5-E Model Lesson PKL Day 2

Title Exploring Newtons Laws of Motion with

Marshmallows

Purpose/Rationale To allow students to further develop their

understanding of Newtons Third Law of Motion with
experimental design of a rocket launch lab.

Community Car accidents are very prevalent, especially with new

Resources and drivers who are inexperienced. Although these students
meetings needs of do not have their driving permits yet, they are about to
particular enter high school where their peers will. Soon they will
population of not an adult reminding them to put on a seat belt. Also
students many of these kids live on large plots of land where they
likely ride in the back of trucks or go four wheeling
without seat beats. I want to connect their decision to
use a seat belt to the science of the three laws of motion
to influence their decision to use seat belts.
Virginia SOLs 6.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of
scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by
planning and conducting investigations in which
Precise and approximate measurements are
recorded;
Hypotheses are stated in ways that identify the
independent variables and dependent variables;
a method is devised to test the validity of
predictions and inferences;
one variable is manipulated over time, using
many repeated trials;
data are collected, recorded, analyzed, and
reported using metric measurements and tools;
data are analyzed and communicated through
graphical representation;
models and simulations are designed and used to
illustrate and explain phenomena and systems;
and
6.2 The student will investigate and understand basic
sources of energy, their origins,
transformations, and uses. Key concepts
include
a. Potential and kinetic energy;
e. Energy transformations.

Materials Plastic cups

Balloons
Marshmallows (2 different sizes)

Ruler

Tape

Scissors

Pencil/Pen
Safety and Class
Ensure that students are not shooting the
Management marshmallows at each other
Issues Ensure when students are bending over to
measure the marshmallow distance that they are
carefully bending over and not hitting their heads
on objects.
Students in this classroom like to fiddle or hit
other students with their rulers so taking rulers
away that are being misused.
Procedures for Teaching (numbered with time frame)
Engage (5 minutes) A cool video about newtons laws regarding
rockets. It shows astronauts in space
demonstrating the three laws that we will use in
lab.
Connect this video to how we design our
experiment through the importance of mass
Explore (35 Students will be making a marshmallow rocket to
minutes) connect more with the third law of motion. They will be
doing a lab to see how far they can spring the
marshmallow.
1. I will get their input on if they think the shape of
a marshmallow or the weight will make the
biggest different in the distance to design the
experiment off of their input
2. To begin the first part of the lab will be having the
students to write their different hypothesis,
independent variables, dependent variables, and
control.
3. Once the experiment design reviewed as a class,
students will get into groups of three by
numbering off up to a # (based on the class size
who are present) so that every student has a
number. The student who are first so say the
number will become the team leaders who are
responsible to collect all the supplies and to
ensure the group in on task. Also since we are
going outside it will allow me to have better
classroom management through have leaders in
the class. Numbering off also is to ensure that no
student gets left out.
4. Together in their groups students will work on
the first activity sheet where they will have to
write the pre-lab.
Explain (5 minutes Students will be constantly exposed to terms throughout
in the beginning the lesson in the set up the experiment, the worksheets
and then thrown for the experiment, and also in the recap after the
into the entire lab experiment
experiment) In the beginning of the class during the engage, I
will recap on how all three laws of motion are
discussed.
During the introduction I will have a PowerPoint
with the terms dependent variable, independent
variable, hypothesis, and control.
During the experiment students will be working
with measuring tool necessary for experiments
Elaborate (5 Connect this concept with how planets revolve around
minutes) the sun and the moon revolves around earth. We shoot
the marshmallow far enough, then the marshmallow
will eventually keep going falling around earth entering
orbit. I will have a little script for me during this part to
ensure I elaborate fully on the concept without skipping
parts that would help the students understand.

Evaluate
Formative I will have built in formative assessment for students
when they need to turn in the pre-lab part of the
experiment before they can get the supplies for the
experiment. The goal is to be able to help them correct
their misconceptions before they move onto the fun part
of the experiment. The biggest challenge in formative
class is distinguishing between lack of knowledge or lack
of motivation. The goal with this formative assessment
is to collect feedback while students are hopefully
expected and motivated to do the experiment.
Summative Students will turn in their activity sheet to be evaluated.
The graph is a big part of this worksheet to see if they
can use their data properly.
Activity Sheet Below.
 Activity Sheet
Newtons Third Law Experiment Pre-Lab
Name:

(Independent Variable) causes a change in (Dependent Variable) -so-

1. Independent Variable is _____________________

And the
Dependent Variable is _______________________
So the

2. Hypothesis is:

If the __________________________________________,

then the ________________________________________.

3. The third law of motion states that for every force (action) there is an equal and
opposite reaction. How do you predict this experiment will show this phenomenon?
Challenge- can you connect the other Newtons Laws of Motion into this lab?

Put your hand on your head if you are up to this point,

to allow Ms. G to come check your work.
Once I check it I will then give you your supplies to work on creating your rocket.
Once group builds their rocket, we will come together for more directions then you
will then get the data sheet to do the actual experiment.
 Activity Sheet
Newtons Third Law Experiment Lab
One person is going to be measuring the distance of the marshmallow
One person is going to be recording the data. You are responsible to ensure
that after all 6 trails are done that everyone in the group has the data numbers
before the next round
One person will be rocketing of the marshmallow- 6 times (3 for each variable)
then
Rotate so everyone has a change to do all of the positions

Quantities observations-

Collecting the Data

Trails Group member 1 Group member 2 Group Member 3

Variable 1 & 2 Variable 1 & 2 Variable 1 & 2
Trial 1 m m m m m
m

Trial 2 m m m m m
m

Trail 3 m m m m m m

Average

m m m

Collect qualitative data below. What are you observing through the experiment?

Draw a diagraph of the projectile motion the marshmallow travels.

Clean up your materials and continue to work on the post lab on the back of the
page.

Activity Sheet
Newtons Third Law Experiment Post-Lab
With your group, reflect on the experiment with these post lab questions.

1. Was your hypothesis correct? If not, what would have made it correct?

2. How did the independent variable affect the dependent variable?

3. What were some problems with the experiment? Think critically on what was
done. How could you improve these problems?

4. If you were to do this experiment again, what would you do?

5. What questions did this experiment leave wondering about?

6. Using the grid below create a bar graph. Use a ruler to make your lines
straight and color pencils to distinguish the different data.