Science Camp: Roller Coaster Science

Over the summer we ran three different Science Camp programs for kids entering grades 3-5.  Each program began with a short Prezi covering the science concepts needed for the activity and detailing what they were to work on.  Our first was Roller Coaster Science.

I purchased 14 pipe insulation tubes from Lowe's and cut them in half.  Each person got two halves, although they could pool theirs together to create a longer run.  Each roller coaster needed to have one loop.  The kids could work in groups or individually.

This was a fun, easy program to do.  The kids spent 45 minutes building and would have gone on for longer if we'd let them.  I was amazed at their perseverance.  We did have two teen volunteers at each session to help the kids and one dad even stayed to enjoy the fun.  We let parents/caregivers come in five minutes before the program ended so they could see what their kids accomplished.

Here are pictures of the fun.