The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Where Did All The Energy Go?

Where Did The Energy Go?

A 8th grade STEM Lesson

Katherine Otwell

1-31-2024

Notes for teachers

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• I was trying to keep this as a one day activity, but it could definitely become a two day if you also added graphing as part of the requirement. Show students different graphs and then have them make the skateboarder create the graph they were shown on the simulation.

List of Materials

• Book (use link to book read) “Roller Coaster” by Marla Frazee
• Toy car, weights, ramp.
• Student computers (Can be done individually or with a partner.) Go to Colorado PhET Website - Skate Park. It is free to sign up.
• Pass copies for each student EXPLORE - Student Activity Worksheet for Skate Park
• Print a copy for each student Performance Assessment

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Standards

Az Science Standard 8.P4U1.3

Construct an explanation on how energy can be transferred from one energy store to another.

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MS-PS3-5. Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object.

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Standards

Science and Engineering Practices Engaging in Argument from Evidence Experiences and progresses to constructing a convincing argument that supports or refutes claims for either explanations or solutions about the natural and designed worlds.

• Construct, use, and present oral and written arguments supported by empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support or refute an explanation or a model for a phenomenon

Standards

ELA/Literacy

RST.6-8.1 - Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.

WHST.6-8.1 - Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts

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Standards

Mathematics

6.RP.A.1 - Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities.

7.RP.A.2 - Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities.

8.F.A.3 - Interpret the equation y = mx + b as defining a linear function, whose graph is a straight line; give examples of functions that are not linear.

MP.2 - Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

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Objectives:

Today we will…

1. Review terms of potential and kinetic energy.
2. Explain how potential and kinetic energy can change in a simulation.
3. What effects total energy?
4. Energy can take many different forms.
5. Construct an argument from evidence that kinetic energy can be transformed from one object to another.

Agenda

ENGAGE (10 min)

• Read “Roller Coaster” by Marla Frazee

EXPLORE (20-30 min)

• Go to Colorado PhET skate park and work with a simulation.

EXPLAIN (10 min)

• Apply what we discovered to a new phenomenon.

• Discuss energy and matter in different systems on Earth.

ELABORATE (10 min)

• How does what we learned apply to a water slide?

EVALUATE (20 min)

• Performance Assessment on Newton’s Cradle

Driving Question

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Where does all the energy go?

ENGAGE

• You can purchase the book or watch this video on this book called “Roller Coaster” by Marla Frazee.
• Demonstration can also be included using a ramp, toy car, and weights. You should demonstrate it with the ramps at different heights. Do not explain anything to them.
• Here are some questions to offer them.
• What happened with the car?
• What happens when we increase or decrease the height of the ramp?
• What happens if I add more/less mass to the car?
• What does the kinetic energy and potential energy depend on?
• They should write their observations on a sheet of paper.

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EXPLORE

1. Students will go to the website Colorado PhET - Skate Park.
2. Allow students to play with the simulation for a few minutes.
3. Pass out the EXPLORE Activity Worksheet.
4. There are questions below to help guide their thinking and understand student learning in the Notes section at the bottom.

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EXPLAIN

1. You should review the questions and answers from the explore activity, and then use that knowledge to explain a new phenomenon.
2. Have the students watch the video up to 1:18.
3. Ask students to hypothesize how does this light work. Students will work in groups (4 to 5 per group). They are just brainstorming.
4. After they have all had a chance to come up with an idea, then play the rest of the video.
5. Show students the video of Matter and Energy from The Wonders of Science.
6. Discuss all the different forms of energy systems.

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NEW PHENOMENA

ELABORATE

This portion of the activity is to allow students to elaborate on the details of energy transfer.

1. Have students look at these pictures of people on slides in a water park, and asks what makes these rides so fast?

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Questions to guide student learning.

1. Which rides would be the fastest? Why?
2. What do you think makes the rides feel fast?
3. What observations can you make about how the amount of water affects the motion of the object?

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EVALUATE

Where does the energy go? (click here for performance assessment)

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Students we will work individually, and you need to print a copy for each student.

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Differentiation

Click on the image to view.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Click on the image below to view.