• K’nex Roller Coaster Engagement
    Successful completion makes eligible for:
    Prerequisites:

    Objectives
    ​1. Research what makes a rollercoaster stable to hold all of the weight that it needs to be able to hold allowing it to be structurally stable.
    2. Tell some S.T.E.A.M careers that involves rollercoaster design and testing in the real world.
    3. Give some examples of software used to make 3-D designs of the rollercoaster before you build them.
    4. Test the car on the track and make sure that the car is able to go through the whole coaster without stopping.
    5. Make changes to the track to fix any problems faced and make it better than you originally had it.

    INTRODUCTION:  Using PowerPoint, create a title and introduction slide. These slides must have the authors first and last names. The objectives must be REWRITTEN IN YOUR OWN WORDS. The presentation must be aesthetically pleasing and grammatically correct.

    EXPLORE:  
    1.  Create a miniature model of your rollercoaster in your S.T.E.A.M Lab notebook. Make sure to draw it form multiple angles and label all of the important parts.
    2. Create a rollercoaster that is structurally stable and meets all of the building codes of a real rollercoaster. Must be able to make the car go on the whole track and must be able to stand up without human assistance. Your coaster must also include at minimum one loop or barrel roll or corkscrew.

    RESEARCH: 
    1.  Research the history of steel rollercoasters.
    2. Research the first person to create a steel rollercoaster.
    3.  Look up what must be done to make a steel roller coaster stable so it the construction requirements and building codes.
    4. what allows a coaster to have people in the cars but as the cars go around the track how does the track not “flex” or move?
    5. : Research the fastest rollercoaster in the world

    CRITICAL THINKING:  
    1.  How is the kinetic energy measured in YOUR roller coaster?
    2. How far can your coaster go after the cart falls from your first hill of your coaster?
    3. How are G-forces measured?

    EXTEND: 
    1. After you have done your 3-D K’nex Roller Coaster model and research modify your coaster to either go faster of have more turns etc. You can also try to make it taller or something along those lines. And then record in your PowerPoint using callouts. Explain your struggles and your strengths while doing this cycle.

    21ST CENTURY SKILLS: 
    1. Choose one of the four C’s and tell us the strengths AND challenges your group faced through this engagement  (Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, OR Critical Thinking).
    2. What have you learned about yourself or group using the C chosen?
    3. What advice, specific to THIS engagement would you give a group starting this engagement