SEPTAandNewtonsLaws(or...Whywewearseatbelts.

)
EcholsandKamal
11/5/14

Background:uptothispointinphysics,wehavebeenfocusingpredominantlyondescribingmotionwithoutprovidingan
explanationforwhycertainthingshappen.Inthisunit,wewillmovefromourmathematicalmodelsfordescribingmotionto
determiningwhatconditionsleadtoeachtypeofmotion.Thegoalistoreachanunderstandingthatafairlysimplesetofrules
governsallmotionthatwecanobservewiththenakedeye.

ThespecificexternalapplicationusehereisSEPTA,Philadelphiaspublictransportationsystem.However,allreferencesto
SEPTAcouldeasilybereplacedbyotherpublictransportation,andinmanycases,bycars.

STAGE1:Desiredresults
EstablishedGoals:
Applypreviouslydevelopedkinematicmodelstosituationsbasedondescriptionofforcesacting.
Usemultiplerepresentationsofamodeltosolveproblemsandanalyzephysicalphenomena.
Developrigorousandcontrolledexperimentsrelatedtomotionbasedonobservationsandpersonalexperience.
Explainrelationshipbetweendifferentmodelsandrepresentationsofforceandmotion.
Createandinterpretgraphsofexperimentaldata(includingappropriategraphselection,placementofdependentand
independentvariables,identificationoftypesofrelationships,etc).

PAStateScienceStandards:
3.1.12.B:Applyconceptsofmodelsasamethodtopredictandunderstandscienceandtechnology.
3.1.12.E:Evaluatechangeinnature,physicalsystemsandmanmadesystems.
3.1.12.E.1:Evaluatefundamentalscienceandtechnologyconceptsandtheirdevelopmentovertime(e.g.,DNA,
cellularrespiration,unifiedfieldtheory,energymeasurement,automation,miniaturization,CopernicanandPtolemaic
universetheories).
3.1.12.E.2:Analyzehowmodels,systemsandtechnologieshavechangedovertime(e.g.,germtheory,theoryof
evolution,solarsystem,causeoffire).

3.2.12.A:Evaluatethenatureofscientificandtechnologicalknowledge.
3.2.12.B:Evaluateexperimentalinformationforappropriatenessandadherencetorelevantscienceprocesses.
3.2.12.C:Applytheelementsofscientificinquirytosolvemultistepproblems.
3.4.12.C.6:Describeinertia,motion,equilibrium,andaction/reactionconceptsthroughwords,modelsand
mathematicalsymbols.

AnticipatedMisconceptions(veryimportantinphysics!):
StudentsfrequentlyenterphysicsclassesinanAristotelianmindset,makingpredictionsconsistentwithwhatthe
Greekphilosophercameupwith2000+yearsago(thisisespeciallytrueforN1andN3).Thismakesinterpreting
evidencetothecontrarychallengingsinceitfliesinthefaceofwhattheythinktheyknow.

Also,distinguishingcausefromeffect(i.e.interpretingalargeraccelerationasevidenceofalargerforcewithout
consideringtheotherfactorsinvolved).

Distinguishingbetweenmotionandaspecificdescriptionofmotion.

Airprovidesasignificantforcethatmustberepresentedforstationaryobjectssurfacescantpush,theyarejustinthe
way.

Gravityslowsthingsdownastheymoveacrossasurface(vs.friction)
Transfer(studentswillbeabletousetheirlearningindependentlyto...)
Identifyacommonmisconceptionrelatedtothemotionofobjectsundertheinfluenceofforces,relateittoasituationon
abus,andexplainwhatisreallygoing.Thiswillincludewriting(abouttheevolutionofthestudentsunderstanding)and
agraphicalad/posterconciselyexplainingwhatisgoingon.
Meaning
Understandings:
Casualobservationofaneventcanleadtoincorrectconclusionsaboutthenatureofmotionapreciseanalysis
reliesoncontrolledexperimentationandanalysisofallknowninformation

Scientifictheoriesevolveasmoreinformationbecomesavailablebutonlyifexaminedsystematically

EssentialQuestions:
Wheniscommonsensevalidandwhendoesitplaytricksonus?
Whatcauseschangesinmotion?
Shouldseatbeltsberequired?
Acquisition
Content(theseareStandards,ifyouareusingaStandardsBasedGradingsystemthemathematicalrigorofthese
standardscanbeadjustedtomatchthetypeofphysicsclassbeingtaught):
Drawaproperlylabeledfreebodydiagramshowingallforcesactingonanobject.
Relatebalanced/unbalancedforcestoanobjectsconstant/changingmotion.
UseNewtonsfirstlawtoquantitativelydeterminetheforcesactingonanobjectmovingataconstantvelocity.
Describereciprocalinteractions(NewtonsThirdLaw)andmakevalidinferencesonthebasisofthisfact.
Comparemotionofobjectsinmovingreferenceframes.

