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Notes for Teachers

This is a series of lessons designed to familiarize students with the Law of Conservation of Energy. In order for students to make sense of many standards in the Middle Level grade bands, a foundational understanding of energy transformations and transfer is essential.

By hooking students using a Newton’s Cradle, students will explore the relationship between potential and kinetic energy, as well as types of energy, and ultimately be able to build a model of the Newton’s Cradle and identify transfer and transformations that occur within the system.

List of Materials

A Newton’s Cradle - if possible (video provided if not)
Devices for students to access the PhET lab
An interactive student notebook - notebook page setup located in the slide deck
Slide deck with lessons, videos, reading, links, and instructions (linked here)

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Standards

Physical Science:

8.P4U1.3 Construct an explanation on how energy can be transferred from one energy store to another.

Core Idea:

P4: The total amount of energy in a closed system is always the same but can be transferred from one energy store to another during an event.

*Many students come with little science and have not been introduced to this idea. These lesson provide access for students that do not have prior knowledge and allow for deeper understanding for students that do have prior knowledge.*

Mathematical Practice:

MP.4 Model with mathematics.

Will support student understanding in:

6.P4U2.5 Analyze how humans use technology to store (potential) and/or use (kinetic) energy.

7.E1U1.5 Construct a model that shows the cycling of matter and flow of energy in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.

8.P4U2.5 Develop a solution to increase efficiency when transferring energy from one source to another.

This can also be brought back when completing the Newton’s Laws Standard:

7.P3U1.4 Use non-algebraic mathematics and computational thinking to explain Newton’s laws of motion.

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Objective(s):

Today I will be able to investigate the Law of Conservation of Energy. (Slide 1 in lessons slide deck)

Today I will be able to describe the Law of Conservation of Energy using observations from the virtual lab. (Slide 3 in lessons slide deck)

Today I will be able to describe potential and kinetic energy, energy transfer, and energy transformations. (Slide 5 in lessons slide deck)

Today I will be able to model and explain energy transfer and transformations that occur in a Newton’s Cradle.

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Agenda (4-5 days)

Day 1: Law of Conservation Investigative Phenomena and Explain question -1 class period with class discourse

Day 2: Energy Exploratory Lab and Explain - 1 class period

Day 3: Kinetic and Potential Energy IP and Reading - 1 class period

Day 4-5: Types of energy and Model/Explanation of energy transfer and transformation - 2 class periods

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Intro

If energy cannot be created or destroyed, how can a Newton’s Cradle go from rest to sustaining movement for an extended period of time?

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

All activities and instructions are located in the slide deck (linked here).
For each investigative phenomena, students should be given individual think time to record thoughts before students share ideas at table or whole class.
Students can work in pairs to complete the Energy Exploratory Lab.

In order to support all students, a class discussion can take place to discuss what was observed and what it means before students are asked to explain.

When reading the article - to support all students this can be read as a class, or an app like Kami can be used to students have access to speech to text and annotation tools.
Students may work in pairs or groups to create model at the end of the lessons. However, each student should have a copy of the model in their interactive notebook.
Students should individually complete the explanation of the model. Sentence starters can be provided to support all students.

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Assessment

Students can be assessed using formative assessments throughout the lessons. This can be accomplished in the form of class discussions or exit tickets.

Students can be assessed on completion of the lab using this rubric (linked here) the rubric should be provided prior to students engaging in the lab.

Students check for understanding forms of energy - Google Form (linked here)

Template for final explanatory paragraph with sentence frames and rubric (linked here)

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Differentiation

These lessons are all designed with built in supports for all students.

Appropriate grouping can be used to support students.

Remediation can be done through class discussions and guided notes if students are not understanding types of energy, energy transfer, or energy transformations.

When going through class discussions, relate to what students know/have experienced as much as possible - sports can be a great access point.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

For students that are mastering the concepts, you can use questioning to deepen their understanding. Have them mathematically model how the total energy in the Newton’s Cradle is conserved.

In the slide deck there is a link for an extension lab where students can create their own hypothesis to test in the Energy Exploratory PhET lab. This could also be used for students to explore and experiment with the Newton’s Cradle - have students create any combination and test it out.

Note for teachers: The Newton’s Cradle, as simple as it is, becomes a HUGE hit. If you are willing to explore and play around your students will be a captive audience wondering, sharing, and engaging.

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