1. Roller Coaster Project David Shapiro Physics Teacher – Natick High School Action Plan #1 Capsule Project

2. Action Plans Action Plan #1 – Roller Coaster Design Project Ninth grade college prep students will design and fabricate a roller coaster. The project will be completed before they take their midterm exam. Action Plan #2 – Generating Electricity Physics for engineers students (senior elective) will design and fabricate a device that generates electricity using a sustainable energy source. The generator will then be used to power another device during a power outage.

3. Action Plans Action Plan #1 – Rollercoaster Design Project Ninth grade college prep students will design and fabricate a roller coaster. The project will be completed before they take their midterm exam. COMPLETED Action Plan #2 – Generating Electricity Physics for engineers students (senior elective) will design and fabricate a device that generates electricity using a sustainable energy source. The generator will then be used to power another device during a power outage. MARCH 2012

4. Original Plan During the project students will Design a Roller Coaster to meet a variety of constraints. Create a Roller Coaster using K’NEX. Perform a variety of calculations on the Roller Coaster (potential energy, kinetic energy, velocity …). Present their Roller Coaster to the class.

5. Original Timeline Timeline – 1.5 to 2 weeks in January 1.Introduction to the project and distribute project documents. 2.Design the Roller Coaster with specific constraints. (1 – 2 days) 3.Create the Roller Coaster with K’NEX. (2 days) 4.Complete tests and calculations on the Roller Coaster. (2 days) 5.Presentation (1 day)

6. Initial Hurdles TIME Creating a common project for all physics 11 classes. TIME Preparing students for their midterm. And TIME

7. Implementation Each physics 11 class built their own roller coaster. Roller coasters were built in one period (78 minutes). Students were placed in groups of four and each group had a specific part of the roller coaster to build. Students received a power point describing the project and each part of the roller coaster that needed to be built. 12 roller coasters were created.

8. Student PowerPoint Example: Goal Your goal – Design a roller coaster out of K’NEX with two hills and a straight away. – Communication: each group will build a specific part of the rollercoaster. – Perform velocity, acceleration, force, energy, work and momentum calculations on the roller coaster. – Create a PowerPoint presentation regarding one of the physics concepts above. – The most efficient roller coaster will receive bonus points.

9. Student Power Point Example A – The first Hill Design the highest point of the rollercoaster. The picture below will help you.

10. Collaboration

11. Roller Coaster

13. Finished Product

16. During the Building Students had to communicate with each other. Some classes ran out of pieces as they wanted to build the tallest coaster. Each class had to design an aspect of the coaster for it to work.

17. Measurements After the roller coasters were built each group was assigned a specific roller coaster to analyze. Students measured gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, acceleration down the first hill, change in position, friction along the flat and momentum conservation at the bottom. Students could use any of the equipment in the room including video analysis to make these measurements.

18. Measurement Pictures

20. Video Analysis

21. Presentation? Students handed in their roller coaster project packet with their calculations. We ran out of time to present our findings in order to spend a day reviewing for the students’ midterm. Couldn’t present the findings after the midterm because of our tight schedule with the physics MCAS.

22. Challenges Getting all of the physics teachers on board with the project. Space for the roller coasters. Unique ideas in each section. Students wanted to copy other designs. Wrapping up the project. Lack of presentation. TIME

23. Reflection A majority of the students were engaged. Each class had unique ideas regarding how to make the roller coaster. Students were introduced to the engineering process. Positive feedback from the students. Positive feedback from the physics teachers. Increase in midterm scores? More open ended in the future with the presentation piece.