Fun
Third graders examine the effects of gravity on how an object moves. In groups, they design a roller coaster, share their design with the class and build the roller coaster. They roll different sized balls down the track and record the...
Curated OER
Forces and Newton's Three Laws
Students watch demonstrations of forces and Newton's Three Laws. In this forces instructional activity, students watch four demonstrations and complete the associated worksheets associated with Newton's Laws. There is a PowerPoint that...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: The Market Roller Coaster
Hop on the stock market rollercoaster! This political cartoon analysis has scholars examine a cartoon about the ups and downs of a volatile market. Background information and a quote provide context for analyzing the cartoon, and 3...
Curated OER
May The Force Be With You
Eighth graders investigate Newton's Laws of Motion. They use the example of a roller coaster for illustration purposes. A force associated with a roller coaster is tested, data graphed, and a conclusion is drawn. They use excel in order...
Tech Museum of Innovation
Energy at Play
Get the ball rolling and challenge your class to figure out how to make a ball move. The instruction segment is between two STEM activities devoted to doing just that. The first is simple and involves making a ball move from some force...
Curated OER
Gravity, Forces, and Inertia
Students participate in assessments involving gravity, forces, and inertia. They select from a menu of options assessments they would like to complete including worksheets, drawing posters, watching videos, creating crossword puzzles,...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: The Market Roller Coaster
In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about the American Stock Market and respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Potential and Kinetic Energy
Sixth graders explore potential and kinetic energy. In this science lesson plan, 6th graders assume the role of a roller coaster engineer and design a roller coaster. Students use their knowledge of kinetic and potential energy to design...
Barnstable Public Schools
Math Relay Races
A plethora of activities make up a cross curricular choice page filled with math games—relay races, dice, and crossword puzzles—a survey challenge equipped with data organization, graphing, a quicksand recipe, Hula-Hoop activity to...