Dynamics Unit

Grade 12 Physics, SPH4U

Jerika Baldin (0546514)
Nov 3, 2017
OVERVIEW:
A unit plan for Dynamics, Grade 12 Physics. The unit focuses on three big ideas. The first big
idea focuses on the principles of dynamics of motion. Students will analyse technological
devices to help them better understand the principles and determine the social and environmental
impacts of these devices. Secondly, students will investigate, both quantitatively and
qualitatively, the forces involved in uniform circular motion and motion in a plane. Numerous
examples and practice problems will be worked through. A variety of different labs will be
completed over the course of the unit so students are able to get hands on experience with the
material. By the end of the unit, students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of uniform
circular motion and motion in a plane through the summative building project where they will
design and construct their own rollercoaster.

Overall Expectations:
B1. Analyse technological devices that apply the principle of the dynamics of motion, and assess
the technologies’ social and environmental impact;
B2. Investigate in qualitative and quantitative terms, forces involved in uniform circular motion
and motion in a plane, and solve related problems;
B3. Demonstrate an understanding of the forces involved in uniform circular motion and motion
in a plane.
Lesson Description
1 Review
2 Acceleration
3 Acceleration due to Gravity
4 Projectile and Relative Motion
5 Bottle Rocket Lab
6 Exploring Relationship between Different Types of Forces
7 Frames of Reference
8 Free- Body Diagrams and Incline Planes
9 Incline Plane Lab
10 Two-Body Systems
11 Two-Body Lab
12 Uniform Circular Motion
13 Circular Motion Lab
14 Universal Gravitation
15 Summative Building Project
Differentiation:
Content
- Explaining the activity both orally and visually.
- Make sure everyone understands the vocabulary required to complete the activity. This may
require the teacher to provide visual representations of terms to help ELL and ESL students.
- Provide the students with the worksheet prior to the lesson so they can follow along.
Process
- Relate the activities and lessons directly to real life applications whenever possible as it will
help students engage in the content.
- Be flexible in your lesson plan. Some students may require more thinking time so you must
be able to adapt your lesson to fit the time constraints.
- Constant circulation during activities will ensure that students are on task. Many students
lack the confidence to speak up when they are confused so this way you are able to see if
students are struggling and can provide assistance where need be.
- When speaking to the students come down to their level (i.e. kneel down to their desk
height). This increases student’s comfort level and encourages them to discuss with the
teacher.
- Access to the internet. Make sure you have an additional option ready in case there are
internet or Wi-Fi issues.
- Have extra supplies on hand to ensure that all students are able to complete the activity
(i.e. pencils, calculators etc.)
Product
- Allowing the students to discuss with their peers throughout activity increases their comfort
level in performing the task and gives students the opportunity to learn from one another.
Assessment/Accommodations
ESL/ELL students:
- Make sure you get to know your student’s background’s and take the time to become more
knowledgeable about their respective cultures so you are aware of common mistakes they
may make depending on their first language. In doing so, you will have a better
understanding of how to help these students.
- Provide visual representations of definitions.
- Make sure you have numerous examples and a variety of different ways of explaining
material in case they do not understand the original directions.
- Re-word or re-phrase instructions when need be.
- Have science dictionaries available to students so they can look up the vocabulary words
they are unsure of.
- Allow these students to use recording devices in class. This helps them take the time to
review the lesson.
Deaf Student:
- Write out the instructions on board so they can visually see them.
- Make sure you speak clearly and make eye contact with that particular student as they may
be able to understand through lip reading.
- Visual aids such as diagrams, pictures etc.
- Allow students to work with a partner in case they need extra assistance.
Blind Student:
- Provide an audio recording of the lesson.
 - Provide student(s) with physical models they can work with.
- Allow students to work with a partner in case they need extra assistance.
Setting Accommodations:
- Work or take a test in a different room (e.g. quieter space with less distractions).
- Let the student choose their seat as it increases their comfort level (e.g. sitting near teacher).
- Be aware of lighting and noise.
Modifications:
- For gifted students that are working at a very high level provide a more challenging
activity available for them to complete if they finish the task early.
- Individual Education Plan (IEP) available to students who are functioning at a lower level
than their designated grade level. These plans spell out your child’s learning needs, the
services the school will provide and how progress will be measured.
- Physical Modifications: fewer items per page, larger print size, given an outline of a
lesson and instructions, visual aids
- Response Modifications: give both oral or written responses, dictate answers to a scribe
- Time Modifications: extra time, frequent breaks, flexible schedule

