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The following instructional plan is part of a GaDOE collection of Unit Frameworks, Performance Tasks, examples of Student Work, and
Teacher Commentary. Many more GaDOE approved instructional plans are available by using the Search Standards feature located on
GeorgiaStandards.Org.
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science – GRADE 8
Unit: Sports
General Task
Friction is Fabulous; Inertia and Gravity are Grand
Subject Area: Physical Science
Grade: 8
Standards (Content and Characteristics):
S8P3. Students will investigate relationship between force, mass, and the motion of objects.
b. Demonstrate the effect of balanced and unbalanced forces on an object in terms of gravity,
inertia, and friction.
S8CS1. Students will explore the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in
science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.
a. Understand the importance of—and keep—honest, clear, and accurate records in science.
b. Understand that hypotheses can be valuable even if they turn out not to be completely accurate.
S8CS2. Students will use standard safety practices for all classroom laboratory and field
investigations.
a. Follow correct procedures for use of scientific apparatus.
b. Demonstrate appropriate techniques in all laboratory situations.
c. Follow correct protocol for identifying and reporting safety problems and violations.
S8CS4. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating
equipment and materials in scientific activities utilizing safe laboratory procedures.
b. Use appropriate tools and units for measuring objects and/or substances.
c. Learn and use standard safety practices when conducting scientific investigations
S8CS6. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly. .
b. Write for scientific purposes incorporating information from a circle, bar, or line graph, data
tables, diagrams, and symbols.
c. Organize scientific information in appropriate tables, charts, and graphs, and identify
relationships they reveal.
S8CS9. Students will understand the features of the process of scientific inquiry.
Students will apply the following to inquiry learning practices:
a. Investigations are conducted for different reasons, which include exploring new phenomena,
confirming previous results, testing how well a theory predicts, and comparing different
theories. Scientific investigations usually involve collecting evidence, reasoning, devising
hypotheses, and formulating explanations to make sense of collected evidence.
b. Scientific investigations usually involve collecting evidence, reasoning, devising hypotheses,
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y GRADE 8 y Sports
7-30-07 y Page 1 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science – GRADE 8
and formulating explanations to make sense of collected evidence.
e. Accurate record keeping, data sharing, and replication of results are essential for maintaining an
investigator’s credibility with other scientists and society.
Gifted:
S8CS9 Students will understand the features of the process of scientific inquiry.
f. Scientists use technology and mathematics to enhance the process of scientific inquiry.
Gifted:
S8CS3. Students will have the computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data and
following scientific explanations.
a. Analyze scientific data by using, interpreting, and comparing numbers in several equivalent
forms, such as integers, fractions, decimals, and percents.
b. Find the mean, median, and mode and use them to analyze a set of scientific data.
c. Apply the metric system to scientific investigations that include metric to metric conversions
(i.e. centimeters to meters).
d. Decide what degree of precision is adequate, and round off appropriately.
Enduring Understanding:
Friction is the force that opposes motion when one object comes in contact with another.
Essential Question:
• How do you know if you are moving?
ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES
Pre-Assessment:
Obtain a collection of different types of shoes used in various sports, such as: ballet shoes, cleats, running
shoes, wrestling shoes, track spikes, soccer shoes, bowling shoes, ice skates, and roller blades. (The
coaches may be able to help you obtain these).
Use the placemat technique to rank least to greatest friction produced by each shoe. Report out and defend
to the class their reasoning for their ranking. On a separate placemat, rank from least to greatest each
shoe’s ability to overcome inertia. Report out their ranking to the class in the same manner as the previous
task.
A Place Mat involves a group of students working around a similar topic. A large piece of butcher paper
or other large sheet of paper is laid in the center of a group of students. In the center of the paper is drawn
a square where the topic is written. The paper is further subdivided into 3, 4 or 5 subdivisions based upon
how many students are to use the Place Mat (see Figure 1). Students are then asked to write as much as
they know about the center topic.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y GRADE 8 y Sports
7-30-07 y Page 2 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science – GRADE 8
Figure 1: A Place Mat
Outcome /
Performance
Expectations:
Students will demonstrate how unbalanced forces produce motion and
explain the role friction plays in motion.
