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Engineering Skills through Problem Based Learning

Lesson

STUDENT OBJECTIVES

  • Understand the difference between potential and kinetic energy
  • Learn the basic laws of physics that affect roller coaster success
  • Learn about the history of roller coasters
  • Learn about basic physics terms
  • Calculate the average velocity of the car on the track
  • Calculate the potential energy of the car at all peaks
  • Calculate the kinetic energy of the car
  • Produce scaled drawings of the roller coaster designs

RESEARCH ALIGNMENT

Students will research the history of roller coasters to acquire more knowledge about them. They will also acquire knowledge about energy types, energy conservation and will learn basic physics concepts through collaboration with the physics students at NCSSM and apply it to the make-up of roller coasters and their operations. In return, the students at SOE will collaborate with the students at NCSSM to develop a design brief defining a good definition of the problem, its constraints and criteria, and the additional knowledge acquired through brainstorming and research.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon conclusion of this unit, students will:

  • Learn about the different types of roller coasters and materials used to build them.
  • Learn the basic laws of physics that apply to roller coaster success.
  • Understand the connection between work and energy
  • Possess a conceptual understanding of various energy types (kinetic, potential, gravitational, etc).
  • Understand calculations of velocity, potential and kinetic energy
  • Develop their abilities to use the engineering design process
  • Be able to apply fundamental concepts about energy to a wide variety of problems
  • Be able to make a convincing presentation about their engineering ideas and recommendations

CLASSROOM TIME REQUIRED

  • The project is designed to take 15 days on the SOE calendar, which constitutes 3 weeks. SOE classes meet five days a week in 90 minute blocks.
  • The calendar is flexible, and can be adjusted to fit different levels of complexity and vary depending on the size and length of the class, the students' understanding of the material.

MATERIALS NEEDED

For each student you will need:

  • Computer
  • Internet
  • Engineering Notebook
  • Auto desk Inventor Pro 2009 or other Computer Aided Design Software

TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

  • Students should have access to computers with internet access
  • Videoconferencing software (Eluminate will be used for this project)
  • A blog program (gaggle.net or Google’s Blogger will be used for this project)
  • Inventor Pro 2009 for technical drawings and 3D modeling

INTERNET RESOURCES

Key Terms

  • Physics – the science of matter and energy and their interactions
  • Centripetal Force – inward force on a body moving in a curved path around the body
  • Gravitation – the force of attraction among all masses
  • Free fall – the motion of a body towards the earth when no other force except the force of gravity acts on it
  • Acceleration – the rate of change of velocity of a moving object
  • Potential energy – stored energy
  • Kinetic energy – energy processed by an object because of its motion
  • Friction – the force that resists the sliding or rolling of one solid object over another
  • Velocity – is the spread of an object in a certain direction

ACTIVITIES

Day 1

The teacher will ask students to write down on a sheet of paper what they already know about how roller coaster and physics are connected. This should be done in a one page journal answering questions such as: What do you already know about physics in roller coasters? What do you already know about roller coaster safety (acceleration, restraint systems etc.)? What do you currently know about roller coasters? What are some things that you already know to make a roller coaster ride fun and exciting? Tell them that they will be sharing their prior knowledge with another group member later in the lesson.

In groups of 2 have students to make a concept map of how they think physics will be related to roller coasters. Have them to share their maps with the class. Students can choose their own groups. This is not the same groups for the project. Teachers will be able to assess how much students know from these concept maps and make corrections of incomplete ideas.

Day 2

Tell students that during this lesson they will work in teams of five. Two people from their class and two virtual team members from another school as partners designing a roller coaster using Autodesk Inventor 2009 software. Assign students to groups of three by having students count off 1-3. All like numbers make a team. Have teachers from different schools work together to pair students between their classes. Show a power point about how to work in teams. Hold a class discussion about how to brainstorm ideas in a group. Remind students that as they work in teams they want to consider asking questions such as: What makes rides fun? What safety features does a ride need to have?

Day 3 and 4

Tell students that in order to design a safe, fun ride, they need to know some basic facts about elements of physics, such as potential and kinetic energy, gravity, acceleration and etc. The students from NCSSM will talk to them about Energy Conservation. These students will show them concepts such as why it is important to have an incline right after a decline to slow the passenger car down in a roller coaster. Southern School of Engineering students will learn other physics principles that will enable them to design a good and safe roller coaster. Students will learn about calculating velocity, kinetic and potential energy and practice using the equations from the information given by the physics teacher.

Students will get into their assigned groups and blog with their virtual groups at NCSSM. Ask students to share with their groups what they have written down in response to their prior knowledge about roller coasters and physics from day 1. Have students to compare list and compose a complete list of physics terms and definitions used in the design of roller coasters. Make sure their list includes the terms that you want them to know. Examples: kinetic and potential energy, acceleration, gravity, etc. Monitor what students are talking about in the blog.

Have students return back to their seats and give them an activity that will enable them to search the web to find out about the history of roller coasters, the components of roller coasters and how physics is connected and used to design roller coasters. Have students to write a five page report about the information that they find and the information learned from the physics students.

