Take a Ride on the Big Bad Wolf
*Introduction *Task *Process *Resources *Evaluation *Conclusion *Teacher Page
Introduction: You and your partner are planning your next exciting excursion on the biggest and baddest roller coasters around. There are so many choices out there you need to narrow the playing field. Fortunately money is no object for your trips. So you get to choose the 4 biggest, fastest and most heart stopping rollercoasters around the country or the world.
Task: From internet resources you will study 14 rollercoaster facts that pertain to their heart stopping, thrill inspiring activities. The rollercoasters must be limited to 10 different amusement parks. From your research you will have to find the 4 most exciting, heart pounding rides. Since most lists include 3 or 5 items I thought you should too. The fifth roller coaster in your group should be one that you designed, that includes the best turns, drops and rolls imaginable.
You will need to make a chart that includes the following information on each of the roller coasters you research: ride time, length of track, highest drop, maximum speed, year built, and type of rollercoaster. You will also need to make notes of any exciting parts of the ride that make it special, such as a ride where your feet don't touch the ground. From your chart you will be able to choose the four most exciting rides available today. Once your chart is completed, you can begin to design your ultimate rollercoaster using the information you gathered. You can make some decisions as to what is out there and what you would like to have. Your chart and fantasy rollercoaster should be submitted by the end of the 3rd class.
Process: You and your partner will choose 7 rollercoasters each to research, from no more than 10 amusement parks. These rollercoasters can be from around the world. The completed list must contain 14 different rollercoasers. The chart that is to be designed must include the following information: ride time, length of track, highest drop, maximum speed, year built and type of rollercoaser. The first four rollercoasters listed on the chart should be your top picks for the most exciting rides. The best of the best should appear to stand out from the rest of the research. An additional page should be included that highlights the design of your fantasy rollercoaster. This fantasy rollercoaster should have a written description, a drawing to illustrate the design and include all of the pertinent facts that makes it a fantasy ride. Don't forget to name the ultimate ride with a catchy name.
Resources: The following is a listing of websites that can be used for researching the rides.
The following is a web site that allows you to build your own fantasy roller coaster.
Evaluation: Scoring Rubric
Conclusion: Now that you have researched the finer points of excitement and have designed your ultimate thrill ride someone has taken notice! There are some interested parties that would love to hear about what you think the ultimate thrill is, and what it will look like. Maybe there will be a roller coaster named after you some day soon.