~ Thomas Otter
KCFS Teacher
~ Thomas Otter
KCFS Teacher
Embedded Files
KCFS Teacher
Did you know that roller coasters have been exciting people for hundreds of years? The earliest versions were found in Russia in the 1600s, where people built wooden slides covered in ice and rode down them for fun. Later, in the 1800s, inventors in France and the United States created wheeled carts that traveled on tracks, making the ride safer, faster, and much more thrilling. Today’s roller coasters use science, engineering, and technology to create the loops, drops, and turns we enjoy at amusement parks.
In our KCFS class, our 4th Grade students explored the science behind these amazing rides by building their own mini roller coasters. This project helped them understand how energy works while also practicing teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving.
Getting started
To prepare students for the actual project, they were first introduced to 9 new vocabulary words that they would use throughout the project. Words like potential energy, kinetic energy, incline, pillar, banked turns, and dips and hills. Next, in a mathematics activity, students learned about angles – right angles, acute angles and obtuse angles. Then they completed a primer activity where they tested different balls at different ramp angles. This helped them understand that the steeper the angle, the faster the ball would move down. This would stand them in good stead when designing their roller coasters. After that, students did an investigation activity which was a simple experiment with a car moving down a ramp. This taught them the very important concepts of potential and kinetic energy and how they relate to each other. They would need to understand this to design an effective roller coaster.
Ask Phase: How can we design an effective roller coaster using gravity?
When a real roller coaster climbs its first big hill, a machine pulls the cart upward. This climb gives the cart potential energy, which is stored energy. As soon as the cart goes down the hill, that energy changes into kinetic energy, the energy of movement. The higher the first hill is, the more energy the coaster has to move through the rest of the track. Throughout the ride, the energy keeps switching between potential and kinetic. Eventually the energy runs out and the roller coaster comes to a stop.
Imagine Phase: Visualizing their roller coasters
Students started by studying real roller coasters from around the world. They took notes on each roller coaster’s maximum speed, height, number of loops, and build materials. Students were required to design a roller coaster with a tall first hill and at least one loop. They could also incorporate inclines, banked turns, dips and hills. Their goal was to make a small ball travel through the entire track without stopping.
Plan, Create and Test: From idea to thrilling reality
Students looked at the available materials and first drew their own roller coaster ideas. They then took turns sharing their individual designs with their groups. Each group chose one design and drew a detailed plan of that design. Their plans included labels, measurements and a materials list. After that, they used their roller coaster kits to start building the coasters according to their plans. Once they had finished building they tested their roller coaster with an iron ball and marble. It took many improvements for most teams before the balls were able to complete the whole track.
This hands-on project allowed students to experience science in a fun and memorable way. We are proud of their hard work and imagination and we hope that they enjoyed doing this project as much as we enjoyed teaching it!
The following excerpts are taken from students’ science reports, in which they reflect on the design, testing, and improvement of their roller coasters.
Evonne Hsu 許靖苡 407
In this project, we will build a roller coaster with a big first hill, at least one loop and dips. Our roller coaster needs to let the ball go faster and far, so we need to have potential energy and kinetic energy.
The most important part of the kit were the pillars because they can hold the roller coaster and stop it falling. I used the pillars to stop the roller coaster falling, it held the roller coaster. When I tested my roller coaster, the ball stopped at the hill and loop, or sometimes it would fall down. The speed was too slow. My roller coaster did not work because the speed was too slow. I think we can make the dip steeper and the bank move up a little to make it faster.
YuChen Chin 秦鈺宸 401
In this project, I built a roller coaster with a big hill and a loop. My goal was to make the ball finish the whole track. I thought the big hill was very important because it could give the ball enough potential energy and kinetic energy to go through the loop.
I used pillars to hold up the track and made banked turns and a loop. I put the hill before the loop so the ball could move faster and finish the loop. When I tested my roller coaster, most of the balls finished the track, but one ball fell off. I think I can make the track longer after the loop to stop the ball from flying away and make the roller coaster better.
Roger Shen 沈晉寬 404
We needed to build a roller coaster that gets [balls] to the end without falling out of the track or getting stuck on the track. We needed to have at least one dip, one banked turn, one loop- and the balls had to make it to the end without falling out of the track. The most important parts were the pillars because they hold everything up. We used them to hold up the track and plastic lines to make the track. Ours went too fast and flew out! So, our roller coaster did not work well in the end and it went too fast! To improve it, we can make it slower to prevent this.
Lucien Liu Rosenthal 劉樂騏 403
We needed to build a small roller coaster for a metal ball and a marble. Our roller coaster needed to have one incline or dip, one bank turn, and one loop. The kits’ most important parts were the rubber lines used to make the tracks and the plastic bank turns, the loop, and the pillar. First, we attached the pillars to the bank turns and to the clips. Then, we attached the rails to the bank turns and the loop. The balls never finished, so we kept changing our design. At last, the marble finished the course but the metal ball always fell off. I think our roller coaster did work because one of the balls finished the course. I would add more dips and hills next time to make the roller coaster have a higher average speed.
Bonnie Ying 應立柔 402
In this project, we will build a roller coaster with a big first hill, at least one loop, and dips. Our roller coaster needs to let the ball go faster and far, so we need to use potential energy and kinetic energy. I think the pillars were the most important part of the kit because they can hold the roller coaster and stop it from falling, so I used them to keep the track steady.
When I tested my roller coaster, the ball stopped at the hill and loop, or sometimes it would fall down because the speed was too slow. My roller coaster did not work, but I think we can make it better next time. I think we can make the dip steeper and move the bank up a little to make the ball go faster.
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