CONCEPT
REVIEW
The following example lesson is representative of other lessons of this type. Please review
this lesson to address the following questions, which you will then post in this discussion
thread:
1. Briefly describe what you think the primary focus of this TYPE of lesson is (in the
context of the inquiry cycle). Don’t focus on the content of this lesson specifically, but
the type of thinking and learning that this type of lesson encourages.
2. What are the critical components of this type of lesson? What seems to need to be
included in the lesson to make it work?
3. When would this type of lesson seem to work best in the learning cycle?
4. What aspects of instruction with this type of lesson might a teach need to consider
regarding pacing, media, grouping, assessment, materials, or other aspects of
teaching?
5. What three things might you suggest to a teacher who is considering using this type of
lesson?
Learning Set 2
Session 1
Lesson 3 Objectives
1st law: Objects continue in their state of motion, Force is needed to change motion
Using Newton's 1st law as defined by the class, students explain a real life example of continued
state of motion (rest or motion) and an example of changed motion.
Assessment criteria
Explanation will identify objects' state of motion and whether the object continues or changes
motion. Appropriate force will be identified for objects that change motion. Absence of
appropriate force will be identified for objects that continue their state of motion.
Assessment criteria
Explanations will integrate both observations of the phenomena and ideas developed up to that
point. (Note: the student sheet "Ballistic Cart Demonstrations" supports this.)
Post the question “Why did I keep going when my bike stopped?”
on the chalkboard or bulletin board. Have each student write an
Display initial response to the question based on his or her personal
The question “Why did I experiences. Restate the question “Why did I keep going when
keep going when my bike my bike stopped?” and have a few students share their initial
stopped?” and the public responses with the class.
posting of the question
provides students with a After students have shared their responses, set-up the day’s task.
focus and a reflection point.
“In order to help us understand the question “Why did I
keep going when my bike stopped?” we are going to
make predictions and observations of a number of
demonstrations using a cart and ball. The cart
represents your bike and the ball represents you. As
each demonstration is done you will first make a
prediction of what you think will happen, then you will
observe what actually happens and try to give an
explanation of what you observed. As you make your
predictions, observations, and explanations you will
Student Sheets: write these on your sheet.”
Moving Objects
Direct the students’ attention to the student sheets where
they will be following along.
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Session 1
Tell the students what you are going to do in the demonstration. Ask the students to make a
prediction about what will happen to both the cart and the ball. Have them write down their
predictions and why.
Discussion: After all have written their predictions choose a student to share their prediction.
Ask them the reason for their prediction. Ask for any different predictions and explanations. It is
not necessary that the predictions agree, but students have to offer an explanation for their
predictions
Observations
Perform the demonstration as described in each section and allow students to observe. Repeat the
demonstration if necessary. Have the students record their observations by writing a description
or drawing a diagram of what they see.
Explanations
Have students write an explanation that expresses their ideas about what they observed.
Explanations should address why each the cart and the ball moved as they did. Have a few
students then share their explanations with the class. Have the students also share if their
prediction matched their observation and why?
Concept Identification: Work with the students and their explanations to develop a more
general and scientifically appropriate understanding. Have students talk about their explanations.
Ask students to compare the various explanations.
Did the cart move? Why not?
Did the ball move? Why not?
Relationship to Question: Relate this back to the driving question by asking What if I used
a bicycle instead of a cart or any other object what would happen?
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Learning Set 2
Session 1
The Demonstrations
Demonstrations Hand out the “Moving Objects” Sheets.
This first demonstration
illustrates an important part Demonstration 1
of Newton's 1st law even
though it may seem
Cart and Ball at Rest
simplistic. Because this
demonstration is simple, this Prediction
is a good time to help
Do this first demonstration with the students as an example of a
students learn the POE
POE. Also, try to tie in with what they learned about force in the
process, which may be new
last class period. This and the next demonstration are simple and
to them.
should only take a few minutes. They should not be skipped
however as they connect the concept of force to motion and
illustrate an important part of Newton's first law.
