Q4 STEAM Roller Coaster: Build One

Build One - Engineering Challenge

Follow the steps to design your own roller coaster. 

Step 1. Form small design teams of three to four classmates. Your team will apply knowledge of the design process and how potential and kinetic energy work together to build a successful coaster model.
 
Step 2. At your first team meeting, read over the Step 5 Directions & Grading Rubric document.

Step 3. Analyze team members' strengths by sharing personal expertise and interest areas such as Internet research, being a good scavenger for needed materials, being a good design visionary, being a good assembler, being a good sketcher, being a good team leader to keep things on task, and being a good note-taker. 

Step 4. Identify a team note-taker to make a copy of this Roller Coaster Team Planning document and share it online with team members or print it out.

Step 5. Look for the green highlighted  ⭆ arrows. Begin to fill out part two, adding ideas and team member names as they volunteer.

Step 6. Make a drawing in step three and meet with your teacher for approval to begin construction and gathering materials. Modify the team planning chart if needed.

Step 7. Once approved, begin work on constructing your coaster.

Step 8. Begin the test runs and document it in your Roller Coaster Team Planningdocument. Complete all of the trial runs, making changes and improvements as needed.

Step 9. Review the rubric in the Step 5 Directions & Rubric document and make any changes needed before you turn your team planning document and roller coaster work into your teacher.

Step 10. Write a CONCLUSION REPORT—Create a three-minute project report using any technology process the team selects, including some video and/or still images. Have a team discussion, with each partner contributing to an analysis and answering the following questions. 

• Did I/we meet my/our learning goal(s) at the top of the roller coaster team planning document?

• What are some good decisions and steps we took to solve specific problems with the design and construction?