ENERGY

Title:

Fastest Ride In the World

Teacher:
Content
Focus:
Project
Idea:

Nguyen
Science

Summary of the
issue, challenge,
investigation,
scenario, or
problem

Essential
Question:

Content and
Skills
Standards to be
addressed:
(CCCSS, NGSS,
Calif.)

Est. Start Date:

Duration: 4
Spring 2016
weeks
Grade Level: 8
Other subject areas to be included:
Math/ELA

During this unit students will do activities and collect data that will help them to
understand the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the
speed of an object. (MS-PS3-1).
Students will be constructing roller coaster models to help them understand how
energy is transferred. (MS-PS3-3, MS-PS3-5).

What are the relationships

of kinetic energy to the
mass of an object and to
the speed of an object?
Science
MS-PS3-1.
relationships of

Driving
Questi
on

What is the fastest and

highest safe roller coaster
ride?

Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the

kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an

object.
MS-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.
MS-PS3-3
Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device
that either
minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.*
MS-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.
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy RST.6-8.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and
technical texts,
attending to the precise details of explanations or
descriptions. (MS-PS3-1),(MSPS3-5)
RST.6-8.3
Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out
experiments, taking
measurements, or performing technical tasks. (MS-PS3-3),(MSPS3-3)
RST.6-8.7
Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in
a text with a
version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a
flowchart, diagram,
model, graph, or table). (MS-PS3-1)
WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline content. (MS-PS3-5)
WHST.6-8.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a
self-generated
question), drawing on several sources and generating
additional related, focused
questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. (MSPS3-3),(MS-PS3-4)
SL.8.5
Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to

clarify
information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.
(MS-PS3-2)
Mathematics MP.2
Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (MS-PS3-1),(MS-PS3-4),(MSPS3-5)
6.RP.A.1
Understand the concept of ratio and use ratio language to describe a
ratio
relationship between two quantities. (MS-PS3-1),(MS-PS3-5)
6.RP.A.2
Understand the concept of a unit rate a/b associated with a ratio a:b
with b 0,
and use rate language in the context of a ratio relationship.
(MS-PS3-1)
7.RP.A.2
Recognize and represent proportional relationships between
quantities. (MS-PS31),(MS-PS3-5)
8.EE.A.1
Know and apply the properties of integer exponents to generate
equivalent
numerical expressions. (MS-PS3-1)
8.EE.A.2
Use square root and cube root symbols to represent solutions to
equations of the
form x2 = p and x3 = p, where p is a positive rational number.
Evaluate square
roots of small perfect squares and cube roots of small perfect
cubes. Know that 2
is irrational. (MS-PS3-1)
8.F.A.3
Interpret the equation y = mx + b as defining a linear function,
whose graph is a
straight line; give examples of functions that are not linear.
(MS-PS3-1),(MS-PS3-5)

6.SP.B.5
(MS-PS3-4)

Presentation

Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context.

T+
A
X

T+
A
X

Imagination

st

21 Century
Skills and
MPS to be
explicitly taught
and assessed
(T+A) or that
will be
encouraged (E)
by Project work
but not taught or
assessed:

Collaboration
Critical Thinking

Project

Research Skills

Planning

Group:

Culminating
Products
and
Performanc
es

Research Paper
Presentation
Project

Presentation Audience
Class

School

Community
Individual:

Research Paper
Presentation

Experts
Web

Other:

Project Overview
Entry event
to launch
inquiry, engage
students:

Entry Event: Students watching a video Top 10 Biggest Roller Coasters in the
World 2014.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIjjchqzDFg
Students work on the Noticing/Wondering worksheet on the video clip of Top 10
Biggest Roller Coasters in the World 2014.
Have class discussion video and students experiences of roller coasters.

LESSON 1: Energy Introduction

Outline or
Conceptual
Flow
Include
assessment
points:

PS3.A: Definition of Energy

Motion energy is properly called kinetic energy; it is proportional to the

mass of the moving object and grows with the square of its speed. (PS3-1)
Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

Proportional relationships (e.g. speed as the ration of the distance

traveled to time taken) among different types of quantities provide
information about the magnitude of properties and processes. (MS-PS3-1).
Pre-Assessment: Post three questions for students to write about.
Exploring Energy:
1. What is energy?
2. What is kinetic energy?
3. What is potential energy?
Teacher will show a PowerPoint to understand about the different types of energy. Students
will watch a four minute video clip of the MythBusters-Exploding Water Heater, at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbreKn4PoAc
PowerPoint: Open link here to open the PowerPoint
..\PowerPoint about Energy.pptx
After viewing the PowerPoint presentation and watching the video, students will take a postquiz.
Post Assessment: What Is Energy?
1. What is energy?
2. Motion energy is called ___________________________________________________________
3. Stored energy is called ___________________________________________________________
4. What is energy conversion?
5. Name two things that have energy. Explain how you know they have energy.
EL Strategies: Use visuals to help reinforce the spoken and written words.
Students will demonstrate energy through body movement.
Intervention Lesson focus: Be able to define and give examples of energy. Provide
students with ample examples of the type of energy. Students discuss in their
small group the sample. Students will explain their reasons for the different types
of energy.