Multiple ideas
Use the multiple occasions Tell the students that you are going to place the cart with the ball
of student sharing in class inside on the demonstration table. Ask the students to make a
as an opportunity to allow prediction about what will happen to the cart and the ball if it is
many students to publicly left as is. What will happen to the cart? The ball?
express their ideas by
inviting different students to Have them write down their predictions and why. Students
speak each time. should draw arrows on the diagrams to represent the forces
acting on the ball and on the cart.
ball
ballistic cart table
Practice
These demonstrations are an
opportunity for students to
practice drawing forces.
Explanation
Student can draw arrows
indicating the forces on the
Explanations should address why cart did not move and why the
ball or on the cart as part of
ball did not move.
their predictions. They can
use these drawings as they
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Session 1
try to explain their “The cart and ball do not move because there is no
observations. unbalanced force acting on either.”
Discuss with students all the forces acting on the cart. Use the
force diagrams to help students identify these forces. See if each
force can be matched with an equal opposite force and therefore
Real world cancelled out. Gravitational force is pulling downward and the
connections table is pushing upward.
Press students to base their
predictions on their Concept Identification: An object at rest stays at rest if no
everyday experiences. For unbalanced force acts on it.
example a student may
predict that the cart will not Here students can generalize their explanations for why this cart
move because they have does not move to why objects in general do not move. Have
seen many objects such as students give examples of other cases in life when things do not
books etc. not move when move. Remind them to say in reference to what the object is not
they are sitting on a table. moving.
Terminology
While we use the terms
“object,” “act upon” or “at
rest,” students will most
likely not use these terms,
rather they will use terms
like “thing,” “touch or hits”
or “won’t move.”
Demonstration 2
Cart and Ball In Motion Together
Now that the class can agree that the cart and ball did not move
Clarification ask them why and what would be needed for it to move. Someone
Expect students to use the should bring up the fact that the cart needs to be pushed or
term “push” or “pull” and pulled. Use this as an opportunity to relate this to pushing and
not “force.” If they do use pulling activities yesterday. Again this is simple and quick but
h “f ” k h
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Session 1
the term “force,” ask them important demonstration. This is also related to the egg and cart
to explain what they mean. beginning to move down the ramp.
Prediction
Pick up the cart and ball and place it back down on the
Frame of Reference demonstration table. Tell the students that you are now going to
Students will need to see push or apply a force to the cart with the ball inside. Ask the
inside the cart to see the students to write down their predictions of what will happen to
ball staying with the cart. the cart and the ball and why. Have students draw arrows on the
Remind them that you are diagrams to represent the forces acting on the cart and on the ball.
using the classroom as the
frame of reference. In the Discuss student predictions and force diagrams.
next demonstration students
will not be able to watch Observation
inside the cart because the
spring will be release Place the cart with the ball inside on the table and give it a push.
popping the ball upward. You will probably need to catch the cart before it rolls off the
table. Remind the students to observe the cart and ball through
out its motion and to record their observations by writing a
description or drawing a diagram of what they see.
apply force
Gravitational force
Gravitational force is a
special case but objects
move under the influence of
this force in the same initial final
fashion as they move due to position position
any other force.
Gravitational force is
special because this force is
Explanation
always downward.
Explanations should address why both the cart and the ball
moved and why they moved together. Have a few students then
share their explanations with the class and if their prediction
matched their observation and why?
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which directions those how do you get the bike to move? (You apply a force or a push to
forces are working. the pedals, which puts you in motion). When the egg and cart
where placed on ramp why did they begin to move? (You
removed your hand, thereby removing the force that balanced the
force of gravity on the egg and cart. The egg and cart were now
subjected to an unbalanced force and therefore began to move.)
Reading at Home
Why do I keep moving when my bike stops? - Why is it not
moving?
Demonstration 3
Friction
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Session 1
Explanation
Demonstration 4
Cart and Ball in Motion Separately.
