Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 28701
Picture This!
This is a short unit plan that covers position/time and velocity/time graphs. Students are provided with new material on both topics, will have practice
worksheets, and group activities to develop an understanding of motion graphs.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera,
Computers for Students, Internet Connection, Basic
Calculators, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Acrobat Reader
Instructional Time: 3 Hour(s) 45 Minute(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: displacement, velocity, acceleration, graphs, slope, position/time graph, velocity/time graph
Instructional Design Framework(s): Direct Instruction, Confirmation Inquiry (Level 1), Learning Cycle (e.g., 5E),
Cooperative Learning
Resource Collection: CPALMS Lesson Plan Development Initiative
ATTACHMENTS
2. Qualitative Graphs and Practice Problems.pdf
4. Day 2 group assignment.doc
5. Displacement and Velocity Activity.doc
7. Contents of a lab report.doc
1. Position vs time graphs teacher notes.doc
3. Velocity vs time graphs teacher notes.doc
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: Learning Cycle (5E Model)
Learning Objectives: What will students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
Objectives for Day 1: Position vs Time Graphs
1. Students will be able to understand that displacement is change in position and requires a reference point.
2. Students will be able to determine when displacement is a positive or negative value.
3. Students will be able to accurately plot position/time data from a chart on a graph.
4. Students will be able to determine positive and negative displacement from a given position vs. time graph.
5. Students will be able to plot a position vs. time graph from a written scenario.
6. Students will be able to determine the slope of a line on a position vs. time graph, and understand that the value is equivalent to average velocity.
7. Students will be able to plot the average velocity values calculated from slope on a corresponding velocity vs. time graph.
8. Students will understand that the area bound by a velocity curve and the x axis is equal to the displacement of an object during that time period.
Objectives for Day 2: Velocity vs Time Graphs
1. Students will be able to determine when velocity is a positive or negative value.
2. Students will be able to accurately plot velocity/time data from a chart on a graph.
3. Students will be able to determine positive and negative velocity from a given velocity vs. time graph.
page 1 of 5 4. Students will be able to plot a velocity vs. time graph from a written scenario.
5. Students will be able to determine the slope of a line on a velocity vs. time graph, and understand that the value is equivalent to average acceleration.
Objectives for Day 3: Velocity Lab
1. Be able to use the language and instruments of science to collect, organize, interpret, calculate, and communicate information.
2. Be able to carry out scientific investigations effectively and employ instruments, systems of measurement, and materials appropriately.
3. Be able to determine relationships between displacement, velocity, and acceleration and develop a mathematical model to describe them.
4. Be able to accurately analyze data through equations and motion graphs.
Additional Benchmarks Associated with this Lesson
MAFS.912.A-CED.1.2 Create equations in two or move variables to represent relationships between
SC.912.N.1.1 Define a problem based on a specific body of knowledge and do the following:
1. pose questions
2. conduct observations
3. review what is known
4. plan investigations
5. use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data
6. pose answers, explanations, or descriptions of events
7. generate explanations
8. communicate results
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Prior knowledge will be assessed before the introduction of new material through teacher questioning.
Students must have an understanding of the following (specific questions and answers are included on attached daily lesson plans):
Be able to define and give examples of scalar and vector quantities
Define vocabulary terms from 1 dimensional motion
Understand the meaning of negative values for displacement and velocity
Use graphing techniques including the calculation of slope
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
Day 1: Position vs. Time Graphs
1. What is a reference point, and how can it be depicted on a graph?
2. How would positive and negative displacement be shown on a graph?
3. How can you determine what the slope of a line means by looking at the units of your graph?
4. How can you graph a corresponding velocity graph?
Day 2: Velocity vs Time Graphs
1. What's the difference between a position graph and a velocity graph?
2. How can you determine the direction of motion when looking at a velocity graph?
3. How can you graph a corresponding position graph?
Day 3: Lab Activity
1. As a ball rolls down an incline, is displacement a constant value (does it cover the same distance in each time interval?)