Students will determine what types of surfaces produce more friction and
why friction is important. Students will also determine what types of
surfaces produce less friction.
Students will recognize that for some situations friction is beneficial, but
sometimes friction is not beneficial.
General Teacher
Instructions:
See attachment at the end of this document.
Materials
Needed:
See attachment at the end of this document.
Safety
Precautions:
Students should not play in the lab. Students should be very careful when
water is used in the lab and make sure not to walk if their shoes are wet.
Shoes should be worn at all times in the science classroom.
Task with
Student
Directions:
See attachment at the end of this document.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y GRADE 8 y Sports
7-30-07 y Page 3 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science – GRADE 8
Resources:
The Science behind Winter Sports:
http://www.bizzikid.co.uk/S3/questions.lasso?keyvalue=768
How is friction helpful in the following sports?
Ocean Surfing:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1041053573910778617
Air Surfing:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/258066/air_surfing/
Figure Skating:
http://www.usfigureskating.org/content/events/200405/skateamerica/video/
orschgarr.mov
Skateboarding:
http://expn.onstreammedia.com/cgibin/visearch?user=expn&template=play100ram.html&query=+%28ClipEve
nt%3AStreet+AND+%28VideoSport%3ASkateboarding+OR+ClipSport%
3ASkateboarding%29+AND+NOT+ClipEvent%3APark%29&squery=%2
BClipID%3A0+%2BVideoAsset%3Asx200201248&inputField=undefined
&ccstart=9592&ccend=97464&videoID=sx200201248
Homework /
Extension:
Describe how friction is helpful in different sports and in your everyday
life.
Instructional
Task
Accommodations
for ELL
Students:
The student may need a handout which includes all required vocabulary
words in a word bank with basic definitions as needed.
Assign the ELL student a specific task at each stage of the lab. Be sure to
visit the team at timed intervals to assess comprehension and progress.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y GRADE 8 y Sports
7-30-07 y Page 4 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science – GRADE 8
Instructional
Task
Accommodations
for Students with
Specific
Disabilities:
Students with developmental disorders such as Asperger's Syndrome, or
students having Autistic tendencies display impaired social interactions and
repetitive patterns of behavior. Students with ADD may display impaired
social interactions without the repetitive behaviors. These characteristics
make collaborative group work difficult at times. If possible, discuss the lab
with the student ahead of time along with discussion about specific roles
the student would have in data collection, assembly of lab report, etc. The
teacher may want to assess focus and progress at timed intervals throughout
the lab.
Instructional
Task
Accommodations
for Gifted
Students:
Students can design their own experiment for calculating the coefficient of
friction using the formula Ff =μFN. In Part A, the reading on the spring
scale will be the force of friction (Ff) and the normal force (FN) will be
equal to the weight (W=mg where the mass is in kg - students will have to
convert their lbs to kg; g=9.8) as long as the surface stays horizontal.
Friction is Fabulous; Inertia and Gravity are Grand
Friction is a part of everyday life. In what situations do you experience friction? When do you think
friction is helpful? When do you think friction may not be exactly what you want? List some situations
where you have been aware of friction and how it played a part in your life, no matter how small the
impact. Today, we are going to discuss the topic of friction. Observe the skater in this video. What role
does friction play in this skater’s performance? (Short video of ice skater)
http://www.usfigureskating.org/content/events/200405/skateamerica/video/orschgarr.mov
In this instant, the ice skater wants friction to be reduced so she can skate. What happens when to her
motion when friction is reduced? Inertia is another concept that we observed in this video. (Ask students
what they think inertia means, and discuss the meaning of inertia. Help them come to the conclusion that
the reason the ice skater keeps skating is because her inertia keeps her moving since friction is reduced,
there is not force to stop her on the ice, so inertia keeps her moving.)
How do you think friction is helpful in the following sports?
