It’s not often that students get to spend a school day riding rollercoasters at an amusement park. But for around 1,900 Calgary high school students, that’s exactly what they did on Friday for a physics and science day – a hands-on lesson featuring rollercoasters and other rides.
The event is part of a partnership between Calaway Park, located just west of Calgary, and the University of Calgary, that gives students a chance to earn a mini degree in “rollercoasterology.”
“We wrote (a) curriculum on physics and science, workbooks, that students can use to mix science and physics and fun all in one day,” said Bob Williams, the general manager of Calaway Park.
The booklet is filled with questions based on rides in the park, with students needing to use their skills in math, science, and physics to get the answers.
“Our rollercoaster, the vortex rollercoaster, when you go up the chain and the chain releases you, you are gravity fed. There’s no engine driving the coaster. So, it’s all based on physics that is does the two loops where you go upside down and then come into the station where it brakes. That’s all gravity and that’s physics,” explained Williams.
“I feel that’s a real good way to show that the stuff that we learn in school is very applicable in everyday life,” said Zana, one of the students at the park.
The science and physics day at Calaway Park has been running for over 10 years.