Optional:
Drawaforcevectoradditiondiagramforanobjectexperiencingnonetforce.

Skills:
Interpretdatatodetermineaphysicalrelationshipusingmathematicalexpressions(gravitationalforce).
STAGE2:Evidence
Transfertasks:
Miniproject:Identifyacommonmisconceptionrelatedtothemotionofobjectsundertheinfluenceofforces,relateitto
asituationonabus,andexplainwhatisreallygoing.Thiswillincludewriting(abouttheevolutionofthestudents
understanding)andagraphicalad/posterconciselyexplainingwhatisgoingon.

Evaluativecriteria:
Applicationofbalancedforcemodel


Otherevidence:
Quizzes
Inclassdiscussion
Whiteboard/writtenactivities

Evaluativecriteria:
Compatibilitywithphysicallaws
Useofevidencetosupportreasoning
STAGE3:LearningPlan
SummaryofKeyLearningEventsandInstruction
ThisplanroughlyoutlinesthekeyelementsofhelpingstudentsunderstandNewtonsFirstandThirdLaws.Manyofthe
activitiesarecoordinatedbytheteacherbutrequirestudentstomakeobservations,askquestions,andsoon.Therichnessof
theunitdependslargelyonsettingupexperiences,bothintheclassroomandinthestructureoftheprojectwork,thatprompt
studentstoaskquestionsoftheirown.

Priortostartingunit(beforeevenintroducingtheproject):
Studentsshouldstartmakingobservationsabouttheircommuteonpublictransportationforapproximatelyoneweek.
Astheweekgoeson,theteachershouldperiodicallyaskstudentsfortheirobservationstodetermineifstudentsare
makingrelevantobservationsornot.Someguidanceinwhatqualifiesasausefulobservationisreasonable.

Pretestanddiscussion
Studentpreconceptionsareahugepartofthisunit,andbringingthemoutintotheopenpriortodivingintotheevidence
andlawsiscritical.Forthisactivity,westartwiththeNewtonPretestdocument,whichshowsfourpossibleresponses
toaquestion.(Theoriginalversionaskedstudentstodrawtheirowngraph,andthefourshownherewereselected
fromtheoverwhelminglymostcommonanswers.Havingfourchoicesallowsforamorestructureddiscussionlateron).
Studentsworktoanswerthethreequestionsindividually,thengroupthemselvesintheclassroomaccordingtowhich
graphtheyselected.Theteacherthenstructuresaclassdiscussioninwhichthefourgroupsexplaintheirthinkingin

selectingtheirgraph.Typically,thediscussiongetstothepointwherenofurtherargumentsaremade,andstudentsare
nolongerprovidingevidence,andthisisthepointatwhichtheteachercanseguetothenextactivitybypointingoutthe
needforasharedexperienceandevidencetosupportthearguments.

Paradigmlab(hoverpuck,dryice,airtrack:canuseoneormoretodevelopideas)
Thegoalwiththisactivityistodrawoutstudentobservations,andtoencouragestudentstofocusstrictlyon
observationsbeforejumpingtowhyitmightbehappening.Itisimportanttouseanobjectwithminimalfrictionforthe
demonstrations,andaslevelasurfaceaspossible(thegoalistoachievethenoforcesactinghorizontallyscenario).
Studentsoftenwanttosuggestthingstotry,whichisalsoanimportantelement.Typically,variationsinclude:no
pushingatall,aseriesofquicknudges(i.e.kickingthehoverpuckbackandforthbetweenstudents),draggingwitha
constantpull(i.e.stretchingarubberbandbyasetamountandkeepingitstretched),andsoon.Compilealistof
observationsasaclass.
Identifypatternsinmotionofobject
Defineforceasaninteractionbetweentwoobjects(althoughthisisanontraditionaldefinition,itprovidesfor
easieridentificationofforceslateronintheunit).
Introduceideaofsystemschemasasawaytoidentifyobjectsthatareinteracting
ManyoftheideasinthissectionareadaptedfromtheASUModelingCurriculum,whichisagreatresourcefor
structuringexploratoryunitintroductions.

