Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 51003
Linear Motion
The lesson explores ways for students to describe linear motion and investigate relationships between the velocity, acceleration, and the concepts
of vector/scalar quantities.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: LCD Projector
Instructional Time: 1 Hour(s) 40 Minute(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: velocity, speed, distance, displacement, acceleration, potential energy, kinetic energy, 2-dimension,
coordinate system.
Resource Collection: CPALMS Lesson Plan Development Initiative
ATTACHMENTS
Linear Motion Unit Guide.docx
Linear Motion Lab Data Charts.docx
Linear Motion Dry Lab.docx
Linear Motion Grading Rubrics.docx
Linear Motion Lab Activity.docx
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
Students will learn to measure distance and determine slope from a given chart.
Students will learn to plot velocity time graphs from the collected data.
Students will learn how to determine the relationship between changes in velocity and time.
Students will be able to connect lab motion exercises to real life situations.
Students will understand the relationship between distance, velocity and acceleration.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Students should be familiar with the following before this lesson:
the SI units of measurement for length and time.
identifying dependent and independent variables.
x and y coordinate systems.
calculating slope of a straight line.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
1. How can we quantify the motion of a graph?
page 1 of 4 2. How important is a reference point when describing motion?
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
1. The lesson begins with probing questions written in formative assessment section of template.
(See Formative Assessment)
2. Introduce the concept of change in position: moving from one point to another.
3. Teacher explains change in velocity using the idea of a car as an example of change in speed and direction.
The teacher explains the concept of:
Rate of change of displacement with time as velocity and rate of change of velocity with time as acceleration. (Rate is ratio between two quantities like distance
and time)
If you move from one position to another you have a change of displacementDisplacement is distance (separation) + direction. Therefore if you leave your house to school and return home there is no change in position or displacement
but you have traveled some distances to and fro)
Introduce concept of direction, vector and scalar quantities.
Vector is a quantity that has a magnitude (size) and direction, so displacement and velocity are vector quantities.
Scalar is a quantity that has magnitude (size) only - hence distance and speed are scalar quantities.
Linear Motion - Unit Guide.docx
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
Modeling on White boarding: Dry-Lab
See attached worksheet
Linear Motion - Dry Lab.docx
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
Practice:
In Lab groups students will conduct investigations to determine velocity and acceleration.
Using the lab hand-out students will explore the various ways of determining the velocity and acceleration.
See attached worksheets
Linear Motion - Lab Activity.docx
Linear Motion Lab Data Charts.docx
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
Formal Lab report using the scientific method:
Problem statement- in form of a question
Hypothesis - in form of 'If I measure the position of the car at various time intervals, then I can determine the velocity and acceleration respectively.'
Materials- listed and with diagrams of set up where applicable
Procedure - in reported speech to show how student carried out the investigations
Data - in form of a chart with appropriate units
Data Analysis - calculation of velocity = change in position/time; slope of position time graph; acceleration = change in velocity with time including units; slope of
velocity-time graph
Sources of Error: incorrect reading of measuring instruments; incorrect graphing
Results
Conclusion
Safety Precautions
Suggestions for improving the lab
How is data collection affected (sources of error)?
Students will suggest ways of improving the lab, based on % error recorded on their report i.e. improvement on parallax errors in reading instruments;
measuring to precision of instrument, significant figure, safety precautions etc.
Summative Assessment
Each group will submit a detailed lab report showing their calculations, analysis, and conclusion. (See attached file for grading rubrics for both dry-lab (presentation on
white board) and wet-lab (lab activity).
Linear Motion - Grading Rubrics.docx
Formative Assessment
The teacher will ask the students the following questions at the beginning of the lesson:
1. How do you know something is moving? ( When an object changes position).
2. What is motion? (Motion is change in position of an object from one place to another - Example: Moving from your house to school).
3. Have you ever heard of the term speed and velocity? What are the differences between the two? (Speed is distance traveled in a given time - the speedometer
page 2 of 4 in your parents car record speed; Velocity is rate of change of displacement with time-velocity is speed + direction (Speedometer + GPS).
4. Can you distinguish position and distance? (Position is with respect to a given point - Distance is separation between two positions or points or objects).
5. What is acceleration? (Acceleration is change in velocity with time.)
6. Where have you observed acceleration? (Answers will vary - When your car changes speed it will most likely accelerate)
7. Is a frame of reference important? (It is to give the starting point or stopping point in a motion.)
List instances where you have observed things moving and accelerating.
Class activity
During the lesson students will develop motion graphs and share with group on white boards.
Students then present their modeled map in class.
Feedback to Students
The teacher will provide feedback to the introductory questions and stimulate new ones.
Students will then divide into groups and complete the dry lab (see attached document) and the lab activity.
The teacher will circulate among the groups to check for understanding and correct practices.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Identify students' abilities: Gifted Students; special needs students
Group students with mixed ability levels
Safety precautions (link to safety links)
Extensions:
Gizmos activities concerning linear motion (Gizmos is a paid subscription but has a 5-days free trial period) www.explorelearning.com
Word problems concerning linear motion may be assigned from textbook or on-line.
Suggested Technology: LCD Projector
Special Materials Needed:
Worksheets, meter stick, stop watch, buggy or toy car, masking tape.
Additional Information/Instructions
By Author/Submitter
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Taiwo AdeifeOsemeikhian
Name of Author/Source: Taiwo AdeifeOsemeikhian
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Miami-Dade
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
Description
Distinguish between scalar and vector quantities and assess which should be used to describe an event.
Remarks/Examples:
SC.912.P.12.1:
Distinguish between vector quantities (e.g., displacement, velocity, acceleration, force, and linear momentum) and
scalar quantities (e.g., distance, speed, energy, mass, work).
MAFS.912.N-VM.1.3 (+) Solve problems involving velocity and other quantities that can be represented by
page 3 of 4 vectors.
Analyze the motion of an object in terms of its position, velocity, and acceleration (with respect to a frame of
reference) as functions of time.
Remarks/Examples:
SC.912.P.12.2:
LAFS.1112.RST.2.4:
Solve problems involving distance, velocity, speed, and acceleration. Create and interpret graphs of 1-dimensional
motion, such as position versus time, distance versus time, speed versus time, velocity versus time, and
acceleration versus time where acceleration is constant.
Florida Standards Connections: MAFS.912.N-VM.1.3 (+) Solve problems involving velocity and other quantities that
can be represented by vectors.
Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a
specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 11–12 texts and topics.
page 4 of 4