STAR Education's first Roller Coaster camp is a success!

1. Roller Coaster Mania!
July 9th-27th, 2012
California State University,
Northridge

2. Project STEPS
• 100 students from 4 • GEAR UP is a “discretionary
middle schools in the San grant program designed to
increase the number of low-
Fernando Valley income students who are
– Byrd, Sun Valley, Van Nuys, prepared to enter and succeed
and Romer in postsecondary education”
(US Dept of Education)
• Grant follows the students
from 7th grade to High School
graduation and beyond, with
grant funds also used to
provide college scholarships

3. Staff
Schuyler (Science) Amy (Math)
Matt (Science) Jafney (Site Director TA)
Chris (Math) Stanley (TA)
Jenn (Site Director) Lauren (Tech)
Paul (Tech) Heather (TA)

4. Daily Schedule
• 8:15-8:30: Students
arrive at CSUN
• 8:30-8:45: Morning
announcements and
snack
• 8:50-9:35: Rotation 1
• 9:40-10:25: Rotation 2
• 10:30-11:15: Rotation 3
• 11:20-11:30: Wrap-up
and Highlights

5. Students arrived on buses
and were given snack
provided by STAR or
Project STEPS.
Students were divided
into six groups.
Each group had a cool
roller coaster name!
Students started in their
home groups every day
and each group had one
rotation of math,
science, and technology

6. Day One
Meet your Roller Coaster Group!

10. Crazy Catapults!

14. Water Balloon Sling Shots

15. Dr. John Gerard's First Day!
Dr. John Gerard of ACE has ridden almost 700 roller coasters!
He came every Wednesday to talk about coasters and help students
develop ideas for their own designs

20. Bungee Jumping Egg

22. Success? Oh no!

23. Coaster Design Project
In the math rotation,
students worked in
design teams to
create their own
coasters!
Each group had a
Project Manager, an
Architect, a Physicist,
and an Engineer

24. Students had to
research successful
coasters, develop
their own ideas,
design the track and
cars, determine the
energy in their
system, calculate the
cost of their coaster,
and make scale
drawings!

27. Calculations

28. Designs

33. Marshmallow Structures

37. Roller Coaster Building
On the last week, students
took all of their
knowledge and worked
in groups to take their
designs and build their
own coasters!
You won’t believe
what they came up
with!

38. Students used vinyl tubing,
styrofoam tubing,
cardboard, rubber
bands, cups, and lots and
lots of tape to build
their creations.

39. Each group had a coaster name and competed for the
“Overall Best Coaster Award”, plus others like “Scariest
and Deadliest”, “Biggest Loop”, and “Best Use of
Technology”.

48. Overall Best Coaster Award!
“Rocketeer”

49. Six Flags Magic Mountain
Many students had never been to Six Flags before and
some had never been on a roller coaster before.
This what by far the favorite activity and was a great end
to the camp!

51. Thanks to the effort of many donors,
students were able to take a trip to
Six Flags Magic Mountain!
Bolliger & Mabillard is the world’s premiere
roller coaster design firm.
They are located in Switzerland and donated
to out trip!
“Partner to Education Award”