Frictionbridgingactivity(alternativetoabove,orinadditionto)
Ahugeportionofstudentpreconceptionscomefromthefactthattheirobservationsoftheworldaroundthemarenot
rigorouslystructuredlikeascienceexperimentwouldbe.Inordertounderstandthereasonwhythingsalwaysslow
down,itisimportanttomaketheconcreteconnectiontotheactionsoffriction.Inthisdemonstration,thegoalistostart
withanobjectthatexperiencesalargequantityoffrictionandworktowardsconditionsoflessandlessfrictionsothat
studentscanseetheeffectoffriction.Ultimately,theteacherasksstudentstodoathoughtexperimentwhereinthey
imaginewhatwouldhappeniftheywereabletoeliminatefrictionaltogether.Theculminationshouldbeanexplicit
statementofNewtonsFirstLaw(usingideascontributedbystudents),inlanguagethatisnotmisleading.

Tableforce:isitactingorintheway?

Anothertypicalchallengeforstudentsiswhetherasurfaceisactuallyapplyingaforceormerelyobstructingthe
object.Thisbridgingdemoisderivedfrom___________,andfollowstheprogressionillustratedtherein.Startingwitha
massrestingontheteachershand,askifthesupportingobject(i.e.thehand)isexertingaforce,andhowstudents
know.TypicalresponsesincludeYes,becauseyoucanfeelitorYes,becauseyouhavetopush.Thesame
sequencefollowswithamassbalancedacrossameterstickproppedonbooks,thenonasponge,andfinally,the
teachershowingthedeflectioninatablewithalaserandmirror.

Formativeassessment
Seeaccompanyingdocument.Thisactivityisdesignedtoexploretheextenttowhichstudentshavedevelopedtheir
mentalmodelforNewtonsFirstlaw.Dependingontimeconstraints,andwhatstudentsarethinking,thiscanbedone
asanindividual,smallgroup,orwholeclassactivity(orcombinationofthethree)

Freebodydiagramsandsystemschemas
Thisisoneofthefewactivitiesthatrequiresexplicitdirectioninstructionfromtheteacher,asitrequirestheintroduction
ofanewskill.Asystemschemaisamethodofidentifyingalltheobjectsthatareinteractingwiththesystemorobject
ofinterest(ifyouweretryingtodrawafreebodydiagramforabookonatable,thesystemwouldmostlikelybethe
book).Thenumberofinteractionsidentifiedshouldmatchthenumberofforcesdrawnonthefreebodydiagram.

Additionaldemonstrations:
Asstudentsarebringingintheirobservationsabouttheirexperiencesonpublictransportationandaskingquestions
aboutwhattheyobserved(sincethisisintendedtobeastudentcenteredunitdrivenlargelybytheirideas).Itis
importanttostructurethesedemonstrationssothatstudentsthinkaboutwhattheyexpecttosee(andwhy),andthen
whattheyactuallysee(withanevidencebasedreason).ThisalsoprovidesmorepracticeusingevidenceandNewtons
Lawsintheirreasoning.Someexamplesofdemonstration:
Legopeopleonadynamicscartthesuddenlychangesmotion
Verticalcannononarollingcart
Returntolowfrictionitems(hoverpuckontopofamovingplatform)

NewtonsThirdLaw:

Studentsmightbetemptedtoexplaintheexperienceofapersononabusashappeningbecausethebusexertsmore
forceonthem(evenifthisexplanationdoesntreallymatchthesituation).ItisimportanttodevelopNewtonsThirdLaw
priortoendingthisunitsothatthislineofthinkingdoesnotgetinadvertentlyincorporatedintostudentthinking.One
approachistochallengestudentstoseeiftheycanpushharderontheteacherthantheteachercanpushonthem
(usingforceplatesastheintermediary).Criticalattentionmustbepaidtowardsstudentandteachersafetyifthis
approachisadopted.Studentswillbesurprisedwhenbothforceplatesregisterthesameforce,regardlessofwhois
pushingorwhateachpersonisdoing.Bringingthisbacktotheideathataforceisaninteractionbetweentwoobjects,
theteachershouldarguethattwoforcesthatareinteractingapplythesameforcetoeachother,butthatthe
consequencesmaybedifferentowingtothecombinationofforcesactingoneach.