2. As a ball rolls down an incline, is the velocity constant?
3. As the ball rolls down the incline, what would a velocity vs time graph look like?
4. During the time from when the ball reaches the bottom of the ramp and is allowed to roll across a level floor (assuming friction is negligible, would its velocity be
constant? How would this look on a velocity vs time graph? For the ball?
Engage: What object, event, or questions will the teacher use to trigger the students' curiosity and engage them in the concepts?
To start the lesson, students will be in small groups. They will be given several scenarios each with a selection of motion graphs, and will have to determine which
graph correctly represents the activity. These problems will be put up on the screen and each group will have to defend their choice is the correct answer.
Explore: What will the students do to explore the concepts and skills being developed through the lesson?
Working in small groups, students will complete practice problems after the presentation of new material.
Each group will design its own motion problem then construct the correct graphs and develop questions to present to the rest of the class.
Students will view a short video clip as an introduction to the lab activity which will allow them to answer the prediction questions on their lab sheet.
Students will perform a lab activity in small groups.
They will determine the velocity of a car rolling down a ramp and along a level surface. From their collected data, they will construct position and velocity graphs and
write a lab report to explain and discuss their results.
Explain: What will the students and teacher do so students have opportunities to clarify their ideas, reach a conclusion or
generalization, and communicate what they know to others?
By working in small groups, students are able to discuss and explain their reasoning to their peers.
Developing their own problems and presenting them to the class along with a questioning session, students are able to communicate what they know to others.
During the lab, students are given the opportunity to apply what they have learned to a real-life, hands-on problem and elaborate on their results in their lab report.
Elaborate: What will the students do to apply their conceptual understanding and skills to solve a problem, make a decision,
perform a task, or make sense of new knowledge?
The lab activity will give students the opportunity to apply their conceptual understanding to a hands-on problem. They will perform the task of measuring, recording,
analyzing, and graphing data and discuss their findings in their lab report.
Summative Assessment
page 2 of 5 A short quiz will be given to students on days 2 and 3 to evaluate understanding of previous day's topic. Questions are included on daily lesson plans which are found
with the uploaded documents.
The lab report will be graded according to the rubric included in the day 2 document.
Formative Assessment
To evaluate prior knowledge before the lesson:
1. The teacher will briefly review the topics of scalar vs. vector quantities, graphing, and calculating slope of a linear graph. Questions are listed on individual lesson
plan attachments.
2. The teacher will conduct student questioning throughout the presentation of new material to monitor student understanding.
3. The teacher will evaluate student understanding during group work as students discuss the material among their group members and when their assignments are
presented to the class.
4. During the lab activity, the teacher will ensure that students are correctly collecting, organizing, and recording data.
5. The teacher will review each group's explanations and responses to questions during presentations.
Feedback to Students
Feedback will be provided to students as questions are asked during instruction.
During group work, the teacher will circulate and check student understanding through observation. Group learning objectives include:
correctly graphing data on an x-y coordinate graph;
being able to answer questions about their graphs;
designing a scenario which they can graph and form questions about to pose to the other groups.
Students will give feedback to other students from their questions formulated from graphs they have created.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations: ELL/ESOL
Students will be provided with a list of vocabulary terms from previous instruction on 1-D motion, as well as. A list of new terms that will be used in this unit, a few
days before the lesson to give them time to review them.
During the presentation of new material, pictures and graphs will be projected on the screen.
Small group discussion
Hands-on activity
ESE
Important points will be stressed throughout the presentation of material, as well as on the handouts and worksheets.
Students will be asked more general guiding questions during the presentation of new material.
Students will be allowed the use of textbooks, notes, and computers in order to complete class worksheets, quizzes, and labs.
Students will work in small cooperative groups.
VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Worksheets and graphs will be enlarged.
Students will be provided with magnifiers to aid in reading printed materials.
