PEER: Force
Force and Motion - Force, Mass, and Acceleration
Combinations of Forces - Force Pairs
Embedded Files
Literacy / Driving Question Board Connections
Nonfiction Science Literacy Resources
Graphic Organizers / Thinking Maps
Driving Question Boards
Multilingual Learner Language Expectations
Unit Storyline
The topic of mandating seat belt installation in school buses is heavily debated. Some states require that all school buses have seat belts, although more commonly, states only require seat belt installation on smaller buses. The costs and beneeits of seat belt installation in school buses are extensive. Throughout the Chapter F Anchoring Phenomenon, students will apply Newton’s Laws to discuss why seat belts reduce injuries and fatalities in car accidents. Following this Anchoring Phenomenon, students will analyze and interpret information from various sources (including the NTSB and news media) and use their physics understanding to make a recommendation for whether seat belts should be mandated on school buses.
Should seat belts be required on school buses?
How is a small tugboat able to move a large container ship?
Unit Standards
What is the NGSS & 3 Dimensional Science Learning and Why is it Important?
Science Practices - Disciplinary Core Ideas - Crosscutting Concepts
HS-PS2-1: Newton's Second Law of Motion
HS-PS2-1: Newton's Second Law of Motion
Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration. (Cause and Effect)
Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration. (Cause and Effect)
Clarification Statement: Examples of data could include tables or graphs of position or velocity as a function of time for objects subject to a net unbalanced force, such as a falling object, an object rolling down a ramp, or a moving object being pulled by a constant force.
Boundary Statement: Assessment is limited to one-dimensional motion and to macroscopic objects moving at non-relativistic speeds.
HS-PS2-2: Conservation of Momentum
HS-PS2-2: Conservation of Momentum
Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system. (Systems and System Models)
Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system. (Systems and System Models)
Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the quantitative conservation of momentum in interactions and the qualitative meaning of this principle.
Boundary Statement: Assessment is limited to systems of two macroscopic bodies moving in one dimension.
HS-PS2-3: Reducing Force in Collisions Device
HS-PS2-3: Reducing Force in Collisions Device
Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision. (Cause and Effect)
Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision. (Cause and Effect)
Clarification Statement: Examples of evaluation and refinement could include determining the success of the device at protecting an object from damage and modifying the design to improve it. Examples of a device could include a football helmet or a parachute.
Boundary Statement: Assessment is limited to qualitative evaluations and/or algebraic manipulations.
Crosscutting Concepts To help students Think Like a Scientists, they need to know how to question and gather evidence in order to refine and revise what they know and understand. The information below provides suggestions for connecting Thinking Maps to our science concepts. The thinking maps listed are general connections and should not be seen as the only maps that could be used. Using Thinking Maps in Science
Cause and Effect
Critical Questions: What evidence is there for this cause and effect relationship? What are other possible causes? How is this relationship similar to others? How does changing one event affect the results?
Systems and System Models
Critical Questions: What parts and sub-systems make up this system? What interactions and processes involve this system? How is this system alike or different from others? What are the effects of modifying one part of the system?
Anchor Phenomenon
PEER Anchoring Phenomena & Storylines
Phenomenon Option 1 Which car should Olivia buy?
This Anchoring Phenomenon allows students to grapple with ideas of energy transfers and conversions related to automobile collisions. They analyze how the design of the car relates to the ability for the car to transfer energy to places other than the driver and passenger(s), ultimately considering how these energy transfers relate to passenger injury. Students make these considerations within the context of a girl named Olivia, who is weighing her options when purchasing her first car. By the end of Activity E.4, students will be able to apply the Law of Conservation of Energy and their own ideas about systems and surroundings to discuss why newer vehicles - designed with “crumple zones” - are safer for the passengers in the vehicle.
Phenomenon Option 2 Why is it dangerous to fire a bow without an arrow?
This Anchoring Phenomenon allows students to grapple with ideas of energy transfers and conversions related to bows and arrows. By applying concepts related to motion and energy, students analyze situations involving arrows being fired from different kinds of bows to ultimately consider and explain why someone should never fire a bow without an arrow (a situation known as “dry firing”). By the end of Activity E.4, students will be able to apply the Law of Conservation of Energy, as well as their own ideas about systems and surroundings, to discuss why arrows should never be “dry fired”, and to explain how “dry firing” might adversely affect both the archer and the bow.
Local Colorado Phenomenon & Career Connections
Local Colorado Phenomena Connections
Here are some local Colorado phenomena that can help illustrate the concept of force in your physics class:
Rocky Mountain Avalanches: Discuss the forces involved in avalanches, including gravitational force and friction. Students can explore how these forces impact the movement of snow down a slope.
Garden of the Gods Rock Formations: Analyze the forces that shape these formations, such as weathering and erosion. This can lead to discussions on how natural forces alter landscapes over time.
Pikes Peak Cog Railway: Examine the forces at work in this cog railway, such as the force exerted by the engine and the friction between the cogwheel and the track.
Colorado River Rapids: Explore the forces of water flow and the impact of gravity on river rapids. This could include discussions on how these forces affect rafting and navigation.
Skiing in Aspen: Discuss the forces involved in skiing, including gravity, friction, and air resistance. This could be a fun way to apply physics to a popular Colorado pastime.
These examples provide engaging, real-world contexts to help students better understand and apply the concept of force.
Using SchoolAI, Gemini, ChatGPT to find local Colorado Phenomena or Career Connections
Use the following prompt, adjust accordingly. "I am a middle school science teacher looking for a local Colorado phenomena to address NGSS standard (enter standard you are looking for... example MS-PS1-4)"
Using SchoolAI
1) Navigate to Assistants
2) Select Curriculum Coach
3) Use the prompt above
Career Connections
Connecting what students are learning to careers not only deepens their engagement in school but also helps them make more informed choices about their future. Browse the following related career profiles to discover what scientists really do on the job and what it takes to prepare for these careers. For additional profiles visit your Year at a Glance Page.
To help you find Colorado-based career connections in the field of force, here are some options:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): Located in Golden, Colorado, NREL focuses on energy efficiency and renewable energy, which often involves studies on force and motion.
University of Colorado Boulder: Their physics department offers various research opportunities that may involve force-related studies.
Lockheed Martin Space: With facilities in Littleton and Waterton Canyon, they work on aerospace technologies that involve physics principles, including force.
Ball Aerospace: Based in Broomfield, this company develops aerospace systems and technologies.
Colorado Association of Science Teachers (CAST): They can connect you with other educators and professionals in physics-related fields.
Rocky Mountain Section of the American Physical Society: Offers networking opportunities with physicists in the region.
These connections can provide insights, guest speakers, or field trip opportunities for your students.
Hands On, Minds On Connections
Hands-On Labs / Lab Safety
PASCO
St Vrain Science Center
Simulations
GIZMOS
Nearpod Lessons / Activities / Videos
LabXchange Lessons / Activities / Videos
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