Practice:
Itisimportantthatstudentsspendtimepracticingtheirunderstandingoffreebodydiagrams,systemschemas,and
Newtonsfirstandthirdlaws,particularlypriortodoingitindependentlyontheirprojects.Althoughthisishappening
throughoutintheactivitiesmentionedabove,theteachershouldintersperseadditionalpracticedrawingfreebody
diagrams/systemschemasanddiscussingthemforawiderangeofsituations,andmakingpredictionsaboutthevalue
offorces.

Additional,optionalactivities:
Developtheequationforgravitationalforceexperimentally
Demonstratedifferencesbetweenstaticandkineticfriction(pushingalargeheavyobjectuntilitsuddenlystarts
moving).

Projectactivitiesandlessons:
Duringthecourseoftheunit,theteachershouldintersperseactivitiesrelatedtothenatureoftheprojectthatwillhelp
studentsplantheirworkandcompletethecheckpoints.Theexacttimingoftheseactivitiesdependsonwhenstudents
completetheirobservations,whengroupsareassigned,andthedatesselectedforeachofthecheckpoints,butitis
importantthattheprojectdoesnottakeplaceattheendoftheunit,aftertherestoftheactivitiesarecomplete,asthis
defeatsthepurposeofprojectbasedlearning.
Groupsharingofobservations(compileadetailedlist,helpstoshowrangeofexperiences)

Anecdotesharing(studentandteacher):thishelpstodrivetheideaofwhywecareaboutthisproject:Lookat
alloftheridiculousthingsthatcouldhappenwhileyouareonpublictransportation?butrestrictingthemtothe
realmofthingsthatcanbeexplainedwithphysics.
Audiencebrainstorming:thevariouspromptsareuptotheteacher.Inthepast,athreestepprocessof
identifyingeveryonewhoridespublictransportation,potentialawkwardsituationsthatcanarise,andthen
identifyingaudiencesfromthecombinationofthefirsttwohasworkedwell.

SLACoreValues
Inquiry:
Whathappensonpublictransportationthatwecanexplainwithphysics?

Research:
Howdowegathergoodqualityobservationsinamovingreferenceframe?

Collaboration:
Howcanwecollaboratetodeepenandextendourunderstandingofhowtheselawsapplytoeverydaysituations?

Presentation:
Studentswillcreateavideoforapublicaudienceoftheirchoosing,aswellasamore

Reflection:
Howeffectivelydidyourgroupworktogether?
Whatdidyoulearnaboutthedifferencebetweenscienceandnaturalphilosophy?

Weekof
11/3 PDDay

Day1

Day2
PDDay

Day3

Day4

Catalyst
Sitewithnewtableandeachtalk
aboutsomethingtheyareexcited
forinNovember

SEPTAObservations
Studentsshouldbeobserving
thingsonSEPTAforthenextfew
days!Seeslideinstructions.

WriteSEPTAPartIIonnew
pageinnotebook

NewtonPretest
Preassessmentanddiscussion

Handoutsheet.Studentswork
independently.Studentsthengo
tocornerofroommatchingtheir
choice1>4.
Discussion.
Randomlyselectedgroup
representativeshareswhy
choicewasselected.
Tokenbaseddiscussionensues.
Noinvolvementfromteachers.

Catalyst
Think/write:whatisaforce?
(6min)

Activity1
Groupshare/write/drawpicture
onwhiteboard.(9min)Each
groupthenpresents.(10min)
(SATplaceshandoutsface
downoneachtableduringthis)

Activity2
Usefuldefinition:
Aforceisaninteraction
betweentwoobjects

Teacherdrivendiscussionof
forcetypesfilloutforcetable.
Studentsfilloutaswell.

