Energy of Objects Inquiry Lesson

Learning Objectives: 1. Students can explain how energy is transferred in elastic collisions, and be able to explain how a Newtons Cradle works with this in mind. 2. Students can explain the motion of a pendulum, with regards to string length vs. period, and how height affects its motion. 3. Students should recognize the relationship between kinetic and potential energy, and how height is related to these concepts. 4. Students are able to explain how frictional forces work, and what factors affect them.

Assessment Criteria: 1. Students will be assessed through the first lab, involving a Newtons Cradle area of a lab report. 2. Students will be assessed through the second lab, involving a single pendulum area of a lab report. 3. Students will be assessed through the third lab, involving a water bucket area of a lab report. 4. Students will be assessed through the fourth lab, involving a frictional forces area of a lab report.

Content Standards: Next Generation Science Standards: MS-PS3 Energy -MS-PS3-a. Construct and interpret graphical displays to describe the relationships between the kinetic energy of an object and its mass, and between the kinetic energy of an object and its speed, in order to better define a real world problem.

Prior Knowledge: -Students have been introduced to the topics of kinetic and potential energy.

Prior misconceptions:

-Something can gain energy without the application of a force. -Potential energy is only related to height.

Instructional Strategies: I will being using lab stations to help teach my students. There will be a series of four different stations where students will explore the possibilities. They'll also be filling out a worksheet as they go, mainly just words. The point of the lab is to further their understanding of energy, not to understand the mathematics. Materials: Newton's Cradle Medium-sized Pendulum Glass of water Plastic tubing bucket Incline plane Wooden block preferably very smooth. Set-Up Needed: Materials to be in their designated areas. Instructional Resources Used: While I've seen some of these labs before, they're mainly just made up general ideas that promote an idea.

Time Required: Everything should be completed within the day, I'll introduce the topic off of Melissa's previous lesson and explain how we'll be working with these ideas. There shouldn't really be any questions from the students at this part, as we'll just be splitting them up into 4 different groups. Each group will be given roughly ten minutes at each lab group to work on the worksheet.

Instructional Sequence: Introduction: This lesson will focus on a series of labs for the students to do. There will be four labs that the students are supposed to accomplish. The four labs will revolve around: A Newtons Cradle, a pendulum, water in a bucket, and a friction lab. At the end there will not be

very much time, but mainly enough to finish up any questions, or have a short review of the labs. Body of Lesson: After a brief introduction of the labs, the instructions will mainly be written on their lab sheets, so there shouldnt be many questions, but if there are Ill answer them, and then have then begin the labs. As they are working through them, Ill be walking around making sure that they are working diligently, and answering any questions they might have. The four lessons are: Lab 1: This will consist of a Newton's Cradle, students will be worked through different scenarios, ranging from 1-4 different balls dropped from a given height to observe the reaction. Students will be asked questions for them to try and explain why the same amount of balls keep bounce back and forth, and if the how the pattern is repeated regardless of how it is started with little loss in energy. Likely questions: What would happen if you dropped two balls? Three? Range of guesses from 1 really high, to one less then dropped amount, to the same number. Will this continue forever? Yes. No. It looks like it. No, it is loosing energy. Lab 2: This area will consist of a single pendulum. Students will have a stop watch and the ability to adjust the length of the string. Students will then have questions related to how the different factors change the period of the swing, and where the amounts of potential and kinetic energy are distributed at different times. It's related to the bowling ball activity from the previous lessons' example. Likely questions: Does raising it higher make it have a longer period? What about shortening the string? Yes. No. Looks like it. Hard to tell. It goes a lot faster. Can you time it to see if theyre going faster? YAH! (and then they did) Lab 3: This is a slightly more entertaining lab area. It will consist of part way full glass of water on a table, with a bucket of water below. A tube will run from the glass to the bucket. At rest, there will be no motion, but after they apply suction, water will begin to flow, and if below the glass water level, will continue with no more suction. Students will be asked to explain how and why this occurs with relation to kinetic and potential energy. Likely questions: If I hold the middle part of the tube higher, will the water stop? Ya! It takes to much energy! Or No, as long as the opening is below the bucket. Why does the water continue to flow even after youre not pulling it through? Change in total energy. It wont. Things always go from a greater potential to a lower if they can.

Lab 4: This station will focus on the addition of friction as a force, vs gravity. Students will have an inclined plane, the will test how steep of an incline is required in order for the block to slide, and will be faced with question related to why it starts, what stops it, and what could be done with the block to change these factors. What factors affect friction? Coefficient of friction. Weight. Angle. Gravity. If I use a ball, does it still have friction on it? No, because it rolls down regardless. Yes, because it isnt sliding. Then well end lab by have the students more or less just finish up their lab reports. And if time permits, we can review the labs as a class, to make sure everyone got the main idea.

Cautions: Short of making sure we don't end up with a wet floor or splinters, there really aren't any dangers associated to these mini labs.

Rationale: The stations are small examples of complex subject material. They exhibit hard to understand concepts, and provide easier ways of understanding them. As long as I'm traveling among the groups maintaining order and making sure students stay on task, this lesson should overall be a fantastic way to better familiarize them with these concepts, as well as give them visuals to take with them, which for some of them, may end up being an invaluable resource.