We all met together today, since Cory is no longer working with small groups. And today we had short classes so that we could go to the Upper El Gold Rush performance. Because the performance went long, the 7B class had a shorter class period than 7A.
Both classes talked about roller coasters they had experienced, in preparation for Physics Day at Six Flags tomorrow. We talked about speed, height, length, and duration, and the relationship between these variables in a roller coaster. The learning goal was to talk about
Estimation, and how to judge how good your estimates are, by calculating
Percent Error.To do this, we played the game
Coaster Competition on the computer. Here are the rules:
Goal: Choose the superlative coaster. Highest points win!
1. Partners take turns
2. Player A chooses a picture of a roller coaster at
www.Joyrides.com.
3. Player A estimates & records their estimate on their Roller Coaster Data handout (which you can download
here):
· speed
· height
· track length
· duration
4. Player B chooses a picture of a roller coaster they think will be faster, higher, and longer at
Joyrides.
5. Player B estimates & records their estimate on their handout:
· speed
· height
· track length
· duration
6. When both players have made their estimates, they check actual data at
www.RCDB.com, an extensive roller coaster database. The search box at the top left allows you to find out the actual measurements for your roller coaster. They record the actual measurements on their handouts.
7. One point each is awarded for the fastest, highest, longest track, and longest duration. The player with the most points win.
8. Next time, Player B goes first, and Player A goes second. Players must choose a new roller coaster every time.
In Class 7A, we had a chance to play the game and talk about how to improve our estimates. We discussed how we can figure out how good our estimates are by calculating the
Percent Error with this formula:
Estimation Score = Percent Error = (Estimated amt. - Actual amt./Actual Amount) x 100Class notes may be downloaded
here.
HOMEWORK: CLASS 7APlay the Coaster Competition game 8 times with someone, going to
Joyrides to pick a picture and estimate, find out actual measurements on
RCDB, and record your data on the Roller Coaster Data
handout.
The calculate the Percent Error of your estimates for one of the variables (speed, height, length, or duration) for each of the 8 rounds, and record the percent error on the Estimation Score Chart handout, which you can download
here.
Due
Monday, June 7.HOMEWORK: CLASS 7BPlay the Coaster Competition game 8 times with someone, going to
Joyrides to pick a picture and estimate, find out actual measurements on
RCDB, and record your data on the Roller Coaster Data
handout.
Due
Monday, June 7.