Connecting Play and Wonder to STEM Thinking
See, Think and Wonder
Spark wonder conversations with your children! What do you notice and wonder?
Wonder: I wonder how many steps it would take to climb to the top of Kingda-Ka.
Observe and research: Need to find data on the Kingda Ka Rollercoaster
Notice and Gather Information: It is 456ft tall. If I knew the size of steps, I can figure out how many steps to the top of Kingda-ka.
Do the Math: Assuming each step is 1/2 ft, 2 steps/feet, it would be 912 steps. 456*2=912 steps
Explain & Evaluate: It would take 912 steps. That would be a lot of steps. If we were to increase the size steps to 10 inches, we can also revise our thinking.
Revise and Report: With larger steps of 10 inches, we could take 456*12inches=5472 inches. If we assumed the steps were 10 inches each, we would have about 547 steps up to Kingda Ka!
I also read that each step climbed burns 0.17 calories per stair climbed- so my next wondering is how many calories would I burn if I climbed the Kingda Ka?
| Park section | Golden Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°08′21.18″N74°26′11.39″WCoordinates: 40°08′21.18″N 74°26′11.39″W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | May 21, 2005 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Launched |
| Manufacturer | Intamin |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Accelerator Coaster |
| Track layout | Strata Coaster |
| Lift/launch system | Hydraulic launch |
| Height | 456 ft (139 m) |
| Drop | 418 ft (127 m) |
| Length | 3,118 ft (950 m) |
| Speed | 128 mph (206 km/h) |
| Duration | 0:28 |
| Max vertical angle | 90° |
| Capacity | 1,400 riders per hour |
| Acceleration | 0 to 128 mph (0 to 206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds |
| G-force | 5 |
| Height restriction | 54 in (137 cm) |
| Trains | Four trains, with five cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows (except for the last car), for a total of 18 riders per train. |
