Course / Project / Lesson Design

Aimee Espejo

8th Grade

Lesson Title

Roller Coaster

Lesson Summary

Students will conduct research on how roller coasters work. They will research what forces are involved and use that knowledge to design and build their own working roller coaster online. They will apply their understanding of key terms such as friction, potential and kinetic energy, velocity, acceleration and concepts such as Newton's three laws of motion.

Objective(s)  1. Research the fundamentals of roller coaster including what forces are involved. , 2. Demonstrate the ability to navigate themselves through a website to answer specific research questions., 3. Use their knowledge of forces and Newton's Laws of Motion to construct their own roller coaster online. Students will have to adjust friction, hill and loop size, and velocity to successfully complete a roller coaster., 4. [pipe: 95]

NETS: 

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION: demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology., CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION: use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.

COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION: contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

RESEARCH AND INFORMATION FLUENCY: apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information., RESEARCH AND INFORMATION FLUENCY: plan strategies to guide inquiry.

CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING: critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources., CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING:plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP: exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.

TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS: demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology., TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS: apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes., TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS: use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.

Technology Tools Animation Software, Internet Research, Interactive Activities, [pipe: 264]

Procedures - 1. Students will research what forces are involved and how they affect roller coasters., 2. On a specific website students will construct a very basic roller coaster and navigate through the site to find answers to given questions., 3. Students will now be given the chance to construct a complex roller coaster that includes using appropriate hills, loops, velocity, and friction., 4. Studnets will provide two fact on the history of roller coasters.

Assessment Computer lab worksheets will be graded on the completeness of the information.