LESSON 2: Impact of Energy

PS3.A: Definition of Energy

A system of objects may also contained stored (potential) energy,

depending on their relative position. (MS-PS3-2)

Pre-Assessment: ..\Pre-Quiz Making Moon Crater Activity.pptx

Understanding the energy around us and how it works.
Kinetic and Potential Energy Presentation: ..\Presentation 2 on Energy.pptx
Students take notes during presentation in preparation for their activitity.
Do class activity of Making Moon Crater:
https://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?
url=collection/ucd_/activities/ucd_energy/ucd_energy_lesson02_activity1.xml
Students will be investigating and collecting data while doing this activity.
Probing questions:
Explain the difference between kinetic and potential energy.
Predict how the potential energy of a system will change if the height of an
object changes.
Predict how the potential energy of a system will change if the mass of an object
changes.
Predict how the kinetic energy of a system will change if the velocity of an object
changes.
Provide students with the following data: The equations for kinetic energy (KE =
x m x v2) and potential energy (PE = m x g x h). Students will use the equation
to make predictions about what they think may happen to the depth of the impact
crater given different masses and heights.
Post Assessment: Students will be keeping a journal of all their data they
collected from the activity. In the journal will include: vocabulary, predictions,
data, graphs, mathematical computations, formulas, and their reflections.
EL Strategies: Provide students background knowledge of events leading up to
how objects are affected by different type of forces.
Intervention Lesson focus: Go over students journals and discuss their outcome in
relation to their data. Help students calculate their mathematical errors. Compare
data with their group and discuss results and prediction outcome.

LESSON 3: Understanding Roller Coasters

PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy And Forces

When two objects interact, each one exerts a force on the other that can
cause energy to be transferred to or from the object. (MS-PS3-2)
Energy and Matter

Energy may take different forms (e.g. energy in field, thermal energy,
energy in motion). (MS-PS3-5).
Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

Proportional relationships (e.g. speed as the ration of the distance

traveled to time taken) among different types of quantities provide
information about the magnitude of properties and processes. (MS-PS3-1).
Pre-Assessment:
What causes gravity?
What is friction?
How do potential and kinetic energy differ?
What is the difference between speed and velocity?
How is acceleration related to velocity?
Teacher and students talk about their experiences about roller coasters. How do
you think roller coasters move? Explain to students that most roller coasters use
gravity to move along the track. Students will research about the history of roller
coasters.
http://www.aceonline.org/CoasterHistory/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_roller_coaster

http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/history/
Students will do a report about the history of the roller coaster.
*Have students use their wondered questions about roller coasters and do
researches on them.
Do research on those questions.
Presentation: They can choose to do PowerPoint, Prezi, or a poster.
Teacher does demo using foam to create a roller coaster in class for students to
understand more about roller coasters. Students should know the two forms of
energy that are most important are gravitational potential energy and kinetic
energy.
KEY Notes For Students:
Gravitational potential energy is the energy that an object has because of
its height and is equal to the object's mass multiplied by its height
multiplied by the gravitational constant (P.E. = mgh). (Potential Energy =
mass times height times gravitational constant)
Gravitational potential energy is greatest at the highest point of a roller
coaster and least at the lowest point.
Kinetic energy is energy an object has because of its motion and is equal
to one-half multiplied by the mass of an object multiplied by its velocity
squared (K.E. = 1/2 mv2). (Kinetic Energy = one half times mass times
velocity times 2)
Kinetic energy is greatest at the lowest point of a roller coaster and least
at the highest point.
Potential and kinetic energy can be exchanged for one another.
Vocabulary/Definitions
force:

Any push or pull.

gravity:

A force that draws any two objects toward one another.

speed:

How fast an object moves and is equal to the distance that object travels di
by the time it takes.

velocity:

A combination of speed and the direction in which an object travels.

critical
velocity:

The speed needed at the top of a loop for a car to make it through the loop
without falling off the track.

acceleration:

How quickly an object speeds up, slows down or changes direction. Is equal
change in velocity divided by time.

friction:

A force caused by rubbing between two objects.

potential
energy:

The energy stored by an object ready to be used. (In this lesson, we use
gravitational potential energy, which is directly related to the height of an o
and its mass.)

kinetic
energy:

The energy of an object in motion, which is directly related to its velocity an

mass.

gravitational
constant:

The acceleration caused by the Earth's gravity at sea level. Is equal to 9.81
m/sec^2 (32.2 ft/sec^2).

g-force:

Short for gravitational force. Is equal to the force exerted on an object by th

Earth's gravity at sea level.

Assessment: Show students a photograph of a roller coaster that includes a hill

and a

loop. They should be able to identify:

Points of maximum potential and kinetic energy.
Points of maximum and minimum velocity.
Points where g-forces greater or less than 1 are experienced.

EL Strategies: Take vocabulary and use the strategy of the three column notes.
First column the vocabulary, second column the definition, and third column the
drawing of the definition. Have students share and talk about their work.
Intervention Lesson focus: Demonstrate the model foam roller coaster with
students. Students will use the teachers model roller coaster to help see
different point on the roller coaster. Students work on understanding and
identifying what is causing the marble to move. Apply the math equation to solve
the model roller coaster.

LESSON 4: Building A Roller Coaster

PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer

When the motion energy of an object changes, there is inevitably some

other changes in energy at the same time. (MS-PS3-5).
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an Engineer Problem

The more precisely a design tasks criteria and constraints can be defined,
the more likely it is that the designed solution will be successful.
Specification of constraints includes consideration of scientific principals
and other relevant knowledge that is likely to limit possible solutions. (MSPS3-3).
Systems and System Models

Models can be used to represent systems and their interactionssuch as

inputs, processes, and outputsand energy and matter flows within
systems. (MS-PS3-2)
Engaging in Argument from Evidence:

Construct, use, and present oral and written argument supported by

empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support or refute an
explanation or a model for a phenomenon. (MS-PS3-5)
Developing and Using Models:
Modeling in 6-8 builds on K-5 and progresses to developing, using and revising
models to describe, test, and predict more abstract phenomena and design
systems.

Develop a model to describe unobservable mechanisms. (MS-PS3-2)

Introduction of Roller Coaster: Students will go to the website below and research
and see the best and most current roller coasters. Students gather data so that
they could construct their own roller coaster.
http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/pictures/
Students must understand the definition of Constraints before beginning. Help
students define constraints project requirements and/or limitations, where
engineers must take into consideration these constraints in order to come up with
successful design solutions.
Students will brainstorm what constraints are necessary in constructing their
roller coaster project.
Students must understand these concepts in order to build and analyze their
model roller coasters:

The top of the first hill must be the highest point on the roller coaster.

Cars move fastest at the bottoms of hills and slowest at the tops of hills.

Friction converts useful energy into heat and must be minimized.

G-forces greater than 1 occur at the bottoms of hills.

G-forces less than 1 occur at the tops of hills.

To avoid falling, cars must have a certain velocity at the tops of loops.
Go to the website below to help guide students becoming interested in
engineering.

https://www.teachengineering.org/view_lesson.php?
url=collection/cub_/lessons/cub_design/cub_design_lesson01.xml

Reflection/Provide Rubric to guide their roller coaster:

Which roller coasters were most exciting? Which were the safest?

Which won for creativity? Which won for performance and safety?

Which model best met the overall challenge for both thrilling design and
safety? What were the trade-offs? (Engineers call this optimization
(balancing competing project requirements).

What did you learn from testing your model?

If you were to redesign your roller coaster, what improvements would you
make and why?

What would happen if you/engineers ignored the fundamental laws of

physics in your/their designs?

How important is it to you that engineers test their designs (for

appliances, cars, bridges, stairways, roller coasters, etc.) before the design
enters the building stage.

What engineering design steps and techniques did we use today? (Answer:
brainstorming, modeling, simulation, testing, analyzing, redesign, and
optimization.)
Students display their project and provide information for other students read
and score. Teacher takes a video of students final roller coaster. Students will
reflect on their project.
Post Assessment:

Explain why it is important for engineers to understand how roller coasters

work.

Discuss the effects of gravity and friction in the context of their roller
coaster designs.

Use the principle of conservation of energy to explain the design and

layout of roller coasters.

Identify points on a roller coaster track at which a car has maximum kinetic
and potential energy.