Lesson 1: Review
Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this class is to find out the student’s level of understanding of forces and motion.
Students will each be given a blank sheet of paper where they will right the alphabet down the
one side. They have 5min to brainstorm everything they can remember from their Grade 11
Physics Motion and Forces Units with each letter of the alphabet being the start of a different
word. They will then pair up with a partner, compare their terms and count how many similar
words they had. This will refresh students minds and get them interested in the topics to come.
Next, each student will be given a piece of paper with the name of a well-known physicist in the
field of Dynamics written on it. Students must find which other student(s) in the class have the
same name on their card. Students may use the internet or the textbooks provided to research
what contributions these physicists made. They will write their findings on chart paper which
will be hung below a picture of the physicist within the classroom. We will discuss the ideas/big
questions for this unit. From here, students will write down 3 things they want to learn and hand
it in on their way out of class. Each day a new student will write down important terminology or
equations from the lesson and post the sticky to the wall. By the end of the unit we will have a
collection of vocabulary and equations that we will use to review.

Resources/References:
- Nelson Physics 12 (2002)
- The internet

Materials:
- Chart paper
- Markers
- Blank paper

Safety:
 - N/A

Specific Expectations:
- A1.1, A1.3, A1.7, A2.2

Assessment:
- Assess prior knowledge using “ABC” List, “Think, Pair, Share”, peer discussion and
group work
- Exit Card: this will help the teacher determine what students are interested so you can try
to accommodate for their learning styles/preferences

Lesson 2: Acceleration
Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is for students to be able to calculate acceleration in two-dimensions.
The lesson will begin with students watching the video, “This is why you can’t outrun a cheetah”
[1]. Students will investigate the stimulation site found in [2]. Then the students must predict and
sketch graphs for accelerated motion. Students will now write their own short story involving
acceleration and their corresponding graph on the opposite side. They will exchange with the
person next to them and try to construct the graph that corresponds to their partners story. From
here, students will switch back and compare the two graphs to see if they are the same. If they
are different they must debate with their partner why their solution is correct. Acceleration
equations will be derived and sample problems of acceleration in two dimensions from the
textbook will be worked through.

Resources/References:
- Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8vejjVgIHg [1]
- Lesson retrieved from: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/moving-man [2]
- Nelson Physics 12 (2002)

Materials:
- Access to internet for stimulation video.

Safety:
- N/A

Specific Expectations:
- A1.3, A1.8, B1, B2.1, B2.2

Assessment:
- Peer discussion and peer assessment

Lesson 3: Acceleration due to Gravity

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is for students to learn how gravity influences the acceleration of an
object. Students will begin by trying out the Gizmo to develop a better understanding of free fall
[1]. We will then begin the group work portion of the lesson which involves an inquiry activity.
In groups of three-four students must plan and perform an experiment to measure the
acceleration of gravity with a meter stick, stop watch, and tennis ball. If LabQuest is accessible
to students they may measure electronically and compare their answers to the results they
obtained above. The purpose of this lab is to measure the acceleration of gravity and understand
why it is not exactly 9.81m/s^2. “Acceleration due to Gravity” notes will be copied down by
students [3]. We will finish off the lesson with Youtube video [2].

