Science+Lessons

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 * Three Physical Science lessons. All relate and show physical science concepts at work during sports activities. The three titles are: **
 * Curling and Newton's Laws
 * Figure Skating: Jumping and Spinning
 * Ski Jumping: Lift and Drag


 * __State Education Standards:__ **
 * All three physical science lessons concern motion in some form. The individual lessons involve the concepts of gravity, drag, friction, lift, and angular momentum. For the sake of conciseness, the following standards apply to the lessons: **
 * 11.A.3a ** Formulate hypotheses that can be tested by collecting data.
 * 11.A.3b ** Conduct scientific experiments that control all but one variable.
 * 11.A.3c ** Collect and record data accurately using consistent measuring and recording techniques and media.
 * 11.A.3e ** Use data manipulation tools and quantitative (e.g., mean, mode, simple equations) and representational methods (e.g., simulations, image processing) to analyze measurements.
 * 11.A.3f ** Interpret and represent results of analysis to produce findings.
 * 11.A.3g ** Report and display the process and results of a scientific investigation.
 * 12.D.3a ** Explain and demonstrate how forces affect motion (e.g., action/reaction, equilibrium conditions, free-falling objects).
 * 12.D.3b ** Explain the factors that affect the gravitational forces on objects (e.g., changes in mass, distance).

Curling and Newton’s laws
2. **** Objective: ** understand laws of motion, energy and friction
 * 1. Anticipatory Set: **
 * Just about everything moves. And just about everything will stop moving. How does that happen? It takes some force, some energy, to start something moving. If we were in the vacuum of deep outer space and we pushed something, it might go for millions of miles for millions of years. But on earth things like gravity, friction, and other objects slow, stop or change some things’ direction. **
 * 1) ** Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. **
 * 2) ** The relationship between an object's mass **//** m **//**, its acceleration a, and the applied force **//** F **//** is **//** F = ma **//** . Acceleration and force are vectors (as indicated by their symbols being displayed in slant bold font); in this law the direction of the force vector is the same as the direction of the acceleration vector. **
 * 3) ** For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. **

(see description above)
 * 3. **** Standard: **
 * 4. **** Guided Practice: **
 * Explain the laws of motion
 * Explain friction
 * Explain, the obvious concept of objects hitting each other
 * Explain the sport of curling
 * show a short video about curling
 * @http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/olympics/curling.js
 * media type="custom" key="5684081"
 * compare it to pool (billiards), shuffleboard, croquet
 * explain the lab, using pennies instead of stones, and the table top instead of ice
 * develop a set of hypothesis that the students will test
 * Friction will be high, so less energy to move the coins
 * The distance traveled by two coins (one collides with the other) will be equal to one coin
 * etc.
 * do one session of the lab, show the setup, the movement, and recording the results

6. **** Adaptations: ** 7. **** Closure: - ** finish the anticipatory set 8. **** Homework: **
 * 5. Independent Practice **
 * have the students do the lab in teams of 3 or 4 people
 * roles are, and rotate every 5-10 minutes.
 * recorder of information
 * measurer of distance
 * pusher or coins
 * observer
 * insure and assess (formative assessment) that the students are
 * recording results, and understand their results
 * can explain the force of friction
 * can explain how all three of newton’s law apply
 * can relate the movement of the coins to curling or another game
 * gifted students
 * Expand the type, size (both mass and width) of the coins, as well as the force applied. Therefore, have more complex graphing and math work.
 * Expand the conclusions reached about friction over coin size.
 * Expand the conclusions about multiple coin hits, and conservation of energy.
 * reading and writing challenges
 * the lab instructions are pretty simple, but pictures of how to perform all the setup, and performing the tests are provided.
 * learning disabilities and challenges
 * Depending on the disability, some students may not be able to fill all roles
 * If unable to perform, then change the job rotation and have them perform the same job more than once.
 * behavior problems
 * This lab is very similar to games that students play (waste time with) at school. So the threat is to impress on the behavior problem students that they are in charge of making sure things run smoothly, and their grades and other students grades will suffer.
 * The other side is making it fun. Tell them that they have to show the teacher how well they are able to perform the different tasks, and even to make them better at playing the game.
 * 1) how do things start moving – force applied
 * 2) how and why do things slowly stop moving? – friction
 * 3) how to things hit other things and transfer their energy? – reactions
 * reinforcement: comparing the forces of nature to other sports activities, such as sledding, or baseball, or football, etc.
 * List the other sport activity. What laws or concepts apply and how. How are they similar? How are they different?