Extensions: Acceleration vs. time graphs could be added to this unit, especially for higher level classes that cover non-constant acceleration in depth. A computer
simulation activity could also be implemented into this lesson plan.
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computers for Students, Internet Connection, Basic Calculators, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Acrobat Reader
Special Materials Needed:
Materials for student use:
1. Ramp, at least 1 m long
2. Car or marble to roll down an incline
3. Photogates and timer (stopwatches can be used if photogates are not available)
Further Recommendations: Discuss with students before the lab activity that data collected during these types of investigations are not perfect. If a graph is
supposed to be linear but theirs is not, they just need to discuss sources of error in their reports. By no means should they ever go back and change their data to get
their expected results.
Equations and concepts in high school physics do not take many things that are present in our real world into account (for example, friction between 2 surfaces or air
resistance for an object in free fall). which very often will affect the data that is collected.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Darlene DePalma
Name of Author/Source: Darlene DePalma
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Seminole
page 3 of 5 Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
MAFS.912.A-CED.1.2:
Description
Create equations in two or more variables to represent relationships between quantities; graph equations on coordinate
axes with labels and scales. ★
Define a problem based on a specific body of knowledge, for example: biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space
science, and do the following:
1. Pose questions about the natural world, (Articulate the purpose of the investigation and identify the relevant scientific
concepts).
2. Conduct systematic observations, (Write procedures that are clear and replicable. Identify observables and examine
relationships between test (independent) variable and outcome (dependent) variable. Employ appropriate methods for accurate and
consistent observations; conduct and record measurements at appropriate levels of precision. Follow safety guidelines).
3. Examine books and other sources of information to see what is already known,
4. Review what is known in light of empirical evidence, (Examine whether available empirical evidence can be
interpreted in terms of existing knowledge and models, and if not, modify or develop new models).
5. Plan investigations, (Design and evaluate a scientific investigation).
6. Use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data (this includes the use of measurement in metric and
other systems, and also the generation and interpretation of graphical representations of data,
including data tables and graphs), (Collect data or evidence in an organized way. Properly use instruments,
equipment, and materials (e.g., scales, probeware, meter sticks, microscopes, computers) including set-up,
calibration, technique, maintenance, and storage).
7. Pose answers, explanations, or descriptions of events,
8. Generate explanations that explicate or describe natural phenomena (inferences),
9. Use appropriate evidence and reasoning to justify these explanations to others,
10. Communicate results of scientific investigations, and
11. Evaluate the merits of the explanations produced by others.
Remarks/Examples:
Florida Standards Connections for 6-12 Literacy in Science
For Students in Grades 9-10
LAFS.910.RST.1.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to
the precise details of explanations or descriptions.
SC.912.N.1.1:
LAFS.910.RST.1.3 Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking
measurements, or performing technical tasks attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text.
LAFS.910.RST.3.7 Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form
(e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into
words.
LAFS.910.WHST.1.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific
procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
LAFS.910.WHST.3.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
For Students in Grades 11-12
LAFS.1112.RST.1.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to
important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.
LAFS.1112.RST.1.3 Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking
measurements, or performing technical tasks analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text.
LAFS.1112.RST.3.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and
media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
LAFS.1112.WHST.1.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific
procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
LAFS.1112.WHST.3.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Florida Standards Connections for Mathematical Practices
MAFS.K12.MP.1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
MAFS.K12.MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
MAFS.K12.MP.3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. [Viable arguments include
evidence.]
MAFS.K12.MP.4: Model with mathematics.
MAFS.K12.MP.5: Use appropriate tools strategically.
MAFS.K12.MP.6: Attend to precision.
MAFS.K12.MP.7: Look for and make use of structure.
MAFS.K12.MP.8: Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
page 4 of 5 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:
MAFS.912.S-ID.3.7:
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.
Interpret the slope (rate of change) and the intercept (constant term) of a linear model in the context of the data. ★
page 5 of 5