It’s a new year, and 8th-grade PBL projects are close to an end. Decorations are in progress, along with finishing the build. March 16th is the date for the Knott’s Berry farm trip on their physics day. (5 groups from each school will be chosen to compete in the competition that will decide who created the best roller coaster or best design that follows the criteria.)

To win the technical award, you must have the highest technical merit score. Technical merit score is measured by (vertical drop in cm) X (# Vertical loops) X ( time of travel in seconds). To increase your technical merit you can add loops or use stuff like funnels or corkscrews to add more time to the build. In science class, you get graded on your technical merit. You need to get a technical merit of 2400 to get an A. Everyone will be going on the Knott’s berry farm trip, but only the students who got the highest technical merit score and have a working roller coaster will be competing and will bring their roller coasters with them. There are also many things you can get disqualified for. For example, if the roller coaster is more than 85 cm tall, you can get disqualified, or if any part of the roller coaster goes out of the board, you will also get eliminated. The judging will take place at Charles M. Schultz Theatre and you will be given 10 minutes to alter or prepare your roller coaster before being judged.

So if you are in Magnet 8th grade good luck with these projects, and if you are in 7th or 6th grade you have something to look forward to next year.