Lilla E. Green - Hartigan Community Arts Specialty School

Let's Outrage The Bull

Lilla E. Green                 Hartigan Community Arts Specialty School
                               8 West Root Street
                               CHICAGO IL 60609
                               (773) 535-1460

Objective(s): 

This lesson is designed for grades Kindergarten - 8th, for a 
thirty-five minute, once-a-week science lab period.  The main objective of 
this Mini-teach is to:
        (K - 2) understand principles of energy - kinetic energy vs. potential
                 energy
        (3 - 5)  construct a model roller coaster and demonstrate kinetic 
                 energy and potential energy 
        (6 - 8)  design and explain how a model roller coaster uses 
                 acceleration, momentum, gravity and principles of potential 
                 and kinetic energy
All pupils will be able to relate these principles to everyday life.  They 
will also be able to understand the effects of weight and speed in regards to 
momentum.

Materials Needed:

These materials are designed for groups of four - five pupils, in the 
intermediate - upper grades.  The Kindergarten - 2nd grade teacher should 
demonstrate the construction of the model roller coaster, eliciting 
suggestions from their pupils, in regards to the design of the class roller 
coaster model.

              Each group needs:
12 - 15 ft. of pipe foam insulation             overhead projector
3 - 4 marbles                                   videoclip of "Roller Coasters" 
duct tape / masking tape                        VCR 
model roller coaster                                      
                                  *optional 

 * 4-5   12" x 12" tagboard squares             * a chair, or table 

Vocabulary list:  gravity, friction, energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, 
momentum, acceleration, laws of motion, Isaac Newton 

Strategy: 

1) View a three - minute video clip of Nova's "Roller Coasters" or 
   Bill Kurtis' New Explorer's "Physics At the Amusement Park."  
2) State the problem the pupils need to explore and have a model of the roller 
   coaster on the blackboard or overhead projector.  
   Problem:  How can I design a thrilling roller coaster ride that stays on 
   track?  (For K - 2, have a model roller coaster on the demonstration table. 
   Have pupils volunteer to demonstrate changes they'd like to make in the 
   teacher-made model).
3) Pupils will share their hypotheses (guesses) of the problem. 
4) Give each group the materials and assign them the problem of proving that 
   their design is the best, most thrilling ride.  Their ride must include at 
   least one loop in the design, and it must stay on the track. 
5) Have the pupils show where the marble has potential energy, kinetic energy, 
   where it accelerates and where gravity keeps the roller coaster on track.  
   Their explanation needs to be clear - both to the class and on their group 
   report. 
6) They must describe their winning design to the class. 

Performance Assessment:

In Kindergarten - 2, pupils will draw the roller coaster, and use 
arrows to show the marble's trail from start to finish.  They will write a 
sentence that shows they understand that the higher you start off........ the 
farther your marble will roll before stopping. 

With grades 3 - 8, observe how pupils work together.  Note whether they put 
side motion to their track design.  This shows they understand how to develop 
momentum and acceleration.  Have pupils share orally and visually with the 
entire class.  They must summarize their results, using their definitions of 
the principles of gravity, acceleration, potential and kinetic energy and the 
laws of motion.

Conclusions:

Pupils conclude that the higher the inclined plane is (the place where the 
marble begins its descent), the more energy can be stored.  Their winning 
diagrams pinpoint potential energy, kinetic energy, gravity and acceleration.  
All pupils should understand that potential energy is at the start of the 
first hill, and acceleration and momentum begin at the bottom of the hill.  
Kinetic energy carries the marble through its course of loops, but as it runs 
out of energy, it slows to a stop.  This is an informal assessment which 
measures group collaboration and social behavior as well as their 
comprehension of vocabulary terms. 

References:

Scholastic, Inc.

Internet:  
www.pen.k12.va/us/Anthology/Pav/Science/Physics/book/Simplecoaster/home.html 

An "AskEric Lesson Plan" - Downhill Discoveries, by Marty Stallings 

*email me at lil1017@aol.com for the pupil worksheet in the Scientific Method 
format