Students in Chris Grayeski’s eighth grade science class used rolls of masking tape, reams of card stock, and a lot of ingenuity as they built roller coaster runs for marbles.

In teams of four, they competed to build the most structurally-sound roller coasters, while learning how to fight gravity using funnels, dips, turns, and loop-de-loops to create the longest runs. Students took on roles including planners, who led the creation; managers, who assisted in cutting paper, taping together pieces, and keeping the project moving; and folders, who carefully crafted each piece of the structure.

Grayeski said that academically, the project leads into lessons about potential and kinetic energy and Newton’s Laws of Motion while showcasing students’ individual personalities and building skills in teamwork.

The winning team included Maya Rydkyn, who said the element of success was tipping the funnel so the marble went back and forth, prolonging the run. The day before the timed runs, the team was racing to finish, testing runs and working right up until the last minute.

Their marble ran for 19 seconds, two seconds longer than the second-place team.

“It was a fun way to learn about gravity,” Rydkyn said, adding that her favorite part of the project was taking first place.