Force and Motion: Students investigate motion and force using themselves and carts to learn how to describe force and motion. They then use simulations to provide mathematical support to their observations.  Students use these models to explore the effect of balanced and unbalanced forces, and how the mass of an object and the sum of the forces acting on an object affect motion.

Energy and Motion: Students consider how speed and mass affect the kinetic energy during a race between a human, giraffe, and zebra .  In order to explain the graphical relationship between these variables, students collect data through investigation and simulations and use a spreadsheet to compare the graphical differences between mass and speed.  Once students have an initial understand of kinetic energy, students explore the relationship between kinetic energy and potential energy through the creation of a slopestyle ski course. They will use a simulation to see the transfer of energy between potential, kinetic, and thermal energy as objects change position on a course.

Collisions: Students consider the effect of force and energy during a collision.  They use simulations and readings to discover how Newton’s Third Law and energy transfer behave in a collision.  Students then apply what they have learned about energy transfer and Newton’s Third Law to design a solution to minimize the damage that occurs during a collision.