Resources/References:
- Gizmo:
https://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&ResourceID=
387 [1]
- Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YUtFpLpGfk [2]
- Notes found on: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson-5/Acceleration-
of-Gravity [3]
- Extra practice: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kinematics-Free-Fall-
Calculations-1442221

Materials:
- Tennis balls
- Meter sticks
- Timers

Safety:
- Make sure students do not throw the tennis balls around and are just using them for the
lab experiment.

Specific Expectations:
- A1.1, A1.7, A1.10, A1.11, B1, B2.1, B2.2, B3.1

Assessment:
- Group work
- Inquiry lab write up will be collected

Lesson 4: Projectile Motion

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is to understand how a variety of variables effect the motion of a
projectile. To begin, a short video will be played that involves real life projectile motion
examples to try to get the students to discover the topic of the lesson on their own before
introducing it [1]. A Kahoot quiz will be played by students as a review of projectile motion
vocabulary (i.e. trajectory, projectile, projectile motion, component vectors, launch angle, range).
The students will make a hypothesis about how far a golf ball being struck with a driver will go
depending on the angle and speed. The teacher will set up the interactive projectile motion
activity so that students can get an idea of how different variables affect the motion of an object
[2]. Practice problems from the textbook involving projectile motion will be worked through
individually. If students are having trouble they are required to ask another student first before
approaching the teacher. This allows students to teach each other about topics which will
enhance their understanding. The teacher will constantly circulate the classroom and make sure
students are on task and provide assistance when need be. Questions will be taken up as a class
with a different student coming to the board each time to discuss their solution. To wrap up a fun
Youtube clip [3] on projectiles will be played. Remind students not to try this at home. If
students need extra practice a take home homework sheet [4] will be handed out. The solutions
will be accessible to students online after a couple of days.

Resources/References:
- Nelson Physics 12 (2002)
- Kahoot: https://kahoot.com/welcomeback/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyIFohEjkyM [1]
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Vectors-and-Projectiles [2]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN6G_DSHtWU&feature=fvsr [3]
http://homework.uoregon.edu:8080/index.jsp [4]

Materials:
- Access to the internet to show videos
- Smart board to participate in interactive projectile motion activity
- Course textbook
- Homework worksheet

Safety:
- For this particular lesson, a lab was not involved so there are no safety hazards to be
concerned about at this time.

Specific Expectations:
- A1.1, A1.8, A1.10, B1, B2, B2.1, B2.2

Assessment:
- Peer discussion: asking each other questions before approaching the teacher
- Kahoot quiz to review vocabulary
- Collecting homework sheets: will not be marked, but rather used to see where the
students are at and can be addressed later to see how the students are progressing)

Lesson 5: Bottle Rocket Lab

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is for students to see a real-life example of projectile motion and develop
a deeper understanding of Newton’s laws and the different variables that effect the motion of the
projectile. A video of an exemplar pop bottle rocket will be shown so students can get an idea of
where they are headed with the experiment [1]. The teacher will share resources with the
students of how to get involved in bottle rocket physics competitions if they are interested [2].
Students are required to make an investigation chart of their observations as they construct and
launch their rockets. Their investigation chart must include the independent, dependent and
controlled variables for the experiment. They must also sketch a rough diagram of their fellow
students designs and record the data as their rockets are launched. The conclusion to their
investigations will be an explanation as to why they think the one that shot the furthest did and
what they could do to improve their rockets. The teacher will collect their investigation charts as
an exit slip for this class.

Resources/References:
- Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwaGW-x7hS0 [1]
- Bottle Rocket Competition Info: https://www.soinc.org/bottle-rocket-b [2]

Materials:
- Empty pop bottles
- String
- Cardboard
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Tape
- Paper
- Rocket launcher (air pump)

Safety:
- Make sure students stay a safe distance away when launching the bottle rockets.

