The ski ramp should be safely secured at about a 45 degree angle.They agree on materials they will need, write/draw their plan, and present their plan to the class. Students meet and develop a plan for their skier.If they are struggling, ask questions that will lead them to a solution quicker.

(Give students regular “time checks” so they stay on task. Use a timer or an on-line stopwatch (count down feature) to ensure you keep on time.Announce the amount of time they have to design and build (25 minutes recommended).They will then choose the one which they think will achieve the goal of reaching the bottom of the ski ramp first. Explain to students that they will be designing two skiers using the provided materials.Provide each team with their materials.Instruct students to start brainstorming and sketching their designs.Review the Engineering Design Process, Design Challenge, Criteria, Constraints and Materials.Present the NBC News Learn’s Downhill Science of Alpine Skiing Video so students can learn about the forces that impact skiing and then lead a discussion about what the students learned from the video.Give examples of how these terms apply in your classroom. Review the various concepts, especially friction and force. Discuss the topics in the Background Concepts Section.Hand out some sheets of paper for sketching designs.

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