A.Focus/Connections/Anticipatory Set

Focus Plan

TexarkanaIndependentSchool District

I. SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES (INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES)

A.Focus/connections/anticipatory set

When students are seated, hold up two pieces of identical paper. Show students that the paper is identical.

Crumble up one sheet of paper. Hold the two pieces of paper at the same distance from the floor and drop

them both at the same time. Point out to students that the papers were identical, but that the flat paper took

longer to fall than the crumpled up paper. Ask students why this occurred. Lead students into the idea that it

was the shape of the flat paper that caused it to fall more slowly. Point out that it was the air under the paper

that made the paper fall more slowly. Ask the students what would happen if you could get rid of the air

under the paper. After they bring up several ideas, take the flat piece of paper and lay it on top of a book that

is at least the size of the paper. Ask the students what will happen if they are dropped together. (Most think

the paper will fly off the book and still fall slowly.) Drop the book with the paper on top of it. It will fall

quickly. Summarize by telling students that, if air resistance can be cancelled, all objects will fall at the same

rate (the acceleration due to gravity). Tell students that their lab will look at the acceleration due to gravity.

B.Instructional activities

(demonstrations, lectures, examples, hands-on experiences, role play, active learning experience, art, music, modeling, discussion, reading, listening, viewing, etc.)

1. Lecture

Go over Transparency - vocabulary.

C.Guided activity or strategy

Demonstrate for students how to count the pendulum swings and have them practice several trials.

Demonstrate how to use a buret (or other container used) and allow them to practice how to get one drop to

fall at a time.

D.Accommodations/modifications

Students requiring modifications may be given a copy of the vocabulary definitions.

E.Enrichment

Students requiring enrichment may be assigned the definitions the previous night for homework.

II. STUDENT PERFORMANCE

A.Description

Students should complete Lab Worksheet – Drip, Drop

B.Accommodations/modifications

Students requiring modifications should be assigned a peer tutor. The tutor may also help during the

calculation portion of the activity or students may receive additional help or leniency on grading the

calculations.

C.Enrichment

Students requiring enrichment should act as peer tutors.

III.ASSESSMENT OF ACTIVITIES

A.Description

Vocabulary may be assigned and taken as a grade or merely gone over in class.

Grade Lab Worksheet – Drip, Drop

B.Rubrics/grading criteria

Data table information may be graded as 4 points a box. Questions should be graded as 4 points each. Each

box or question incorrect or left unanswered should have up to 4 points deducted.

C.Accommodations/modifications

Students requiring modifications may be given additional help on the calculation phase of the activity. The

Critical Thinking and Application questions in the activity may be graded with leniency or not assigned for

students requiring modifications.

D.Enrichment

Students requiring enrichment should answer all questions.

E.Sample discussion questions

1. Why do objects fall? They are attracted to the center of the earth because of gravity.

2. Since the acceleration due to gravity on Earth is 9.8 m/sec2, how fast would an object be traveling after 1

second? 9.8 m/sec

3. How fast would be object be traveling after 2 seconds. 2(9.8 m/sec) = 19.6 m/sec

4. Will an object continue to accelerate forever? No, only until it reaches terminal velocity.

5. When will an object reach terminal velocity? When the downward force of gravity equals the upward force

of air resistance.

6. If 4 objects (a book, a penny, a feather and a piece of flat paper) were dropped from the same height in a

container that does not contain air, which will hit the floor first? None, without air, they will all fall at the

same rate and hit the floor at the same time.

7. If two objects of identical size and shape were dropped from the same height on Earth, the heavier one will

reach the ground first. Why? The heavier object will not reach terminal velocity as fast and will continue

to accelerate.

IV.TAKS PREPARATION

A.Transition to TAKS context

1. During an investigation, students accelerated boxes using different forces and then determined the masses

of the boxes. What is the mass in grams of a box that requires 0.1 newton to make it accelerate 2 m/s?

(a) 50 g

(b) 20 g

(c) 0.05 g

(d) 0.02 g

2. A motorcycle accelerates from a speed of 5 m/s to 70 m/s in a total time of 4.4 seconds. What is the

acceleration?

(a) 12.5 m/s2

(b) 15.91 m/s2

(c) 1.25 m/s2

(d) 19.32 m/s2

B.Sample TAKS questions

Spring 2003

1. A ball moving at 30 m/s has a momentum of 15 kg.m/s. The mass of the ball is ____.

(a) 45 kg

(b) 15 kg

(c) 2.0 kg

(d) 0.5 kg

2. How much work is performed when a 50 kg crate is pushed 15 m with a force of 20 N?

(a) 300 J

(b) 750 J

(c) 1,000 J

(d) 15,000 J

3. If a force of 100 newtons was exerted on an object and no work was done, the object must have ____.

(a) accelerated rapidly

(b) remained motionless

(c) decreased its velocity

(d) gained momentum

Spring 2004

4. The weight lifter used a force of 980 N to raise the barbell over her head in 5.21 seconds. Approximately

how much work did she do in raising the barbell?

(a) 380 J

(b) 982 J

(c) 2,000 J

(d) 10,000 J

V. KEY VOCABULARY

acceleration gravity

air resistanceterminal velocity

force

VI. RESOURCES

A.Textbook – none needed

B.Supplementary materials/equipment

Instructor’s Copy – Drip, Drop

Lab Worksheet – Drip, Drop

Transparency – Vocabulary

Instructor’s Copy Transparency - Vocabulary

Worksheet – Force = mass x gravity

Instructor’s Copy Worksheet – Force = mass x gravity

C.Technology

VII. FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES

(reteaching, cross-curricular support, technology activities, next lesson in sequence, etc.)

A.Reteach

Assign Worksheet – Force = mass x gravity.

1. Next lesson in sequence

All subjects continue with IPC 4B: investigate and describe applications of Newton’s laws such as in vehicle restraints, sports activities, geological processes, and satellite orbits.

VIII.TEACHER NOTES

Before lab:

1. Run enough copies of the Lab Worksheet – Drip, Drop and Worksheet – Force = mass x acceleration for each

student to have one.

2. Make a transparency of Transparency – Vocabulary.

3. Decide on whether to use burets or another container where drops can be regulated.

4. For more uniform answers on Part A, the pendulums could be pre-assembled with all of the lengths the same.

5. For more uniform answers on Part B, the burets could be pre-set at a certain height and students could be told not to

adjust the height.

During lab:

5. Spot check to assure that students are counting the pendulum swings correctly.

6. Spot check to assure that students have the burets dripping properly.