Specific Expectations:
- A1.1, A1.2, A1.4, A1.6, A1.10, A1.11, A2.1, B1, B1.1, B1.2

Assessment:
- Investigation charts will be collected as exit slips for this class
- A collaborative experiment

Lesson 6: Exploring Relationships Between Different Types of Forces

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is for students to understand various forces acting on different objects
under a variety of circumstances. Students will understand the relationships between the force of
gravity, normal force, applied force, force of friction, coefficient of static friction, and coefficient
of kinetic friction. Each force will be defined in depth with corresponding equations and various
examples to follow for each. Students will follow the investigation given in lesson plan below.
Stations 1, 2, 5, 6 will be set up around the classrooms. Students will rotate through each station.
The purpose is for students to investigate the different types of forces and discover the effects of
a specific force on another object or itself. Once all groups have finished exploring each station
we will meet back as a group and discuss any observations the students collected. Students will
then be given a worksheet. This worksheet has numerous real-life examples with the force
arrows drawn where needed. Students are required to label which particular force is being shown
by the corresponding arrow given.

Resources/References:
- Lesson idea retrieved from: https://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/3307181/label-each-
arrow?from=lessonsection_narrative

Materials:
- Mini air cannons
- Pom poms
- Non-latex balloons
- Meter sticks
- Chair
- Sandpaper
- Wax paper
- Bubble wrap
- Carpet
- Toy car
- Pipe insulator
- Marble
- Timer
- Worksheets

Safety:
- Have the safety protocol for each station at a desk by the station. The students must read
through the safety instructions before proceeding.
- As the teacher, you cannot be at every station at the same time so make sure you are
constantly circulating the room to ensure students are on task and following the outlined
safety procedures.

Specific Expectations:
- A1.1, A1.4, A1.8, A1.10, B1, B2.1, B2.3

Assessment:
- Group discussion about student’s observations of the different forces.
- Worksheets will be collected and reviewed to see student’s progress. Feedback will be
handed back the next class.

Lesson 7: Frames of Reference and Relative Motion

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is for students to understand the different frames of reference (inertial and
non-inertial) and how they relate to the topic of relative motion. The teacher will define inertial
and non-inertial frames of reference. Students will watch and participate in the interactive video
provided and complete the multiple-choice questions at the end of the video [1]. Students will
now work in pairs to complete a worksheet involving similar problems [2]. At the end of class,
we will come back together to discuss and make a mind map filled with real life examples of
relative motion.

Resources/References:
- Lesson Retrieved from:
https://download.elearningontario.ca/repository/1233560000/SPH4UPU01A02/content.ht
ml
- Interactive Tarazan example retrieved from:
https://download.elearningontario.ca/repository/1233560000/SPH4UPU01A02/mme/rive
r/7014.html [1]
- Relative Motion worksheet:
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEVjOOm.tZkrsAnDgPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTByOHZ
yb21tBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--
/RV=2/RE=1508641807/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.lessonpaths.com%2flearn%2
fmmHosted%2f440643/RK=1/RS=9N.rGJJ7iB.y3sZsijJd0Bm.nBM- [2]

Materials:
- Internet
- Worksheets
- Chart paper
- Markers

Safety:
- N/A

Specific Expectations:
- A1.3, A1.10, A1.13, B1, B2, B2.2, B3.1

Assessment:
- Mind map created as a class
- Worksheets will be collected to check students understanding

Lesson 8: Free Body Diagrams and Incline Planes

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is to utilize student’s previous knowledge about free body diagrams to
understand the concept of an inclined plane and the forces acting on the object. Upon entering
the class many different of objects will be placed on a variety of surfaces. Students must
circulate the room, draw a sketch of the object/surface and complete a free body diagram for the
object in question. Students can go in any particular order they choose and will have a time limit
to complete the task. This is an interactive way to refresh student’s memory about free body
diagrams and brings out their competitive nature (every student loves to play games). *see the
YouTube video under resources for a variety of examples and a chart that can be used for
students to record their observations [2]. When the time is up, students will return to their seats.
They will switch their sheet with the student next to them who will mark their work based on the
solutions on the board. Then they will return it back to the original student. To make sure all
students have a good understanding of free body diagrams before moving forward, the teacher
will use the “fist of five” checking for understanding strategy (5 being they know it very well, 1
meaning they have no idea). The teacher will work through the equations needed to solve incline
plane problems along with an example. For more visual learners they can watch [1] to
understand how to work through incline plane problems. The students will work through practice
problems found in the course textbook for the remainder of the class.

