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Theme-Park Safety Review

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Grades 9-1290-120 minSource: Creative Dad Company

Students model the physics forces on a simple roller-coaster loop, then step back to study the human-factors side—like how operators avoid mistakes during a busy shift. It's thrill-ride physics paired with real operational safety thinking.

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Prep: 10 minActivity: 30 min1 session~$2/groupOne table for the Theme-Park Safety Review evidence and prototypeBeginner-friendly

Setup

Print or handwrite the four Theme-Park Safety Review challenge steps and place common paper supplies on one table. Prepare one small sample, dataset, scenario, or recycled-material model drawn directly from the project description; no device, paid tool, room decoration, or purchased kit is required.

Activity

  1. Read the Theme-Park Safety Review challenge aloud, then sketch a simple loop-and-hill track and predict the minimum height a marble needs to safely complete the loop.
  2. Use paper, index cards, recycled objects, or facilitator-provided sample data to build the track and test the marble's run, measuring speed and completion at different starting heights.
  3. Run one tabletop trial and find the point where the marble fails the loop and calculate what height or angle actually fixes it.
  4. Finish by present the safety findings as a mock ride-inspection report, including a recommended operator checklist for busy days; record the evidence that supports the decision.

Done when: The group completes a defensible Theme-Park Safety Review solution, records at least one test result or comparison, changes one claim or design in response, and supports its final decision with that evidence.

Materials

marble set, flexible foam track tubing, cardboard, protractor set, stopwatch

Shown for the Quick Start version — switch tabs above to see what changes.

Disclosure: Materials links below go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Steps

  1. Sketch a simple loop-and-hill track and predict the minimum height a marble needs to safely complete the loop.
  2. Build the track and test the marble's run, measuring speed and completion at different starting heights.
  3. Find the point where the marble fails the loop and calculate what height or angle actually fixes it.
  4. Present the safety findings as a mock ride-inspection report, including a recommended operator checklist for busy days.

Standards it satisfies

  • NGSS · HS-PS3-1

    Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.