11/10 Catalyst
Writea(very)shortstory
thattakesplaceina
frictionlessworld.(7min)

Afewshareouts(3min)

Observations
PEOEhandoutsand
explanation

Moveseatstoobservesled

4demonstrationsofmotion
withdecreasingfriction.
StudentsfilloutPEOE
charts.
A. Sandpaper
B. Aluminum
C. Air
D. Airwithpull

Discussion

Reviewtheforcesentence

Discusstheforcesonthe
sledineachscenario

ExtraTime
Writetheforcesentencefor
afewexamplescenarios
>Objectontable

Catalyst
Writeabriefsummaryof
yourobservationsfromthe
lastclass

DefiningSystem
SchemasandFreeBody
Diagrams
Turnnotebooktonextopen
2facingpages.
Leftpage:Notes
Rightpage:Dividedown
themiddlesandinto3rows
Leftcolumn:System
Schemas
Rightcolumn:FreeBody
Diagrams

Letsfocusonthesledon
thetrackwithsandpaper
justaftergettinghit(label
thisrow)

SystemSchemas
Step1:Drawtheobjects
ontheupperleftbox
Step2:Drawlinesfor
interactions
Step3:Drawadottedline
aroundthesystem
Step4:Countthe
interactionscrossingthe
systemline

Catalyst
Ifyouhavenotalreadydoneso,
drawafreebodydiagramfor:
1)
2)

Thesledbeingpulledby
thetinymassonthe
string
Thesledonthetrackwith
theaironinaworldwith
nofrictionorair
resistance.

Newtonsfirstlaw
Seeslides
Discussionaboutlabresultsand
teacherleddiscussionleadingto
studentsstatingNewtonsfirst
law

>Bobonapendulum
>Voyagerspacecraft

FreeBodyDiagrams
Onlyoneobjectsimplified
toadot
Vectorsareagreatwayto
representtheforceshave
magnitudeanddirection
Gothruslide

Studentsdraw2diagrams
foreachsituation:
1.Sledontrackwith
sandpaper
2.Sledontrackno
sandpaper
3.Sledontrackwithairon
Question:AreFN=Fg

11/17 Catalyst
Ms.Echolsisabouttopull
thetableclothquicklyoffthe
table.Whatdoyouthinkwill
happentotheglassbowl
ontop?Why?

Demo
DrawaFBD.Discuss.

Demowithplasticbowlwith
rubberbase.Discuss.

Referenceframes
Sledonairtrackonboard
onjerkedlabcart
Whatwillhappen?Why?
DrawFBD.
Describemovingsidewalk

Projectintro(15min)

Catalyst
DrawSSandFBDsfor
eachphaseofthe
experimentfromthe
preassessment

Revisitpreassessment
debate

Spendtimelookingat
examplesofprofessional
versionsofthemodesof
presentationselected

ReviewMythbustersvideo
https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=YZRq3XxCZXo

http://www.radiolab.org/stor
y/267124speed/?utm_sour
ce=local&utm_medium=tre
atment&utm_campaign=da
Most&utm_content=damost
viewed

http://www.radiolab.org/stor
y/91569memoryandforge
tting/

Catalyst
Whichdoyouthinkisthe
strongestsuperhero?How
wouldyouexperimentallyprove
this?

Discussionofcatalystideas
Howcouldwetestsupermanvs
hulkforexample?

Pulling
Tugofwardiscussion.
Whataretheforces?
Decidethatfrictionisakeyfactor
Whowouldwinonice?
Zerofriction?

Pushing
Sumowrestlingtwopeople
pushonhandswithoutmoving
feet
Whoispushingthehardest?
Forceplatechallenge

DefinitionofNewtonsThird
Law

Scenarioandaudience
selection

Catalyst
Worksheetcompletethe
problem#=table#
Twoblocksontablewith
pushinghandslidingfromone
end
Systemschemas
FBDs
Onwhiteboards

FBDAnalysis
PresentationsofaconstantV
andconstantAresult

ProjectWork
Scenarioexplanationsand
peerreview

http://www.amazon.com/W
onderfulLifeElementsPeri
odicPersonified/dp/159327
4238

http://www.amazon.com/T
MinusRaceMoonJimOtt
aviani/dp/1416949607
11/24 WORKTime
12/1 Projectdue

Referenceframes
N3
Scenarioselection
Audienceselection
Qualitativefrictioninvestigation???
Demotime

QUIZ

Worktimeforthestreamsthat
havethisclass

NOSCHOOL!!!!!