For some people, roller coasters are fun. For others, roller coasters are scary. Earning the Girl Scout Daisy Roller Coaster Design Challenge Badge is fun. By using recycled materials, the girls are also Using Resources Wisely.
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Image by Peter Kraayvanger from Pixabay
Pre-Meeting Prep
After reading the many choices that you can do, gather the necessary materials. This may take some time, especially if you are saving paper towel tubes and/or toilet paper tubes.
Step 1 Make a Simple Roller Coaster Car
Before you start, ask the girls how they feel about going on a roller coaster and what their favorite one was.
You can show girls this all or part of this video about the 10 Craziest Roller Coasters. Start at the 25 second mark, as the beginning has statistics about accidents and getting hurt that while small, may upset younger girls.
This step depends a lot on what your girls will be using to make their roller coaster. If you use a Marble Run game, then you will be using marbles. If you are using other materials, you can make cars out of Legos with wheels.
Ramps can be made out of pool noodles, cardboard, paper plates, cups, Matchbox car ramps, pipe insulation...just about anything you can find! There are plenty of ideas on Pinterest for you to see so you can decide on which direction you want to go with your troop.
*Note-You will need lots of masking tape, duct tape, and/or Scotch tape to put everything together! The colorful masking tape below will make your girls' creations pop!
Ramps can be made out of pool noodles, cardboard, paper plates, cups, Matchbox car ramps, pipe insulation...just about anything you can find! There are plenty of ideas on Pinterest for you to see so you can decide on which direction you want to go with your troop.
*Note-You will need lots of masking tape, duct tape, and/or Scotch tape to put everything together! The colorful masking tape below will make your girls' creations pop!
If you are using toilet paper tubes, then this will be a great design challenge. (you can use Tinker Toys for wheels and axels). Other items to use for wheels are soda caps, milk caps, and other beverage caps that you have prepunched the holes in for the girls).
Step 2 Build a Model of Your Roller Coaster
Here is where the fun begins! Depending on what you are supplying your girls, they will create their own roller coaster. In math, this is called the "Guess and Test" method. A lot of engineering thinking will be going on for this step!
Step 3 Test Your Roller Coaster
Most of the girls will probably be testing as they go along, simply to ensure that each part of their coaster works before moving on to the next step.
Use the final time of your meeting for the girls to share their roller coaster designs with each other.
Step 2 Build a Model of Your Roller Coaster
Here is where the fun begins! Depending on what you are supplying your girls, they will create their own roller coaster. In math, this is called the "Guess and Test" method. A lot of engineering thinking will be going on for this step!
Step 3 Test Your Roller Coaster
Most of the girls will probably be testing as they go along, simply to ensure that each part of their coaster works before moving on to the next step.
Use the final time of your meeting for the girls to share their roller coaster designs with each other.
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