Physical Science 2012 – 2013

Lesson Plans

Teacher: Jason G

Date: 12/4-5/12 M T W Th F Duration: 2□ 50 min. 1□ 100 min. □ ____ min.
Unit: Forces and Motion
Lesson Topic: Newton’s Second law (Fnet=m*a)
Essential Question:How does the changing the mass of an object affect its motion? How does changing the force on an object change its motion?
Learning Target:Students should be able to deduce that mass and acceleration have a direct relationship.
Prior knowledge and connection:
Understanding of Newton’s first law. Free body diagrams. Graphing of velocity over time.
Language Learning Target:
Entry Task:
  1. Imagine a person exerting a force to push a VW beetle down the road. How would the force of the person change if they had a friend help them push the car at the same speed? What would happen to their force if they were pushing a Cadillac Escalade at that same speed?

Plan:
Day 1:
  1. Start with entry task and discuss.
  2. Show students the track/pulley/cart set up.

  1. Give students 10-15 minutes to explore the materials with the task of determining aindependent (manipulated) variable for their groups experiment.They should have at least 3 values for their variable(You should expect groups to choose to either change the mass of their cart or the mass that is being dropped)
  2. Spend the rest of class developing a procedure to use in our 100min. period.
  3. Each group will be measuring acceleration as their dependent (responding) variable.
Day 2:
  1. Have students use iPods to capture video or veneer probes to measure the motion of the cart as the weight is dropped.
  2. Students should analyze the data to create velocity over time graphs foreach value of their independent (manipulated) variable.
  3. Students write individual conclusions into their notebooks. They should focus on comparing the lines of graph to identify relationships between their independent variable and acceleration.
Day 3:
  1. Students whiteboard their experiments. Students should include a graph that has all three lines on the same coordinate grid and summarizing statement about the relationship they discovered. They should leave the activity with an understanding of the inverse relationship between mass and acceleration and the direct relationship between force and acceleration. Graphs will look similar to this;
  2. Lecture: Tell kids that not only is there a relationship, but it is predictable, constant, and linear relationship- Newton’s second law…Fnet=m*a
  3. Have students try using their accelerations (slope of their lines) and the masses of their carts to calculate the net force on the car. (You will need to find the mass of a cart for them if they haven’t already).

Equipment:
Pulleys and clamp, pasco carts and masses, 1m track, string, masses of varying size that can be hung from a string, motion detectors or video ipods, books to elevate track.
Exit Ticket:
  • Day1: What is your group’s independent (manipulated) variable for your experiment?
  • Day2: What is the relationship between your independent variable and acceleration? (Ten word or less)

Homework:
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Grade Level Standards (EALRs)

9-12 SYS A, B, C, and D / Systems: Predictability and Feedback
x / 9-12 INQ A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H / Inquiry: Conducting Analyses and Thinking Logically
9-12 APP A, B, C, D, E and F / Application: Science, Technology, and Society
x / 9-11 PS1 A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H / Force and Motion – Newton’s Laws
9-11 PS2 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and K / Matter: Properties and Change – Chemical Reactions
9-11 PS3 A, B, C, D and E / Energy: Transfer, Transformation, and Conservation
9-11 ES1 A and B / Earth in Space – Evolution of the Universe
9-11 ES2 A, B, C and D / Earth Systems, Structures, and Processes – Energy in Earth Systems
9-11 ES3 A, B, C and D / Earth History – Evolution of the Earth