The Big Plot Story Book

Story and sketches graphs due: _____ / _____ / _____

Data tables due: _____ / _____ / _____

Rough drafts of graphs due: _____ / _____ / _____

Final Story Book due: _____ / _____ / _____

We are nearing the end of our study of motion! Our final project will ask you to put together much of what you have learned of displacement, velocity, and acceleration. You will be making this into a story book suitable for a elementary school audience.

Think of a story that involves motion along a line (a motion that one could create a position vs. time graph and velocity vs. time graph for). Here are some ideas:

  • The tortoise and the hare
  • A student walking to school
  • A car in stop-and-go traffic
  • A baseball pitched and hit
  • Little Red Riding Hood’s walk to Grandmother’s house

You should think of the motion as being along a line. The story could involve one person or object making several (five to seven) different motions, or a couple of objects moving in less complicated ways. While most of the motions should be at constant speed, at least one of the motions should involve a constant acceleration

Assignment Requirements:

  1. 1st Due-date:
  2. Write a story that is approximately 1-2 paragraphs in length. There should be several (five to seven) different motions in your story, at least one of which involves a constant acceleration. If possible, please type your story.
  3. On plain paper (not graph paper), make sketches of both the position vs. time and velocity vs. time. Remember: we are looking for the general shape to be correct. Think about:

During which time periods is the position constant? During which time periods is the position changing?

During which time periods is the object moving the fastest?

During what time(s) is the object accelerating?

  1. 2nd Due-date:
  2. Create data tables for your time, distance, position, and velocity.You may use the data table template as a guide.
  1. 3rd Due-date
  2. Create rough-drafts of your position vs. time and velocity vs. time graphs on graph paper
  3. Keep in mind:

What units of position and time will you use?

What is the total time for the story?

What is the largest distance the object travels from the starting point?

What is the largest velocity that the object travels at?

What is the acceleration of the object?

  1. 4th/Final Due-date:
  2. Make a final version of your two graphs on graph paper (either by hand or using computer). Include all the features of a good graph (title, labels, unit, best fit line…)! Work in pencil first, then go over it with ink.

Your position versus time graph should include

  1. calculation of the velocity during one interval at constant speed
  2. calculation of the average velocity over the whole trip
  3. CHALLENGE: Rather than sketching the general shape during the period of acceleration, calculate the actual position at several points during the acceleration and use those points to draw the curved line

Your velocity versus time graph should include a calculation of the acceleration during one interval of constant acceleration

Write your story next to the line. In your story, show that you understand the differences between the following sets of terms:

  1. distance and displacement
  2. instantaneous velocity and average velocity
  3. velocity, change in velocity, and acceleration
  1. Add color and/or pictures
  2. Type up your final story and assemble into a story book.

Big Plot Rubric

Name:______Score: ______/40

Category / Exceeds Standards (10) / Meets Standards (7) / Below Standards (4) / Not Acceptable (0)
Overall Appearance / Exceptionally well designed, neat, and attractive. Colors, graphics, and/or pictures that go well together are used to make the graph more readable. A ruler and graph paper are used. / Neat and relatively attractive. A ruler and graph paper are used to make the graph more readable. / Lines are neatly drawn but the graph appears quite plain. / Appears messy and "thrown together" in a hurry. Lines are visibly crooked.
Verbal Description (Story) / The written description distinguishes between the following quantities: displacement and distance, instantaneous and average velocity, velocity, change in velocity, and acceleration correctly. / The verbal description distinguishes between most of the quantities correctly, with 1-2 errors (or misses 1-2 quantities). / The verbal description distinguishes between some of the quantities correctly, with 3-4 errors (or misses 3-4 quantities). / The verbal description fails to distinguishes most of the quantities correctly (or misses more than 5 quantities)
Position-Time Graph / The position-time graph demonstrates all good graphing techniques: title, labeled axes, and best-fit line(s). It matches the written description of the story and shows a calculation of the velocity (non-zero) during one time interval. / The position-time graph is missing one of the following elements: good graphing techniques, matching description, or calculation of the velocity. / The position-time graph is missing two of the following elements: good graphing techniques, matching description, or calculation of the velocity. / The position-time graph is missing more than two of the following elements: good graphing techniques, matching description, or calculation of the velocity.
Velocity-Time Graph / The velocity-time graph demonstrates all good graphing techniques: title, labeled axes, and best-fit line(s). It matches the written description of the story and shows a calculation of the acceleration (non-zero) during one time interval. / The velocity-time graph is missing one of the following elements: good graphing techniques, matching description, or calculation of the acceleration. / The velocity-time graph is missing two of the following elements: good graphing techniques, matching description, or calculation of the acceleration. / The velocity-time graph is missing more than two of the following elements: good graphing techniques, matching description, or calculation of the acceleration.