Research Experience for Teachers (2015-2016)
Force, Motion and Speed
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Pre/Post Test: Pre-Test Post-Test |
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The Big Idea (including global relevance) In today’s society, we are exploring alternative energies to fuel cars. Force fueled by wind, magnetism, solar powered batteries etc. can be used to move cars. Cars are moved by a force and the amount of force can be calculated. Objects remain at rest unless a force acts on the object. Forces can be contact such as a push/pull or wind or non-contact like gravity or magnetism. Cars use many forces to move. However, our 5th grade standard explores one force as it acts upon an object. |
Essential Questions How do forces move objects? |
The Hook
The students will be presented with a 3 minute video on NASCAR races with pictures of traffic jams and demolition derby as the hook. The unit will start with a brainstorm on what they know about forces, the information will be gathered onto a large poster board to hang in classroom. Then the students will be presented with a slide and ask to identify what pictures they think represent forces, with a discussion on why they identified them as forces. The students will then be shown the videos. After the videos the students will be asked to identify questions that they now have about forces. Their questions will be written on poster board and hung up next to the brainstorm. |
The Challenge Create a vehicle that can travel a distance of at least 5m using one of the forces from the unit. |
Guiding Questions
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ACS (Real world applications; career connections; societal impact)
Forces move objects, objects remain at rest until a force acts upon them. Anything that moves is being moved by a force or combination of forces; cars, books falling of desk, trees blowing in wind.
Students will be constructing cars made of alternative energy sources; wind, magnetisms, springs, gravity. The student will need to work in groups of three, learning to work as a team. Student will need to use items from their homes showing resourcefulness and creativity.
Civil, mechanical and environmental engineers. The students will each look up one type of engineer and work in a group to present a job description.
Misconceptions
- Non contact forces being able to move objects. Students cannot conceptualize something that does not have direct contact affecting an object.
- Force is required to keep an object in motion.
- Gravity only acts on falling objects. Students struggle with the concept that gravity holds objects down. Gravity makes objects fall to Earth and keeps them on the surface.
Unit Lessons and Activities
- Lesson 1: Forces and How They Move Objects Students will learn the forces that move objects that are at rest. All objects will remain at rest unless a force acts upon them. The forces are contact push, pull, wind, spring, buoyance and non-contact gravity, magnetism and electrostatic.
- Activity 1: Introduction to the Big Idea, Generating the Essential Question and Guiding question to defining what the Challenge will be. The students will watch a video on NASCAR crashes as the hook. Day 1 and 2
- Activity 2: Force lab with 8 stations of different forces to identify. Day 3
- Lesson 2: Lessons and Labs on Gravity, Mass and Speed Student will learn the basic concept of gravity as it affects motion. Student will learn that gravity hold things on earth along with bring things down to earth. They will then move on the more mass an object has the more gravitational pull therefore the more force needed to move the object. The students will then measure speed by calculating time over distance. They will learn that an object with more speed has more force.
- Activity 3: Ramp Lap exploring mass and speed as it applies to force- Day 8
- Activity 4: The Challenge- intro day 9, worksheet day 10, 11 and 12, present 13, redesign 14
- Evidence of CBL: Lesson 1 Activity 1, Lesson 2 Activity 4.
- Evidence of EDP: Lesson 2 Activity 4.
Additional Resources