Ocean Surfing:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1041053573910778617
Air Surfing:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/258066/air_surfing/
Skateboarding:
http://expn.onstreammedia.com/cgiGeorgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y GRADE 8 y Sports
7-30-07 y Page 5 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science – GRADE 8
bin/visearch?user=expn&template=play100ram.html&query=+%28ClipEvent%3AStreet+AND+%28Vid
eoSport%3ASkateboarding+OR+ClipSport%3ASkateboarding%29+AND+NOT+ClipEvent%3APark%2
9&squery=%2BClipID%3A0+%2BVideoAsset%3Asx200201248&inputField=undefined&ccstart=9592
&ccend=97464&videoID=sx200201248
Today, we will investigate how friction is produced, and why friction is important, not only in sports, but
also in everyday life.
Rub your hands together, first slowly, and then more quickly. What do you notice? Whenever friction is
present, what else is going to be present? Let's experiment together to find out more about this important
force called 'friction'.
Note: Consider having students use digital cameras or video cameras to document their exploration of the
topics covered in the experiments below. For assistance with this type of activity consider joining Georgia
Public Broadcasting's free, teacher-friendly educational multimedia support group, the TIE Network (at
the website http://www.tienetwork.org/ ) is a suggested resource for integrating technology and
multimedia into this and other projects.
Part A: Using shoes that were collected by the teacher (ballet shoes, cleats, running shoes, wrestling
shoes, track spikes, soccer shoes, bowling shoes, ice skates, roller blades) investigate the effect of surface
type and shoe sole on friction.
Surface 1 – Carpet floor
Surface 2 – Tile floor
Surface 3- Wood floor
Attach the spring scale to each shoe with a string and gently pull each shoe a pre-determined distance
using a spring scale calibrated in Newtons. If your spring scale is calibrated in grams you can convert by
changing grams to Kg and multiply by 9.8 m/s/s.
Graph the results.
1. Which combination of surfaces (shoe type and surface type) produced the largest reading on the
spring scale?
2. Which combination of surfaces produced the most friction? Explain.
3. What is your definition of friction?
4. Which combination of surfaces produced the least amount of friction? Why?
Part B: Using shoes collected from your lab group, pull each shoe a pre-determined distance across the
surfaces used in Part A using a spring scale calibrated in Newtons. If your spring scale is calibrated in
grams you can convert by changing grams to Kg and multiply by 9.8 m/s/s.
Graph the results.
Now wet the bottom of the shoe with a paper towel. Repeat the experiment. Record your results.
1. Which combination of surfaces (shoe type and surface type) produced the largest reading on the spring
scale?
2. Which combination of surfaces produced the most friction? Explain
3. Which combination of surfaces produced the least amount of friction? Why?
4. How do ‘wet’ soles affect friction?
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y GRADE 8 y Sports
7-30-07 y Page 6 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science – GRADE 8
Part C should be used as a demonstration to summarize the day’s performance task and to unify
concepts.
Part C: Balloon, string, fishing line, wire, tape, drinking straw, measuring tape, and stop watch.
Create a balloon jet/rocket.
Thread the string through the straw, and tie the string tightly between two chairs. Blow up the balloon,
and tape the balloon to the straw. Measure the diameter of the balloon.
Release the balloon and have a student time how long it takes for it to travel the distance from one chair to
the next. Repeat the experiment using the fishing line and wire. Make sure to check the diameter to insure
the balloon is the same size and has the same amount of air for each run, as well as keep the chairs the
same distance. Repeat the experiment after changing the trajectory of the string to reflect an incline in the
balloon’s path (tape one end of the string to the chair and the other end to an elevated point in the room).
Lead a class discussion about the difference in what was observed and its relationship to forces (gravity,
friction, and inertia).
1. Which time was the fastest? How does this explain the concept of friction, inertia, and gravity?
2. When did the balloon experience the greatest amount of friction? Explain.
Part D: Application Questions
1. Draw a diagram to represent the forces that produce the movement in scenario Part A, B, or C.
Remember the movement will occur in the direction of the larger force. Remember to label your
forces. When motion occurs, we have (balanced, unbalanced) forces.
2. Explain how forces help us walk.
3. In what situations would someone want to decrease friction?
4. Name a situation where there are balanced forces. Draw a diagram (using arrows) to demonstrate
the balanced forces. How does this happen on a soccer field or a football field? Explain.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y GRADE 8 y Sports
7-30-07 y Page 7 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved