Great resource I am very much looking forward to using this in my class next month for our physics unit. I got lots of planning ideas from this purchase.

— Jennifer B.

Rated 5 out of 5

Loved this guide for the paper roller coasters. Students thoroughly enjoyed creating and testing their roller coasters. The videos made online were extremely helpful for students during construction. Thank you!

— Mary O.

Rated 5 out of 5

Description

Standards

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Reviews

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Q&A

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More fromMrs Nelson's Middles

Description

*The Paper Roller Coaster templates are not included! Those can be found at paperrollercoasters.com.

Description:

Do you need an exciting way to teach your students about potential and kinetic energy? If so, the Paper Roller Coaster Project is the perfect solution! This is by far my students' favorite project throughout the school year! In this project based learning opportunity students are challenged to make the most thrilling and safe paper roller coaster! Students will present their paper roller coaster at a Paper Roller Coaster Carnival on the last day of the project where other students will vote to determine the winner! This is also the perfect opportunity to teach students about potential and kinetic energy and there are checkpoints during the project where students need to show how much they have learned about those concepts.

NOTE: This product gives you a framework for how to implement the project in your class, but it does not provide you with every lesson. We still use our district science curriculum to teach about potential and kinetic energy and infuse those lessons with the challenge of building a paper roller coaster! Some days are devoted for building and other days we do a normal science lesson on potential and kinetic energy.

All of the resources are editable.
All of the resources can be used for virtual or in person learning (Google Docs are included).
This project is aligned to the following Next Generation Science Standards: MS-PS3-1, MS-PS3-2, MS-PS3-5, ETS1-1, & ETS1-2.

What's Included:

Description of the Paper Roller Coaster Project
Paper Roller Coaster Project Outline
Paper Roller Coaster Overview handouts for students
Link to How to Videos for building paper roller coasters
Checkpoint #1 Types of Energy Quizizz
Checkpoint #2 Roller Coaster Plan handout and Google Doc
Checkpoint #3 Mass, Speed, & Kinetic Quiz (Google Form)
Checkpoint #4 Potential Energy Model handout and Google Doc
Checkpoint #5 Potential and Kinetic Energy CER handout and Google Doc
Checkpoint #6 Evaluating Paper Roller Coasters Matrix handout and Google Doc
Paper Roller Coaster Carnival details with carnival classroom transformation info and carnival slides (Google slides)

How I Like to Use This Product:

I love to use this project in my 8th grade science class to teach students about potential and kinetic energy and engineering skills! This project takes us about seven weeks to complete. I hope your students enjoy it as much as mine do!

Thank you for visiting my store! I am SO honored you are here! Being able to share ideas with other teachers brings me great joy! If you like this product, please leave a review or share a picture on Instagram of this product in your classroom! Don’t forget to tag @mrsnelsonsmiddles!

Total Pages

34 pages

Answer Key

Included

Teaching Duration

2 months

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Standards

to see state-specific standards (only available in the US).

NGSSMS-ETS1-2

Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

NGSSMS-PS3-2

Develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of objects interacting at a distance changes, different amounts of potential energy are stored in the system. Emphasis is on relative amounts of potential energy, not on calculations of potential energy. Examples of objects within systems interacting at varying distances could include: the Earth and either a roller coaster cart at varying positions on a hill or objects at varying heights on shelves, changing the direction/orientation of a magnet, and a balloon with static electrical charge being brought closer to a classmate’s hair. Examples of models could include representations, diagrams, pictures, and written descriptions of systems. Assessment is limited to two objects and electric, magnetic, and gravitational interactions.

NGSSMS-ETS1-1

Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.

NGSSMS-PS3-5

Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object. Examples of empirical evidence used in arguments could include an inventory or other representation of the energy before and after the transfer in the form of temperature changes or motion of object. Assessment does not include calculations of energy.

NGSSMS-PS3-1

Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object. Emphasis is on descriptive relationships between kinetic energy and mass separately from kinetic energy and speed. Examples could include riding a bicycle at different speeds, rolling different sizes of rocks downhill, and getting hit by a wiffle ball versus a tennis ball.

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