STEAM U Credit:
Credit will depend on SMART goal, time committed, and collaboration. Credit will be administered upon completion of project.
The Great Paper Roller Coaster Challenge
The local amusement park has issued a challenge to roller coaster designers to determine who should build their next roller coaster. You’ll need to prove that you can make an exciting roller coaster that meets their requirements, using as little money as possible.
Your roller coaster must meet the following objectives:
height between 30 cm and 100 cm
track length must be at least 150 cm
at least one loop
at least six turns
barrier at end to catch marbles
While trying to spend as little “money” as possible, build a Paper Roller Coaster using the supplies that your teacher provides. The roller coaster should be exciting, reliable, and take a long time for the marble to travel from the start to the finish. Look at the scoring sheet below before you begin. Good luck!
Scoring Your Roller Coaster
The chart on the side will
help you determine your official score. The top five rollercoasters will be
featured below.
General Building Tips
Building Columns and Beams
Curves
Loops
Funnels
Merge
Switch
Attaching Track to Structure