Prepare
Practicing this Up until now the demonstration were simple and quick. This
demonstration in advance in demonstration is much more interesting and unexpected. Plan to
order to get the timing spend more time on each step of this one.
correct is highly
recommended. Tips: Prediction
• Use a level surface
Tell the students that this cart has a spring in it and that when you
• Push the cart firmly
pull the pin out the ball pops up. Show them how this works with
• Snap the string the cart standing still. The ball will land back in the cart. Tell
quickly and straight them that you are going to push the cart and while it is moving,
back. you will pull the pin. Ask them to write down their predictions of
what will happen. What will happen to the cart and the ball
before, during, and after the ball is in the air? Have students draw
arrows on the diagrams to represent the forces acting on the cart
Demonstration and on the ball.
Students will probably ask
you to repeat this Discuss student predictions and force diagrams.
demonstration. It is
engaging and the result is Observation
unexpected.
Place the cart with the ball in it at one end of the table. Push the
cart and while the cart is moving pull the pin out with a quick
straight snap of the string. The ball should pop up and land back
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Session 1
in the cart and both the cart and ball will continue to move
forward together at the same speed. Remind the students to
Unexpected observe the cart and ball through out its motion and to record
Results their observations.
These observations will
surprise students. Many
might initially think that the
ball will fall behind the cart.
They might also think the apply
ball can land in the cart if it force
is going slowly enough but
if it were going faster, the
ball would fall behind it.
release
ball initial position final position
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Session 1
Demonstration 5
Cart Stopped While Ball is in the Air
Prediction
Horizontal Forces
This demonstration is used Tell the students you are again going to release the ball while the
to illustrate the affect of cart is moving but the cart will be slowed down while the ball is
horizontal forces. There is a in the air. Have students draw arrows on the diagrams to
vertical force on the ball. represent the forces acting on the cart and on the ball.
This force is due to gravity
and pulls the ball downward Discuss student predictions and force diagrams.
(but not horizontally) with
the cart. Observation
Explanation
Explanations should address why the cart and ball moved, why
the cart stopped, and why the ball landed ahead of the cart.
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Session 1
Reading at Home
Why do I keep moving when my bike stops? - Changing motion
with force.
Demonstration 6
Cart Speeds Up While Ball in Air
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Observation
Start the cart moving. Release the ball. After the ball is released,
increase the speed of the cart. This can be done by using a string
attached to the front of the cart looped over the edge of the table
on a pulley with a weight attached on the end of the string. The
string with the weight attached will continue to pull the cart
(applying a force) causing the cart to move faster and faster. The
ball will land behind the cart.
Another way to increase the speed of the cart after the ball is
released is to pull the string while the cart is still at rest. Then
immediately give the cart a push. In this case the speed of the cart
increases from zero to some speed. The ball was released before
the push and therefore is not moving horizontally.
POE’s
Students have written many Explanation
predictions, observations,
and explanations. It is Explanations should address why the cart and ball moved, why
important that students the cart moved faster, and why the ball landed behind the cart.
know that their work is
valued. It is also an Concept Identification: An object in motion stays in motion or
opportunity for students to an object at rest stays at rest unless acted on by an outside
receive comments that will force.
improve their work in the
future. Questions to help guide the concept identification: Was there a
force on the ball? Did it move faster or slower? Did the cart move
faster or slower? Was there a force on the cart? Why did the ball
land behind the cart? Does this agree with our rule (on the
Correcting board)? Ask the students to describe a similar situation with them
One way to manage the and their bike.
large job of many student
sheets to read is to focus on Extension. What would happen if the cart began moving in a
one or two concepts. For different direction (turned) after the ball was released?
example you could look at
students’ work to see if they Apply Newton's 1st Law to Real World Situations
are using the previous
demonstration to make a You can further reinforce Newton’s First Law by applying it to
prediction for the next everyday situations such as.
demonstration. Next time • Jumping out of a train like in movies
students complete POE’s • Dropping things out of the car while it is moving
you could assess their • Objects sliding forward when the car stops
ability to use observations • Things landing in your lap when dropped while the car is
to make explanations. moving
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Learning Set 2
Session 1
Home session
Reading at Home
Why do I keep moving when my bike stops? - What did you
learn?
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