Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan 11/04-11/08
11/04- 11/08 Q.O.D (quote of the day)
Topics of the Week – Modeling Uniformly Accelerated Motion & Intro to Forces
This week’s activities will emphasize the following Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
11/04 Opening: Again, review of equations and graphical concepts of accelerated motion
Activities: - Worksheet of accelerated motion problems
Students pick graphical or algebraic problem solution
- Comparison of different solutions
Closing: Students describe experience of different solution methods
11/05 Opening: Review, again, equations and graphical concepts of accelerated motion
Activities: - Complete worksheet of accelerated motion problems (from yesterday)
Students pick graphical or algebraic problem solution
- Comparison of different solutions
Closing: Students describe experience of different solution methods
11/06 Opening: The Rocket Lander Game
Activities: - Writing required pyret programs
- Analysis of program results
Closing: What accelerated motion representations do we have now
11/07 Opening: Quick review of equations and graphical concepts of accelerated motion
Activities: - Unit test on accelerated motion
Closing: Student comments on areas of difficulty on test
11/08 Opening: Lab – “Broom Ball” the pre-lab discussion
Activities: - Playing the game and recording results
Closing: Discussion of difficulties and remedies
Lesson Plan 10/28-11/01
10/28- 11/01 Q.O.D (quote of the day)
Topic of the Week – Modeling Uniformly Accelerated Motion
This week’s activities will emphasize the following Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
10/28 Opening: Review of pyret next-x and next-v functions
Conversation about time independent acceleration equation
Relating the T.I.A equation to putting
Activities: - Finding initial velocity to put ball in hole in putting simulation
Which green (1-4) has the longest grass, and why?
Closing: Compare results within class
10/29 Opening: Review of equations and graphical concepts of accelerated motion
Activities: - Worksheet of accelerated motion problems
Students pick graphical or algebraic problem solution
- Comparison of different solutions
Closing: Students describe experience of different solution methods
10/30 Opening: Can you directly perceive acceleration?
Activities: - Video on perception of acceleration
- Lab: measure dropped ball
- Video on feather vs hammer drop on the moon
Closing: Conversation about “freefall”
10/31 Opening: Again review of equations and graphical concepts of accelerated motion
Activites: - Worksheet of accelerated motion problems
Students pick graphical or algebraic problem solution
- Comparison of different solutions
Closing: Students describe experience of different solution methods
11/01 Opening: The Rocket Lander Game
Activities: - Writing required pyret programs
- Analysis of program results
Closing: What accelerated motion representations do we have now
Lesson Plan 10/07-10/11
10/07- 10/11 Q.O.D (quote of the day)
Topic of the Week – Modeling Uniformly Accelerated Motion
This week’s activities will emphasize the following Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
10/07 Opening: Brief review of the model so far
Activities: - Unit test on constant motion
Closing: How did the test go?
10/08 Opening: Demonstration of “fast” vs “slow” constant motion
Activities: - Whiteboarding Representation of “fast” and “slow” motion
- Lab: Inclined Rail Motion
- Whiteboard cart’s motion (position, velocity and motion map)
Closing: Questions the motion representations
10/09 Opening: More on uniform acceleration
Activities: - Creating graphical representations from data table
- Answering question related to representations
Closing: What have we added to our motion model?
10/10 Opening: Deeper analysis of uniform accelerated motion
Activites: - Analyzing position vs time graph in intervals
- Creating velocity vs time graph from position vs time intervals
- developing mathematical analysis from graphical representations
Closing: Where is the motion model now?
10/11 Opening: Programming a model of accelerated motion
Activities: - Writing required pyret programs
- Analysis of program results
Closing: What accelerated motion representations do we have now
Lesson Plan 09/23-09/27
Pre-AP Physics
09/23- 09/27 Q.O.D (quote of the day)
Topic of the Week – Modeling Constant Motion
This week’s activities will emphasize the following Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
09/23 Opening: Review of understanding pyret functions
Activities: - Creating a pyret “next-x” function
- Matching scenarios to position vs time graphs
Closing: What do we know about motion representations?
09/24 Opening: Review of “motion map” representation
Activities: - Whiteboarding and programming motion maps
Closing: Questions about motion maps?
09/25 Opening: Tow bicycles simulation
Activities: - Pyret programming with two objects
- Velocity vs time graphs
Closing: What have we added to our motion model?
09/26 Opening: Generalizing motion with multiple objects
Activites: - Multiple object motion simulation: programming
- Generalizing our “next-x” function
Closing: Where is the motion model now?
