Roller Coaster History, Records, and Elements

You need the same piece of paper and a pen/pencil for this webquest!

Roller Coaster History

• Ever wonder where roller coasters were first created? Were they primarily used for entertainment or some other need?

• Google or use the following sites to learn more:

  • Roller Coaster History

  • Wikipedia’s “History of the roller coaster”

  • Roller Coaster Museum – History of the Roller Coaster

• List some major events in roller coaster history on your handout.

Roller Coaster Records

• Curious what the tallest coaster in the world is? The fastest? The largest drop?

• Watch: Kingda Ka Roller Coaster at Six Flags in New Jersey. It’s being tested so there are no passengers. What happens? Why do you think this happens? The second video is from the front seat.

• Check out these websites to find some coaster records:

  • Wikipedia’s List of roller coaster rankings

  • Roller Coaster Records

  • Roller Coaster Almanac – record holders for speed, height, etc

• Here are some theme parks famous for their coasters.

  • Six Flags Magic Mountain in California

  • Cedar Point in Ohio

  • King’s Island in Ohio

• List some roller coaster records that stand out to you - use your handout!

Roller Coaster Elements

• We’re not talking about the periodic table here… A roller coaster element is part of the track, often a corkscrew or flip, maybe something that makes some people want to puke.

• These are some of my favorite elements:

  • Batwing

  • Butterfly Inversion

  • Camelback

  • Cobra Roll

  • Corkscrew

  • Hammerhead Turn

  • Heartline Roll

  • Horseshoe

  • Immelmann Loop

  • Pretzel Loop

  • Raven Turn

  • Sea Serpent Roll

  • Top Hat

• What do these mean? Check out these sites to learn more about them

  • Wikipedia’s Roller Coaster Thrill Elements

  • Roller Coaster Database Glossary

• On your handout - Label & draw some elements you like the most.

Move on to "Motion and Force in Roller Coasters"