

Middle School Physics Roller Coaster Lab: 3-page STEM packet on potential/kinetic energy, centripetal force, friction, & velocity math.
Explore mechanical physics, gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, friction, and centripetal acceleration! The Paper Roller Coaster Momentum & Energy STEM Lab (ENG05) challenges middle school student teams to act as amusement park engineers, designing a functional paper roller coaster track with vertical loops and banked turns to safely guide a marble through maximum run time.
Students explore potential vs. kinetic energy transformations, energy conservation, friction loss, centripetal force dynamics, and average velocity calculations!
What Is Included in This 3-Page Packet?
Page 1: Teacher Guide & Lesson Plan: NGSS alignment (MS-PS3-1, MS-PS3-2, MS-ETS1-2), target science concepts, station setup guide, expected student outcomes, answer keys, and track alignment troubleshooting tips.
Page 2: Student Mission Card & Blueprint: Real-world mechanical engineering and theme park ride infrastructure scenario hook, clear material limits box (cardstock track strips, tape, marble, meter stick, timer), and a dedicated Coaster Track Elevation & Energy Vector Schematic sketching zone.
Page 3: Testing Log & Scientific Reflection: Structured Data Testing Table (track track length in cm, run time in seconds, and performance failure modes), Applied Math Connection (calculate Average Velocity = distance / time), and physics reflection questions.
Core STEM Skills Covered:
Mechanical Engineering & Theme Park Physics Mechanics
Gravitational Potential Energy & Kinetic Energy Transformations
Centripetal Acceleration Vector Analysis & Friction Control
Data Logging, Time Measurement (s), and Velocity Math Calculations
Why Teachers Love This Resource:
3-Page Professional Layout: Includes a complete Teacher Guide for seamless prep, keeping student activity sheets clean and ready to print!
Low-Cost Materials: Uses simple cardstock or construction paper, masking tape, marbles, and stopwatches.
High-Impact Physics Lab: Transforms energy equations and motion laws into an exciting, hands-on, high-speed engineering challenge!
Print-Ready: High-resolution, 3-page PDF format ready for instant printing.
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