Resources/References:
- Video: http://study.com/academy/lesson/inclined-planes.html [1]
- Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCR5MbRpMjA&t=83s [2]
- Nelson Physics 12 (2002)
- Additional worksheet if students need more practice:
https://sfponline.org/Uploads/71/free%20body%20diagram%20worksheet.pdf

Materials:
- Internet
- Variety of objects (i.e. balls, boxes, toy cars etc.)
- Tape to hold the objects in place
- Textbook

Safety:
- Make sure only a small group of students (2-3) are working at a station at the same time
to ensure no one gets hurt from a falling object.

Specific Expectations:
- A1.2, A1.6, A1.8, A1.10, A1.12, B1, B2, B2.1, B2.3, B2.4, B2.5, B3.2

Assessment:
- Peer assessment (swapping of worksheets to assess each other’s work)

Lesson 9: Incline Plane Lab

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is for students to apply their previous knowledge from the last lesson on
incline planes. In this lab, students will experimentally determine the acceleration for an incline
plane system and compare this result to a mathematically calculated answer to see if it is correct.
Students will write down one real life example of an incline plane. From here, they will have to
find another person in the class with the same example. If no one has a matching example the
teacher will split up the remaining portion of the class into groups. This will be the groups for the
lab. Students will then follow the investigation of an Incline Plane Lab Report given in [1]. At the end
of the lab, students will face off with another group by trying to create a question about the topic of
incline planes that will stump them.

Resources/References:
- Lab layout: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/getattachment/lab/vecforce/vf6tg.pdf [1]
Materials:
- Inclined plane (wood board or metal track) or air track table
- Cart
- Photo gate
- Meter stick

Safety:
- Listed under lab instructions.

Specific Expectations:
- A1.1, A1.2, A1.4, A1.6, A1.8, A1.10, A1.11, A1.12, B2, B2.1, B2.3, B2.4, B2.5, B3.2

Assessment:
- The student’s lab reports will be formally assessed.

Lesson 10: Two-Body Systems

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is to analyse the relationships between the motion of a two-body system
and the forces involved. To begin, the class will hypothesize the forces involved in a tug-of-war
match. We will then go outside, split the class in half and we have a tug-of-war match. We will
then return to the classroom where we will discuss if the students’ hypotheses were correct. A
power point involving topics such as tension, acceleration, and forces will be presented. The
teacher will give a demonstration after each topic is discussed so that students can have a visual
representation of the material using a make shift pulley system.

Resources/References:
- Powerpoint: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ramps-Pulleys-and-Forces-
Physics-PowerPoint-Lesson-with-Worksheet-1837725

Materials:
- Rope
- String
- A few different masses
- A small wheel that will act as the pulley system

Safety:
- Be cautious that students do not fall on top of one another during the tug-of-war game

Specific Expectations:
- A1.1, A1.8, A1.10, B2, B2.4, B2.5, B3.1

Assessment:
- Group discussion

Lesson 11: Two Body Lab

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is for students to understand how a pulley system operates and to increase
their knowledge of the relationship between the motion of a system and the forces involved.
Firstly, the teacher will hand out a variety of small drawings related to the topic to each student.
Students must find their matching picture. This will be how the students will be paired up for the
lab. Students will have the whole period to work on the lab. This lab is designed to be student
lead. It is not very descriptive on purpose. The goal is for students to design their own procedure
and write up based on their previous knowledge of what a lab is supposed to look like.

Resources/References:
- For lab activity and worksheet visit: http://meyercreations.com

Materials:
- Motion detector
- A variety of weights with different masses
- Timer/stop watch

Safety:
- Follow the safety guidelines listed in lab description.

Specific Expectations:
- A1.1, A1.2, A1.5, A1.6, A.18, A1.10, A1.11, A1.12, B2, B2.3, B2.4, B2.5

Assessment:
- Students will complete a lab write up that will be collected and formally assessed.

Lesson 12: Uniform Circular Motion

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is for students to develop an understanding of the forces acting on and the
acceleration experienced by an object in uniform circular motion. The teacher will perform the
“Tennis Ball on a String” demonstration to get students engaged in the topic of uniform circular
motion. The teacher will make students aware that the speed is constant, but the velocity is not
when dealing with uniform circular motion. The teacher will then demonstrate an example that is
not uniform circular motion (i.e. spinning the string with the tennis ball attached to the end
directly in front of you with your arm perpendicular to the floor). Students will spend a few
minutes discussing why this is the case. Centripetal acceleration will be discussed. The students
will brainstorm where centripetal acceleration takes place in real life. Practice problems
involving uniform circular motion will be worked through for the remainder of the class. If there
is time at the end, the teacher will perform a similar experiment to the beginning, but the tennis
ball is replaced with a cup full of water.

Resources/References:
- Tennis ball on string demonstration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqBBxSGX8CQ
 - Nelson Physics 12 (2002)

Materials:
- tennis ball
- string
- cup
- water

Safety:
- Make sure students are alert and sitting a safe distance away for your tennis ball
demonstration in case the ball detaches from the string

Specific Expectations:
- A1.1, A1.8, B2, B3, B1.2, B2.6, B2.7, B3.3

Assessment:
- Brainstorming
- Hypothesizing and making conclusions

Lesson 13: Circular Motion Lab

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is for students to conduct inquiries into the uniform circular motion of an
object. In this lab, students will experimentally and mathematically compare the period for an
object in circular motion. They will discover the relationship between the centripetal acceleration
and the angular velocity for an object in circular motion. Students will follow the investigation
under the Circular Motion Lab document.

Resources/References:
- Circular motion lab: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/CIRCULAR-
MOTION-LAB-graphing-experiment-NGSS-physics-1532202

Materials:
- String
- Stoppers
- Washers
- Meter sticks
- Plastic tub
- Sticky notes to mark radius
- Calculator

Safety:
- Ensure that the stopper is properly secured to the end of the string so it does not fly off
and potentially cause injury to the student(s).
- Make sure the groups for the lab are a safe distance apart from one another so they do not
get hit while another group is spinning their stopper.
Specific Expectations:
- A1.1, A1.2, A1.4, A1.6, A1.8, A1.10, A1.11, A1.12, B2, B3, B2.6, B2.7, B3.3

Assessment:
- Students lab reports will be submitted and feedback will be provided.

Lesson 14: Universal Gravitation

Classes: 1
Overview:
The goal of this lesson is for student’s to be able to determine the acceleration of gravity that
would be felt on the surface of different planet’s and solve problems involving universal
gravitation. We will watch the Youtube video [2] which explains why our solar system can exist
based on the laws of universal gravitation. We will define Newton’s Law of Universal
Gravitation and how to derive the universal gravitation constant based on the relationship
between the masses and distance. From here, we will calculate the gravitational force between
two objects. Students will conduct a hypothesis as to which planet they think will have the
greatest universal gravitational force between it and the Sun. A collection of different planets and
their distance from the Sun will be written on pieces of papers. Students will select a planet and
practice plugging the values into the universal gravitation equation to solve for the force. Once
they have solved for the force acting on that particular planet and the Sun they will move on to a
new planet [1]. Students will draw a diagram of the solar system labelling the masses of each of
the planets and the distances to the Sun. We will then meet back as a class to discuss which pair
exuded the most powerful force. As a class we will discuss the following questions: Was your
hypothesis correct? How does the mass and distance compare to how strong the force was?
Knowing this new information, what is your new answer to the original proposed question?