09/27 Opening: Colliding buggies simulation
Activities: - Predicting the point of collision
- Programming the simulation
- And algebraic approach
Closing: What motion representations do we have now
Lesson Plan 09/16-09/20
Pre-AP Physics
09/16- 09/20 Q.O.D (quote of the day)
Topic of the Week – Summarizing energy, Intro to Constant Motion
This week’s activities will emphasize the following Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
09/16 Opening: Reiterate pre-test expectations and protocol
Activities: - Online survey (pre-test) – Survey of Mathematical Thinking
Closing: Assurance about test anonymity and not counting toward grade
09/17 Opening: Conversation – Scoring of Friday’s test on Systems and Energy flow
Activities: - a last look at qualitative energy flow (whiteboarding)
Closing: Summary of “The Model So Far”
09/18 Opening: Conversation about course related test expectations
Activities: - Test on systems representations and analysis of energy flow
Closing: Conversation about effect of test scores on overall class grade
09/19 Opening: demonstration and observation of toy car in motion
Activites: - Lab – Capturing and analyzing constant motion
- designing a pyret function to simulate observed motion
- generalizing the function, a class conversation
- Graphing position vs time data
- questions about changes in time between observations
- conversation relating position vs time graphs to velocity
Closing: relating motion to position through time, a class conversation
09/20 Opening: Reiterate pre-test expectations and protocol
Activities: - Online survey (pre-test) – ICP
Closing: Assurance about test anonymity and not counting toward grade
Lesson Plan 09/09-09/13
Pre-AP Physics
09/09- 09/13 Q.O.D (quote of the day)
Topic of the Week – Summarizing energy, Intro to Constant Motion
This week’s activities will emphasize the following Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
09/09 Opening: Review of pyret function definitions
Activities: - Using Design Recipe worksheet to design functions for given scenarios
- Whiteboarding graph of Fahrenheit to Celsius with known point given
- Determine equation for graph
- Write design recipe for Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion function
- Code and check conversion function in pyret framework
Closing: Brief conversation about relationships of various representation seen so far
09/10 Opening: Conversation – Introducing pre-test expectations and protocol
Activities: - Logon in computer lab (library) and complete Force Concept Inventory pre-test
Closing: Reassurence about use of pre-test and it not affecting student grades
09/11 Opening: Conversation about course related test expectations
Activities: - Test on systems representations and analysis of energy flow
Closing: Conversation about effect of test scores on overall class grade
09/12 Opening: demonstration and observation of toy car in motion
Activites: - Lab – Capturing and analyzing constant motion
- designing a pyret function to simulate observed motion
Closing: questions relating motion to position through time
09/13 Opening: Generalizing the function created Thursday
Activites: - Graphing position vs time data
- questions about changes in time between observations
- conversation relating position vs time graphs to velocity
Closing: Summary of position, time, and velocity relationships and the various
Representations developed
Lesson Plan 09/03-09/06
Pre-AP Physics
09/03- 09/06 Q.O.D (quote of the day)
Topic of the Week – Summarizing energy and Introducing Pyret Programming
This week’s activities will emphasize the following Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
2. Developing and using models
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
09/03 Opening: brief review of modeling techniques presented so far
Activities: - Whiteboarding systems from last Friday’s homework w/board meetings
- Whiteboarding additional systems as time allows
Closing: The Model So Far; conversation about model of energy developed so far in class
09/04 or 09/05 Opening: Conversation – Using computer programming for modeling
Activities: - Introducing the Pyret programming tool
- Conversation about data types with practice entering and evaluating expressions
- Conversation about and practice entering Boolean expressions
- Introducing Pyret Image functions and various optional Image projects
Closing: demonstration of programs for drawing flags and a game in Pyret code
09/06 Opening: Demonstration of diffusing dye in hot and cold water w/conversation about energy of systems
Activities: - Creation of mathematical model (function) for converting Fahrenheit to Celsius
- Conversation about functions in Pyret programming
- Students create and run their Fahrenheit to Celsius function in Pyret
Closing: demonstration of Pyret program for side-by-side Fahrenheit and Celsius thermometers
Lesson Plan 08/26-08/30
08/26- 08/30 Q.O.D (quote of the day)
Topic of the Week - Qualitative Models of Energy Storage & Transfer
This week’s activities will emphasize the following Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
2. Developing and using models
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
08/26 - Lab: Observation Stations; Students will make observations about what happens
at six different stations with different objects
- Conversation about observations
08/27 - System Diagrams: students will learn to define open and closed systems and create System Schema
08/28 - Energy Pie Charts: Using the definition of energy developed during the conversation of station observations
students will learn to create Energy Pie Charts representing energy transfers during changes to a system
08/29 - Energy Bar Charts: students will create Energy Bar Charts
08/30 - Telling a Story of Energy: after reading the Feynman Lecture, “Story of Energy”, students will develop their own
story of energy, create a white board representation of it, then share their story with the class