Creating the Slow coaster project was a specific example of applying science and engineering as well as math to a project that most students will find a fun and fulfilling project. When analyzing the project I found that the science used in this project was focused largely on inertia, friction, gravity, and change in movement. 

INERTIA is the main idea of this project. Inertia tells us that objects are stubborn and that they only change directions when acted upon by an unbalanced force. Therefore when and object is in motion it will continue that motion in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force that causes the object to change directions. An unbalanced force is anything that cause the object in motion to change direction, slow down, or come to a stop, this force causes the inertia of an object to change. When the pingpong ball is released at the top of the coaster inertia is what allows the ball to move through the path of the coaster. This is taking place due to FRICTION. Friction is another large concept in this project. When the pingpong ball is released at the top of the roller coaster  and begins to travel across the rubber bands the way the bands are pulled, twisted, or attached to the board creates different levels of friction between the ball and the rubber band track. As the friction changes, so does the speed of the ball that is traveling along the path. This is due because the force being applied is changing, therefore the inertia of this object (the ball) changes. GRAVITY is the force in which the ball is able to move through the coaster path because this is pulling the ball down, through the rubber band bath. This creates and unbalanced force as the ball moves through the coaster. Which allows it the change direction or creates a CHANGE IN MOVEMENT. Inertia, friction, and gravity all combine to create this change in movement and travel through the zig zag pattern of the roller coaster we created. When these forces act upon the ball is forces them to change direction and speed as it progresses through the path. 

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AVERAGE SPEED 

Total time to travel path: 11 Seconds

Distance traveled: 313 cm 

Average Speed: 28.45 cm/second  

Divide the distance traveled over the amount of time. Therefore 313/11 is an average speed of 28.45cm per seconds, 

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Science Curriculum Connections: Starting in kindergarten standards require students to be able to identify the motion of an object, such as back and forth or fast and slow. However in kindergarten this is an elaborate project for them to do on their own however, I could have a coaster built and allow them to drop the pingpong ball into the coaster to begin the movement and allow them to address what they see. I would go about this method in a k-2 classroom to address motion and movement science standards. First grade standards address how forces play a role in pushing or pulling objects. 3-5 classes are better equipped to create their own coasters, if I was to be teaching this in my classroom I would create groups of 2 or 3 and provide all the materials and then allow them to use their own observation skills to describe what is happening with the pingpong ball moving through the coaster. This would address the motion standards of third grade, the force standards of forth grade, and the relationship between force and motion in the fifth grade standards. No matter the age of the students their is various things that can be taught about motion and force to allow students to better understand inertia. 

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Math Curriculum Conections: The slow coaster project will allow students to practice basic mathematical skills throughout the elementary curriculum. In order to find the average speed they must measure the total path distance that the ball will travel. This is reinforcing measurement standards that are addressed early on in elementary math. They will also have to add the different length sections up to get their total distance which addresses basic arithmetic. Once the total distance has been calculated the amount of time it takes the ball to travel through the path must be timed in seconds. Then in order to calculate the average speed the distance is divided by the amount of time traveled. Division Is a crucial skill that is focused on during the elementary math curriculum. This slow coaster project highlights both math and science skills that are focused on largely during these early years.  

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