Problem-Based Learning
/FXUPOhT$PVODJM
.JEEMF4DIPPM
1IZTJDBMScience
SC11606
Page 2 of 16
Newton's Council
Middle School
Physical Science
Overview
You are a member of Newton's Council, and
the Prime Minister of Earth has just given
you a new assignment!
Students will explore concepts related to
motion and stability.
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 3 of 16
Newton's Council
Table of Contents
PBL Problem Guide
4
PBL Resources
5
Student Problem
6
Key Facts
7
Need to Knows/Learning Issues
8
Additional Information
9
Hypotheses
12
Learning Issue Resource Guide
13
Final Product/Writing Guide
14
Rubric
15
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 4 of 16
Newton's Council
PBL Problem Guide
Timeframe
This lesson plan will take
approximately 4 hours.
Step-by-step guide
• Put students into teams of three to five
members.
• Ask for a volunteer to read the STUDENT
PROBLEM aloud [page 6].
F OR FACILITAT OR USE ONLY
• Provide ADDITIONAL INFORMATION for NEED
TO KNOWS, allow teams to research LEARNING
ISSUES [pages 9, 10 & 13].
• Teams re-evaluate POSSIBLE HYPOTHESES
[page 12] and determine one DEFENDABLE
SOLUTION for Final Product [page 14].
• Teams create and present DEFENDABLE
SOLUTION and individual students write
ACTION PLAN [page 14].
• As a whole group, ask students to list What We
Know [FACTS, page 7].
• Have each team create a list of What We Need
to Know [NEED TO KNOWS & LEARNING
ISSUES, page 8].
• Have each team begin a list of POSSIBLE
HYPOTHESES [page 12].
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 5 of 16
Newton's Council
PBL Resources
F OR FACILITAT OR USE ONLY
Resources provided
Resources to assemble
Included with this case are:
You may wish to assemble the following
resources ahead of time:
• The Science ChannelTM: Laws of
Motion website
• Make Me GeniusTM: Laws of
Motion website
• Sir Isaac Newton: Using the Laws of
Motion to Solve Problems by Kerri
O'Donnell
• Eyewitness: Force & Motion by Peter
Lafferty
• Physics textbooks
• Calculators
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 6 of 16
Newton's Council
Student Problem
FOR ST UDENT USE
It is the year 2075. You are a member of Newton's Council on Earth Travel. Flying cars are now a
reality - but without roads to guide traffic, accidents have increased 500% since the year 2000. Also,
since cars fly hundreds of feet off of the ground, traffic fatalities occur in 90% of accidents.
The Prime Minister of Earth has proposed outlawing flying cars. Instead, she wishes to design an
infrastructure of tracks on which all vehicles would operate. The Minister for the Department of
Travel disagrees - he believes that flying cars simply need new safety features!
Your council has been asked to file a report for both proposals.
Consider:
• What are your initial thoughts?
• What other information would you
like to have?
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 7 of 16
Newton's Council
Key Facts
F OR FACILITAT OR USE ONLY
• It is the year 2075.
• You are a member of Newton's Council
on Earth Travel.
• Flying cars are now a reality.
• Without roads to guide traffic, accidents have
increased 500% since the year 2000.
• Traffic fatalities occur in 90% of accidents.
• The Prime Minister of Earth wants to outlaw
flying cars and design an infrastructure of
tracks on which all vehicles would operate.
• The Minister for the Department of Travel
disagrees - he believes that flying cars simply
need new safety features.
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 8 of 16
Newton's Council
Need-to-knows / Learning Issues
F OR FACILITAT OR USE ONLY
NEED TO KNOWS
NEED TO KNOW ANSWERS
• What, specifically, is the Prime Minister
of Earth's proposal?
• Provide teams with the Additional
Information for Students, pages 9 & 10.
• What, specifically, is the Minister for
the Department of Travel's proposal?
LEARNING ISSUES
LEARNING ISSUE RESOURCES
• Would collisions be less dangerous on tracks?
• Students will investigate using the Learning
Issue Resource Guide, page 13.
• How could we make flying cars safer?
• What are Newton's Laws of Motion?
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 9 of 16
Newton's Council
Additional Information
FOR ST UDENT USE
Prime Minister of Earth's Proposal:
"Flying cars are too dangerous! What we need are tracks along which our vehicles can travel - that way,
cars can't crash into each other. I propose that we build tracks between all major cities on Earth. Cars can
hook onto the track and I think we could safely allow them to travel at 150 mph. I guess at intersections
they could slow down to 50 mph. How bad could a crash be at that speed?
I guess I haven't worked out all the details. However, our Newton's Council on Earth Travel studies all
things related to motion, and they are working hard on a report! I know they can solve our traffic
problems by designing a system of tracks."