Figure Skating: Jumping and Spinning
2) **** Objective: ** understand laws of motion: angular momentum 3) **** Standard: ** from the state list of standards (see description above) 4) **** Guided Practice: **
 * 1) **** Anticipatory Set: **
 * How do they spin? How do they not get dizzy? How do they control that speed when they’re a skate tip on the ice? There are laws of motion that the skaters use to control there spinning and jumping, call angular motion laws **

5) **** Independent Practice: **
 * explain the concept of angular momentum.
 * show the video
 * explain the lab
 * develop some hypothesis
 * demonstrate the physical part of the lab
 * demonstrate the observation and data recording parts of the lab
 * demonstrate the analysis part of the lab
 * students make and use spinning tops, of different diameters and masses to compare angular momentum.
 * have a small set of toy tops avalable
 * students make tops using golf pencils heavy cardboard
 * measure, distance and mass of all the tops
 * start spinning, measuring the rate and length of spin of the different tops
 * record the information on what is observed
 * exchange the information with at least two other groups,
 * graph the information, have at least nine examples of the tops
 * answer the lab questions
 * what is observed in the spinning of the different tops, which top spins faster, slower
 * What does the graphed results show
 * How do the results of the top differ from the hypothesis?

7) **** Closure: ** Review Anticipatory Set information and compare it to the hypothesis created and the results recorded and analyzed.
 * 6) **** Adaptations: **
 * gifted students
 * Expand the number and types of tops. Therefore, have more complex graphing and math work.
 * IF not too dangerous, have they students spin someone in a spinnable desk chair, moving their arms in and out as a skater
 * repeat with different people, record results, graph
 * reading and writing challenges
 * the lab instructions are pretty simple, but pictures of how to perform all the setup, and performing the tests are provided.
 * learning disabilities and challenges
 * Depending on the disability, some students may not be able to fill all roles
 * If unable to perform, then change the job rotation and have them perform the same job more than once.
 * behavior problems
 * Tops are seen as toys. Put them in charge of tops, making sure that they know they are responsible for the proper use and safe return of the tops
 * The carrot is to challenge them to make the best possible top. Have them show their top making, and spinning abilities.


 * 8) **** Homework: **
 * Find five other things or objects that rotate or spin.
 * Describe how angular momentum affects their spinning or rotating.
 * For two of the things write a hypothesis that can be tested in an experiment to determine if the things or objects follow the rules of angular momentum.

Ski Jumping and Lift and Drag
How far do sky jumpers fly? (Two football fields. How are fast are they going when they leave the ramp? 60 MPH. How do they get going so fast, going as fast as possible, and then fly off and use their bodies to lift them up and travel as far as possible. So today, gravity helps get speed, but pulls you to the ground. And lift helps keep you in the air. And drag, slows you down on the ground and in the air.
 * 1) **** Anticipatory Set: **

3) **** Standard: ** (see standards above) 4) **** Guided Practice: **
 * 2) **** Objective: ** understand the way the forces of gravity, drag, and lift help and hinder a ski jumper
 * explain the three physical concepts of gravity, lift, and drag
 * show the video
 * further explain during and after the video the concepts of gravity, lift, and drag
 * explain the lab
 * develop some hypothesis with the class
 * demonstrate the physical part of the lab
 * demonstrate the observation and data recording parts of the lab
 * demonstrate the analysis part of the lab

6) **** Adaptations: **
 * 5) **** Independent Practice: **
 * material
 * multiple ramps or inclined planes with lips
 * multiple wheeled sleds (such as hot wheel cars)
 * heavy construction paper
 * stop watches
 * meter sticks
 * graph paper
 * pencils
 * measure the rate that different sleds (hot wheels) move down the track
 * record the speed (actually travel time) of the cars
 * Build wings, good and bad
 * measure with no wings
 * measure with good and bad wings
 * record results
 * Fly the cars off the ramp with best wing design
 * record results
 * compare results with other teams
 * graph, and make conclusions based on hypothesis

7) **** Closure: - ** finish the anticipatory set
 * high level gifted
 * develop additional hypothesis about trade off between ramp speed/drag and flying speed/lift
 * develop many different wings. allow using different size pieces of cardboard or cards
 * develop multiple tries with each configuration
 * extend their graph and hypothesis to other aerodynamic principles
 * special reading and writing challenges,
 * the writing and reading is focused around visual images or physical objects.
 * Refer to those images and objects with writing and reading.
 * word bank (with and without definitions) included, with and without definitions to assisting in writing.
 * learning disabilities and challenges
 * use pictures, videos, and physical objects to explain the concepts and lab
 * reduce the complexity of the assignment, to understanding the concepts, but not needing to know the underlying math or specific laws of physics
 * behavior problems
 * give each team member a clear and explicit task or set of steps to accomplish
 * clearly state that this is an experiment, not play time!
 * use peer pressure, but explicit from other students and explicit responsibilities from teacher
 * explain that after experiment is complete, then play time can happen, so
 * How far did the cars fly?
 * How are fast were cars going at the ramp?
 * How did the hypothesis compare to the observed results.
 * What are the trade-offs between gaining speed down the ramp and flying when considering drag?


 * 8) **** Homework: **

Watch and observe birds. Look up pictures of different birds, including flightless birds. Answer the following questions for __**two**__ types of birds
 * What sort of flying or movement does the bird do?
 * What are the drag considerations for the bird's normal activities?
 * How is are their body designs suited to their type of movement?