Day 5

After students have written their reports, have a whole class discussion about the physics terms that they found in their report and the information learned from the physics students. Give students an open notes physics quiz using their notes from the brainstorming session with their partners. Answers to the quiz will provide some evidence of whether there should be revisiting of any physics concepts or to move forward with the lesson.

Day 6 and 7

The following are requirements for students to complete on the roller coaster project before handing it in to you for assessment.

Requirements:

  • The roller coaster should be realistic
  • Include in your designs at least two different types of hills
  • Three (3) different shape and size loops
  • Enough track to enhance speed of the traveling passengers to completely go over the hill and around the loops
  • Two (2) cars attached to the track
  • A starting and ending point of the roller coaster ride. The model should clearly show where the station is for loading and unloading passengers. Design your roller coaster to make a complete loop back to the beginning so passengers can disembark and load the roller coaster at the same time
  • Any other creative elements you want to add to your roller coaster
  • All specifications are to each team's liking

Have students to get into their assigned seats to make decisions about the following:

  • The height of their first hill
  • The slope of their first hill
  • The loop (shape and size)
  • The height of their 2nd hill
  • The slope of their second hill
  • Their second loop (shape and size)
  • Their second and third loop (shape and size)

Check for student's understanding of how the hills and loops should be created by asking questions such as: How will the velocity and acceleration be effected if cars of different masses travels down a decline? Why is it necessary for a roller coaster to have an incline right after a decline? Why is it important not to have any loops higher than the starting Point?

Day 8

Students should be given the opportunity to communicate through email and blogging with their teammates what specification they have come up with and compare it with the other group members’ specifications and suggestions. The physics students are the experts in this category. Make sure students have feed back and make corrections to their information about hills and loops.

Day 9 - 10

Give an introduction to the three-dimensional (3d) modeling software. Model one common part that all students can use in their roller coaster such as how to make a loop. Have students get into their assigned groups. In their groups students should come up with two different type sketches of their roller coaster design. There should be two different perspectives of they are going to model in the computer aided design program. Have students to label the physics concepts used in their designs. Give students the sketch rubric so that they will know how they will be graded

During the class period, go over student’s roller coaster designs. Have each group present their ideas and share their sketches with the class. Also have the groups exchange their sketches with students at the other school. Sketches will be assessed at the end through the use of a sketch rubric. The physics students will learn from the engineering students about free-hand sketching, the design process and how they will use the 3D modeling software to make their designs. The engineering students will be the experts in this area. The two groups will communicate through blogging and emailing designs.

Day 11-13

Have students to start working on their roller coaster designs by making parts using the Autodesk Inventor computer aided program. Give students rubric for final roller coaster project so students understand what they will be doing and how the finished project will be graded.

Continue to have students work on their designs. Look for misconceptions by monitoring the classroom and observing students work. If you observe any, plan on a large-group discussion aimed at correcting those specific misconceptions.

Day 14

Allow students time to communicate with their other team members showing the work that has been completed. This can be by way of email or blogging.

Students will continue to work on project.

Day 15

Conclude the lesson by having each group present their finished project to the class and email rendered views of their projects to their other team members.

Teachers who do not have the Autodesk Inventor 2009 software can use other types of programs to create designs or use other materials.

ASSESSMENT

Students will be assed by a quiz on physics terms and two rubrics. One rubric will assess students’ sketches and the other will assess students’ final roller coaster product. The grading rubrics should be given to each student before the project.

MODIFICATIONS

There are no students needing modifications at this time.

North Carolina Curriculum alignment

Computer Technology Skills

Grades 9-12

  • Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies
  • Objective 2.02: Select and use appropriate technology tools to efficiently collect, analyze and display data.

Physics Skills

Grade 9-12

  • Goal 2 : The learner will build an understanding of linear motion
  • Objective: 2.01 Analyze velocity as a rate of change of position: Average velocity, instantaneous velocity
  • Objective 2.03: Analyze acceleration as a rate of change in velocity
  • Goal 3: The learner will build an understanding of two dimensional motion including circular motion
  • Objective 3.05: Analyze and evaluate the nature of centripetal forces
  • Goal 4: The learner will develop an understanding of forces and Newton’s laws of Motion
  • Objective 4.01: Determine that an object will continue in its state of motion unless acted upon by a net outside force (Newton’s First law of motion, the law of inertia
  • Objective 4:03: Assess measure and calculate the relationship among the force acting on a body, the mass of the body, and the nature of the acceleration produced (Newton’s Second Law of Motion)
  • Objective 4.04: Analyze and mathematically describe forces as interactions between bodies (Newton’s Third Law of Motion)
  • Goal 6: The learner will develop an understanding of energy as the ability to cause change
  • Objective 6:01: Investigate and analyze energy storage and transfer mechanisms: gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy, thermal energy, kinetic energy
  • Objective 6:03: Analyze, evaluate and measure the transfer of energy by a force: work and power
  • Objective 6:04: Design and conduct investigations of mechanical energy and power

National Standards

Standards Technological Literacy

  • Standard 3 – Students will develop an understanding of the relationships among technologies and the connections between technology and other fields of study
  • Standard 9 – Students will develop an understanding of engineering design
  • Standard 11 – Students will develop the abilities to use the design process

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

Power Point Presentations

Word Documents

Answer keys

Teacher Guidelines