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 10 of 16
Newton's Council
Additional Information
FOR ST UDENT USE
Minister for the Department of Travel's Proposal:
"Flying cars can be perfectly safe with the right safety precautions! They just need some kind of force
field to surround them that prevents other cars from hitting them. Perhaps some kind of wrapping to
reduce the impact would work?
I suppose I haven't worked out all the details either, but our Newton's Council on Earth Travel studies
all things related to motion, and they are working hard on a report! I know they can solve our traffic
problems by making flying cars safer!"
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 11 of 16
Newton's Council
Additional Information
F OR FACILITAT OR USE ONLY
Present teams with the Student Problem, page
6. Teams will list facts and need to knows.
Ensure that each team asks what each proposal
contains.
Teams may support the Prime Minister of
Earth's proposal. They must suggest
possible speed limits and address how to
regulate intersections.
Provide teams with each proposal. After reading
the proposals, teams will be ready to research
Learning Issues related to forces and
interactions.
Teams may support the Minister for the
Department of Travel's proposal. They must
make safety feature recommendations.
Provide resources listed on the Learning Issue
Resource Guide, page 13. Teams should now
decide whose proposal they will support and
begin to generate hypotheses.
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 12 of 16
Newton's Council
Hypotheses
F OR FACILITAT OR USE ONLY
• Hypotheses will vary by the
recommendations that teams make for
suggested speed limits and how to
address intersections if they support the
Prime Minister of Earth's proposal.
• Hypotheses will vary by safety feature
recommendations if they support the
Minister for the Department of Travel's
proposal.
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 13 of 16
Newton's Council
Learning Issue Resource Guide
F OR FACILITAT OR USE ONLY
WEBSITES
TEXT RESOURCES
The Science ChannelTM: Laws of Motion
Sir Isaac Newton: Using the Laws of Motion to
Solve Problems by Kerri O'Donnell
www.sciencechannel.com/gamesand-interactives/newtons-lawsof-motion-interactive.htm
Eyewitness: Force & Motion by Peter Lafferty
Physics textbooks
Make Me GeniusTM: Laws of Motion
www.makemegenius.com/
video_play.php?id=175&type=0
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 14 of 16
Newton's Council
Final Product and Writing Guide
F OR FACILITAT OR USE ONLY
Team
Individual
• Each team will make a presentation to the
ministers stating which proposal they
endorse and provide supporting evidence.
• Each student will write a report to be
released to the public outlining the problem,
both proposals, and the proposal they
endorsed with an overview of their findings.
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 15 of 16
Newton's Council
Rubric
AREA
Final Product
Writing
Assessment
Collaboration
F OR FACILITAT OR USE ONLY
AVERAGE
Two points each
ABOVE AVERAGE
Three points each
BELOW AVERAGE
One point each
NO EVIDENCE
Zero points each
• All Learning Issues
addressed
• Three or more hypotheses
present
• High quality final product
• Most Learning Issues
addressed
• Two hypotheses present
• Roles somewhat defined
• Fair quality final product
• Few learning issues
addressed
• One hypothesis present
• Low quality final product
• No learning issues
addressed
• No hypotheses present
• No final product
• Problem Summary,
Learning Issues/New
Information Integrated
well presented
• Hypotheses well
presented
• Solution and Defense
well presented
• Problem Summary,
Learning Issues/New
Information Integrated
presented
• Hypotheses presented
• Solution and Defense
presented
• Problem Summary,
Learning Issues/New
Information Integrated
poorly presented
• Hypotheses poorly
presented
• Solution and Defense
poorly presented
• Problem Summary,
Learning Issues/New
Information Integrated
not presented
• Hypotheses not
presented
• Solution and Defense not
presented
• Individual does not work
well with group members
• Individual does not
communicate well with
group members
• Individual attempts but
fails to carry out their
individual responsibilities
• Individual interferes with
group members
• Individual does not
communicate at all
• Individual does not
attempt to carry out their
individual responsibilities
• Individual works well with • Individual works
group members
acceptably with group
members
• Individual communicates
well with group members • Individual communicates
acceptably with group
• Individual carries out their
individual responsibilities • Individual mostly carries
out their individual
responsibilities
24 – 27 Points = Above Average
15 – 23 = Average
6 – 14 = Below Average
0 – 6 = Failing
POINTS
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
Page 16 of 16
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Problem-Based Learning
Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning
provides essential case studies to K–12 teachers across the
United States. Access useful and easy-to implement case
studies on Math, English Language and other STEM topics
online at www.wakeproblembasedlearning.com.
Problem Based Learning
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem, NC 27157
336-713-7723