Thrills and Chills Without the Spills
Roller Coaster Physics for Middle School Students
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Take the Challenge:  Design and build a roller coaster that creates thrills and chills without the spills!
PROJECT PURPOSE
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Thrills and Chills Without the Spills  Roller Coaster Physics for Sixth Grade is a collaborative project for sixth graders, incorporating activities geared toward science, mathematics, and language arts curricula and NJ Core Curriculum Standards.  The purpose of the project is to have students determine a construction material and track design for a model roller coaster that is both fast and safe. A standard glass marble will be used to simulate the roller coaster car. The project consists of multiple sections, which are described below. 

1. Scavenger Hunt: Use a scavenger hunt to discover information related to roller coaster history and design.

2. One Hill Roller Coaster (required for participation in the project):

a) Construct a speedy roller coaster, using any readily available material, according to the posted specifications.
b) Conduct speed trials on the coaster, collect the required data, and communicate the results to the listserv.
c) Analyze the data collected from the participants, to study the friction properties of the construction materials and discover a "slippery" one.
d) Formulate a written hypothesis concerning the best construction material and track design.
3. Competition Roller Coaster: 
a) Construct a roller coaster, meeting minimum design specifications, using the material chosen, based on activities c and d above. 
b) Conduct a competition to find the fastest, but safest, roller coaster.
c) Produce a scale drawing of the roller coaster.
d) Reflect on experiences during the project, through the assessment activities.