Resources/References:
- Sample example: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/circles/Lesson-3/Newton-s-
Law-of-Universal-Gravitation [1]
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhS8K4gFu4s [2]

Materials:
- Chart paper
- Markers
- Calculators

Safety:
- N/A

Specific Expectations:
- A1.1, A1.8, A1.10, B2, B3, B1.2, B2.6, B2.7, B3.3

Assessment:
- Group Discussion
Lesson 15: Summative Building Project
Classes: 2
Overview:
The goal of the summative building project is for students to apply the principles of the dynamics
of motion to demonstrate their understanding of the forces involved in uniform circular motion.
The first class will be intended for giving the instructions and guidelines for the project. See the
rubric below for the outline the students are required to follow. Students will pick who they
would like to be paired with and begin brainstorming, using a mind map, ideas for their
rollercoaster design. The students may use the internet during this class to explore potential
rollercoaster designs. The last class will be solely for testing the rollercoaster’s.

Resources/References:
- Rollercoaster video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8pJiV44hVM

Materials:
- Rollercoaster supplies will be acquired by the students themselves. If students are unable
to fund their own project, work with the Principal on ways to support these students.

Safety:
- The students will be completing the summative building project off school grounds. This
being said, it is important to go over general safety procedures so they are able to
complete the project safely at home.

Specific Expectations:
- A1.2, A1.5, A1.7, A1.8, B1, B2, B3, B1.1, B2.7, B3.3

Assessment:
- This task will be formally assessed following the given rubric below.

The Roller Coaster Cumulative Project

Roller Coasters are gravity rides for a good reason: once the coaster has been dragged to the top
of the first hill and released, it is the force of gravity that keeps the coaster going all the way
back to the station platform at the end of the ride. As the coaster goes through its twists, turns,
rolls, and loops, it gains and losses speed and its initial potential energy (supplied by the
dragging it up the first hill) changes from potential into kinetic energy and back into potential
energy. Since some of this initial energy is lost due to friction the roller coaster can never rise as
high as the first hill. The roller coaster you will design is also a gravity ride.

The roller coaster will be judged for the following:

a. Technical Merit: Based on the score calculated from the sheet provided, a mark between
0 to 25 will be assigned. See the table below.
 b. Creativity and Artistic Value: Each roller coaster will be assigned a value of 0 to 5
based on the most creative and best use of available materials.
c. Exciting Value: Again, each roller coaster will be assigned a value of 0 to 5 for how
exciting a ride you designed would actually be.
d. Electrical Component: The roller coaster will be assessed a mark value of 0 to 5 based
on incorporating some element of electrical circuit. (ex: ball lifter, finish line lights,
etc…). Wrapping Christmas lights around the ride does not constitute as an electrical
component.
e. Effort: A mark value of 0 to 5 will be assessed based on the teacher’s opinion just how
much effort was required to assembly the roller coaster. The teacher will try to judge the
amount of time per group member put into the project.
f. Successfulness: Finally, a mark between 0 to 5 will be given, based on the success of the
project. Is this a roller coaster that can be run time and time again and always be
successful? This mark is often dependent on the materials used in the project.

