A roller coaster track marked with points A to E is the center of this 4th grade energy sheet. The side view shows a high first hill at A, the lowest point at B, a smaller second hill at C, a dip at D and the brakes at E. Students answer six questions on where potential and kinetic energy are greatest, which point is faster, and what changes happen along the track. It connects to NGSS 4-PS3-1 and 4-PS3-2. Page 2 is the answer key.
4-PS3-1
“Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object.”
Questions 2 and 3 link the fastest point on the track, B, to the greatest kinetic energy.
4-PS3-2
“Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.”
Question 6 asks what happens to the car's energy at the brakes, where the key points to heat and sound.
A side view of the track with a car near the top of the first hill and five lettered points, A to E.
Three boxes for short answers. Students name where potential energy is greatest, where kinetic energy is greatest, and whether the car is faster at C or at B.
Written answers on the energy change between A and B, why the second hill is lower than the first and what happens to the car's energy at the brakes.
A letter for each of the first three questions, with short reasons, and a sentence each for questions 4 to 6.
Trace the track
Students run a finger along the track from A and say potential or kinetic at each letter before writing. B and D are the points they mix up.
Hill C
Question 5 works well as a think-pair-share. Push for the word friction in the answers.
Follow with a build
Run foam pipe insulation as a marble track and have students test whether the marble reaches a second hill as high as the first.
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