MICDS ninth-grade science students experienced the thrill of roller coaster design, not as riders but as engineers. A recent culminating unit in physics included a hands-on project that challenged students to apply their knowledge of velocity, acceleration, force, momentum, and energy to create gravity-defying roller coaster designs.
To prepare for this final project, students engaged in smaller-scale design challenges throughout the fall semester. These challenges allowed them to experiment with different coaster elements, such as turns and loops, while understanding physics concepts more deeply before tackling the full-scale design.
In teams of three, students took on specific roles to ensure success:
- Recording Specialist: Documented the team’s progress, challenges, and solutions.
- Data Specialist: Collected and analyzed data on materials, measurements, and energy calculations.
- Science Specialist: Ensured the incorporation of accurate physics principles into the design.
Using the Biggs Family Makerspace in the Upper School, students constructed their coasters from various materials, such as cardboard, foam board, and marbles. As they built, they carefully considered height, slope, and curve to create a thrilling and safe ride.
Once their coasters were complete, students transformed into entrepreneurs. They pitched their designs to a panel of fictitious „Six Flags executives“ (faculty volunteers). Their presentations showcased the engineering principles behind their designs, the potential for rider excitement, and overall feasibility.
The presentations had to include notes on the various physics concepts in their design, including:
- Distance vs. Displacement: Students calculated the total distance traveled by the marble and the net displacement.
- Velocity and Acceleration: Students analyzed the velocity and acceleration of the marble at different points along the track.
- Energy Transformations: Students applied the concepts of potential and kinetic energy to understand the energy transfers throughout the ride.
- Newton’s Laws of Motion: Students used Newton’s laws to explain the forces acting on the marble and the coaster’s structure.
Students rolled out their thoughts on the project:
„What I enjoyed most about building the roller coaster was collaborating with my peers to create it. We had to plan, build, and present our project together, and we were able to win the best roller coaster for our class. We struggled a bit with certain parts of the roller coaster, like where to drop the marble, but we were able to get it done. I’m proud of how our Spiderman-themed coaster turned out.“ – Kevon Phillips ’28
„The roller coaster project was the most fun project I have done this year! It was so fun to be able to work with my friends throughout the whole process, building a roller coaster together. We were able to experience the physics elements as we made them, having different jobs to explore what went into the project. Although it was really fun and almost like a break from finals, we had to overcome some challenges. It wasn’t easy to get the right angle for the banking and loop. It took a lot of trial and error, but through testing and laughing, we were able to fix our mistakes. Overall, our project turned out well as we learned how to overcome our problems. This project is one that I will always remember.“ – Audrey Taves ’28
„What I enjoyed most about this project was having zero homework and building the roller coaster. The most challenging part was figuring out how to keep the glue contained and not affect the marble as it rolled down the wire.“ – Jordyn Haywood ’28
„What I enjoyed most about the roller coaster project was the chance to work with other people, and I had a great time working in the maker space for the first time.“ – Ford Werner ’28
„I enjoyed the challenge this project had to offer, as well as the teamwork poured into it. In the beginning, we failed many times and had to restart the whole roller coaster because our loop was not working. But as a team, we pulled through, and our roller coaster works now! It was a very fun and challenging experience that taught me more about teamwork and how to navigate problems.“ – Audrey Walker ’28
„What I enjoyed about the project is that our teachers gave us lots of choices for what we wanted to do so we would not all have the same roller coasters. Additionally, I feel my class was brought closer together as a whole and not just within our assigned groupings. One challenge my group ran into was that we underestimated how long it would take to complete one of our banks and ended up taking significantly more class time than we had originally thought. In the project, I feel the most proud of the results of our roller coaster and how well my group communicated with each other, valuing everybody’s ideas.“ – Grace Goggins ’28
„I enjoyed the creative freedom we had and having friends to help work with on the project. The most challenging part was time management and making sure our group made good progress every day. I was most proud of our group’s double loop because we were one of the few groups in the grade to do it.“ – Nic Benson ’28
„Building a roller coaster was a much better way to end the semester than taking an exam.“ – Jack Bryan ’28
By combining creativity, problem-solving, and scientific knowledge, these young engineers have mastered complex physics concepts and gained valuable experience in project management, teamwork, and presentation skills. Way to roll, Rams!