Technical Merit Mark Out of

Score 25
0 - 1000 <5
1000 - 3000 5-8
3000 – 4000 8 -10
4000 - 5000 10-12
5000 - 6000 12-13
6000 - 8000 14
8000 – 10 000 15
10 000 – 20 000 16
20 000 – 30 000 17
30 000 – 40 000 18
40 000 – 60 000 19
60 000 – 80 000 20
80 000 – 100 000 21
100 000 – 150 000 22
150 000 – 200 000 23
200 000 – 250 000 24
+ 250 000 25

Coaster Model Rules:

1. Size restrictions: base support must not be more than 50 cm x 90 cm and the
height of the model above the base must not be more than 85 cm. The complete
coaster must be able to fit into a box that has the dimensions of 60 cm x 100 cm x
85 cm. The model must be a working model for a steel ball. This means that the
steel ball when released from the top of the first hill by the judge will travel
through the entire rid, and arrive at the bottom loading platform. (Note: for this
project, the steel ball is manually lifted from the loading platform to the top of the
first hill to start the ride.)
 2. The minimum size of the steel ball is 1.3 cm. The maximum size of the steel ball
is 2.5 cm
3. The primary construction material may be wood. Other suggested materials
include wire, steel, plastic, string, twine, doweling, Popsicle sticks, cardboard,
construction paper and glue. The total cost of the model should be kept to a
minimum.
4. No compressed air or vacuums may be used.
5. Your time, should the roller coaster include a lift back to the starting position, will
be timed from the bottom of the lift and once around.
6. The starting position at the top of the first hill should be clearly marked.
7. Live animals or fish cannot be used in the display.
8. Each team can have a maximum of 2 students.

Technical Merit Score:

The technical merit of your coaster will be determined according to the following equation:

(vertical drop in cm) x (time of travel in seconds) x (vertical diameter factor in cm) x (# of
vertical loops)

a. The coaster must have a minimum of 2 horizontal 360o turns but horizontal turns are not
a factor in determining the technical merit score.
b. In order to receive a technical merit score the steel ball must complete the entire ride once
out of three trials when tested on judging day.
c. There must be a continuous fixed track that the steel ball follows.
d. The maximum time of travel is 90 seconds. If the actual time is greater than this then 90
seconds will be used to calculate the technical merit score.
e. The overall technical merit score will be reduced by 25% if the track is not open for at
least 25% of its total length.
f. Vertical Loop Diameter Calculation: Determine the total diameter of all vertical loops.
For loops that are not circular record the diameter at the LARGEST spot. The coaster ride
must have at least one vertical loop. If the vertical loop is open at the top or inner side of
the loop (so that the steel ball would fall out if it is moving too slowly) then the diameter
that is counted should be multiplied by 1.5. To be considered a vertical loop the angle of
the loop with respect to the vertical must be less than 20o (otherwise it is considered to be
a horizontal loop). Corkscrews are also considered to be vertical loops. These will be
recorded to the nearest ¼ of a loop.

Example: A model with the following characteristics would receive the technical merit score
calculated below:

a. vertical drop of 85 cm with 2 horizontal loops

b. 1 vertical loop which is open at the inside on the top with a diameter of 5 cm (score 1.5 x
5cm)
c. 1 vertical loop which is closed at the top with a diameter of 8 cm (score 1.0 x 8cm)
 d. one open corkscrew of 450o with an average diameter of 6 cm (score 1.25 loops x 1.5
(open loops) x 6 cm)
e. that takes a total of 135 seconds from start to finish

(vertical drop in cm) x (time of travel in seconds) x (vertical diameter factor in cm) x (# of
vertical loops)

85 x 90 x [(1.5 x 5) + (1 x 8) + (1.5 x 1.25 x 6)] x 3.25 = 665071.88 points

Roller Coaster Marking Sheet

Group Members: __________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

Coaster Name: __________________________________________

Criteria: Score
Vertical Drop Score (in cm, maximum 85
cm)
Time Score (maximum 90 seconds)

Vertical Loop Score (in cm)

# of Vertical Loops (the total number of

vertical loops including corkscrews)
Technical Merit Score (see the
calculations on the outline sheet)
Teacher’s Signature
Technical Merit
/25

Creativity & Artistic Value 0 1 2 3 4 5

Exciting Value 0 1 2 3 4 5

Electrical Component 0 1 2 3 4 5

Effort 0 1 2 3 4 5

Successfulness 0 1 2 3 4 5

Total /50