Identify points on a roller coaster track where a car experiences more or

less than 1 g-force.

Identify points on a roller coaster track where a car accelerates and

decelerates.
EL Strategies: Students discuss engineering. What would one need in order to be
an engineer? Do they know anyone that is an engineer? What do engineers do?
Teacher asks questions to help build language and background knowledge.
Intervention Lesson focus: Highlight on the key ideas students need in order for
their roller coaster to work. Students take notes by previewing other video clips
before building their own roller coaster.

Assessment
s

Formative
Assessments
(During Project)

Quizzes/Tests

Journaling/Learning Log

Preliminary Plans/Outlines

Rough Drafts

Online Tests/Exams
Summative

Written Product(s), with

rubric

Other Products

Assessments
(End of Project)

Resources
Needed

Oral Presentation, with

rubric

Peer Evaluation

Multiple Choice/Short
Answer Test

Self-Evaluation

Essay Test

Other

On-site people,
facilities
Equipment

Supplies for building roller coasters

Supplies for making crater lesson

Entry Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIjjchqzDFg

Materials
Web resources

Link to introduction of the lesson:

https://www.teachengineering.org/view_lesson.php?
url=collection/ucd_/lessons/ucd_energy/ucd_energy_lesson01.xm
l
Making crater:
https://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?
url=collection/ucd_/activities/ucd_energy/ucd_energy_lesson02_a
ctivity1.xml
Roller Coaster Activity:
https://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?
url=collection/duk_/activities/duk_rollercoaster_music_act/duk_ro
llercoaster_music_act.xml
Community resources

Reflection
Methods

(Individual, Group,
and/or Whole
Class)

Journal/Learning Log

Focus Group

Whole-class Discussion

Fishbowl Discussion

Survey

X
X

Other

Project Teaching and Learning Guide

Knowledge and Skills Needed by Students
(to successfully complete culminating projects and to do well on summative assessments)
Student needs to be able to:

Define energy, kinetic energy and potential energy.

Explain the concept of energy conversion.
Identify different forms of kinetic and potential energy.
Explain the difference between kinetic and potential
energy.

Student needs to be able to:

Student needs to be able to:

Explain the relationship between a moving object's

kinetic energy and its mass and velocity.
Relate daily life experiences to different types of energy.

Student needs to be able to:

Recognize that engineers need to understand many

different forms of energy in order to design useful
products.
Understand that energy can change from one form into
another.
Apply math formulas to projects.
Understand that energy can be described by equations.

Student needs to be able to:

Points of maximum potential and kinetic energy.

Points of maximum and minimum velocity.
Points where g-forces greater or less than 1 are
experienced.
How do potential and kinetic energy differ?
What is the difference between speed and velocity?
How is acceleration related to velocity?

Predict how the potential energy of a system will

change if the height of an object changes.
Predict how the potential energy of a system will
change if the mass of an object changes.
Predict how the kinetic energy of a system will change
if the velocity of an object changes.

Student needs to be able to:

Explain in Physics terminology how their model roller

coasters work.
Discuss the effects of gravity and friction in the context
of their roller coaster designs.
Use the principle of conservation of energy to explain
the design and layout of roller coasters.
Identify points in a roller coaster track at which a car
has maximum kinetic and potential energy.

Questions to be Provided by the Project Teacher

(to successfully complete culminating products and to do well on summative assessments)
Teacher asks questions to recall facts, make observations, or
demonstrate understanding:

What are the different types of energy?

Describe what happens when energy changes from one

form to another?

Can you identify the different points on the roller

coaster where it changes speed?

What are g-forces?

Who created the first roller coaster?

What is friction?

What make a roller coaster goes fast or slow?

Teacher asks questions to summarize, analyze, organize, or

evaluate:

What are things you need to do in order to make a roller

coaster safe?

How does energy apply to our daily life?

What causes gravity?

Why it is important for engineers to understand how

roller coasters work.

What changes you will need to do to improve your roller

coaster?

Teacher asks questions to apply or relate:

Teacher asks questions to predict, design, or create:

Why it so important to understand potential and kinetic

energy?
What formula would help you to find velocity?
What does your data tell you?
What observations do you noticed about your design to
your classmates?

What are the constraints in building your roller coaster?

What tools are needed to build your roller coaster?
How would you build it differently?
How long your roller coaster ride will take?
How are you designing your roller coaster?

Teacher Reflection:
How did the unit flow? What worked well? What needs to be changed for next time? What did the students learn? What evidence do
you have to support students learning?

10