Students design a roller coaster and demonstrate their knowledge of Potential and Kinetic Energy. They determine the average velocity a given marble travels on their roller coaster and apply their knowledge of various measurement systems...

Third graders review the effects of gravity on how objects move. In groups, they design a roller coaster and share it with their classmates. Using materials given to them, they build their roller coaster and let a ball roll on the...

Students describe the law of conservation of energy. They identify the conversion between potential and kinetic energy. They investigate and describe the application of Newton's Laws of Motion.

Navigate the ups and downs of learning about energy. Future engineers consider how potential and kinetic energy apply to roller coasters. They design a roller coaster of their own and then use computer design software to showcase their...

Twisting and turning through the sky, roller coasters are popular attractions at amusement parks around the world, but how exactly do they work? Explore the physics behind these thrilling rides with an engineering design activity....

Students explore the different features of a roller coaster using an interactive website. In this physical science lesson, students explain the role of science to make this thrill ride possible. They develop a creative presentation about...

Pupils study the physics used to design today's roller coasters.  In this engineering lesson students complete several activities including designing their own roller coaster. 

Students discuss potential and kinetic energy and design roller coasters to study this concept. For this energy lesson, students discuss the potential and kinetic energy of a roller coaster. Students design roller coasters and...

Students research how roller coasters work. In this physics instructional activity, learners research the history of roller coasters and the safety factors in the design of a roller coaster on the website...

Get the ball rolling and challenge your class to figure out how to make a ball move. The instruction segment is between two STEM activities devoted to doing just that. The first is simple and involves making a ball move from some...

Students calculate the area under a curve. For this calculus lesson, students use Riemann sums to find and approximate the area under a curve. They use the derivative and differential equations to solve.

Students discuss gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, and the relationship between potential and kinetic energy. They create a working roller coaster from provided materials and criteria then evaluate each roller coaster. They...

Students use the Internet to do research on the roller coasters at Magic Mountain Amusement Park. They must use mathematical formulas to calculate the highest and fastest coaster at the park.

Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome. 

Students develop a podcast as they retell the story of The Polar Express. In this early childhood lesson plan, students experience technology by creating a podcast. Students also create illustrations to be scanned for the podcast.

After locating Latin American countries on a world map, children read about how microbanks are loaning money to help start small businesses. Involving both current events and economics, the teacher introduces the article with a map...

Don't kick the resource to the curb; you'll definitely regret it. Future engineers devise a kicking machine that launches a ping-pong ball toward a target. They can use a pendulum, a rubber band, or both, depending on whether they want...

Students discuss Newton's laws of motion. The conduct motion experiments by building "Newton Rocket Cars" from assorted materials. They propel the cars with rubber bands and wooden blocks and record the distance traveled on data sheets.

Students are introduced to the concepts of speed, velocity, acceleration and inertia. In groups, they use the internet to research rollercoasters found in the United States and calculate their acceleration rates. They use the...

Students draw like an architect. In this interdisciplinary lesson plan, students research and draw several examples of different forms of architecture through societies, cultures and times, then present them to the class.

Third graders will design and build a roller coaster to help understand gravity.

Students design and build a three hill "tennis ball" roller coaster made of cardboard. During the design and building process, students explore the concepts of potential and kinetic energy and how they change as the roller coaster...

In this investigation, students will work in groups to design a model roller coaster, which will be used to clock the fastest speed for the rider (ball bearing/marble) The groups will build roller coaster models and modify and adjust...