Curling

We're Mimi, Haley, Tara, and Lauren, and when we talk about curling, we don't mean hair! Curling, our favorite sport, involves sliding four heavy rocks down an icy surface at the center of a target. The team with the rock closest to the target's center scores a point. When we release the rock, we give it a bit of spin, so it curves a little, or "curls." This got us thinking: How does the spin we put on the rocks affect where they go?

How Would You Investigate This Question?
First, learn a little more about curling. What does the ice's surface look like? Is it smooth or bumpy, uphill or flat? How far away is the target and how big is it? What are the differences in brooms we use to sweep the ice? Once you've become a little more familiar with curling and its equipment, think about what tests you would devise to determine the most effective spin. Write your ideas in your notebook and discuss them with your classmates. Then discuss them with your teacher, watch the DragonflyTV video, or go to Curling to see what Mimi, Haley, Tara and Lauren did and what they leaned about the slippery art of curling.