The lesson plan I found addresses an objective in Unit 3 on momentum and energy. The objective states: explain what work is and define both potential and kinetic energy changes in terms of work. I found a lesson on work for a 5th or 6th grade science lesson. It involves finding measuring and calculating work and how potential and kinetic energy change during the situation. I have included a copy of the lesson plan:
An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan
Submitted by: Ben Pflugrad, Caldwell S.D.A. Elementary School; Caldwell, ID
Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have
attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of
teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the
rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science
Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network
that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers
that they have met at the Workshops.
Date: May 1994
Grade Level(s): 5, 6
Subject(s): Science/Physics
OVERVIEW: This lesson is to help students more fully understand the relationship between Potential and Kinetic energy. Students should already know the definitions for work and mechanical energy.
PURPOSE: Students will observe and record the amount of work done by the three different marbles rolling down an inclined plane and hypothesize about the reasons for the differences.
OBJECTIVE(s): Students will:
RESOURCES/MATERIALS: 3 marbles (Different sizes &/or weights), inclined plane, metric ruler, milk carton.
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
Exploration/Explanation:
Set up a demonstration of rolling three different sized marbles down an inclined plane. Place the bottom section of a milk carton at the bottom of the ramp to catch the marble and measure the distance that it moves the carton.
Ask questions below before demonstration.
Who can tell me the meaning of work?
What is mechanical energy?
Which marble has more mechanical energy? (sitting on flat plane)
If I put the marbles up on the inclined plane, would they have energy? Why?
This energy is called potential energy. (PE) Energy at the point of release, or stored energy. The energy of a
moving object is Kinetic energy. (KE) PE changes to KE as the marble rolls down the ramp.
Which marble do you think has the most PE?
Ask students to predict how many centimeters each marble will move the milk carton, and which marble will move it
the most. (write on a piece of paper)
Demonstrate one marble and record the distance the milk carton was moved. Repeat five times and take the average
distance. Demonstrate the second and third marbles using the same process.
Compare students predictions with outcomes.
Which marble had the most energy? Why?
What would happen if the smaller marble was let go at twice the height of the larger one? Why? (Demonstrate)
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
What are some examples of storing and using energy in our environment? (Teeter-totter, Wrecking ball,
Hydroelectric dam, Elevators)
What factors affect the amount of work an object can do? (Mass and Height)
On the paper that students wrote their predictions, have them explain why their predictions were right or wrong.
I found this lesson on a website and did not make any changes to it. I think it is fairly complete and would work well in an elementary classroom. Here is the citation: “Potential and Kinetic Energy” retrieved November 9, 2009 from http://www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Physics/PHS0036.html
This tool could be used as one lesson to supplement the subject of work. You would have to do more explaining and demonstrating for students to fully understand. This tool should be taught to upper elementary students who are capable of calculating averages and of understanding these concepts. I would say its ideal for 4th graders and older. The unit this tool could be used in is the energy unit. You could use it when you study momentum or specifically potential and kinetic energies as well. Before doing this lesson, students must have a general understanding of work, energy, and more specifically mechanical energy. You can also go over kinetic and potential energy. It would require a great deal of background information in order to complete it and understand it. After using the tool, the students will have performed the lesson and made inferences about it. The teacher would have to go over what happened and why that it did after the lesson. The teacher should also recap the terms and definitions after the lesson is over.
The materials needed are listed in the lesson but you would need 3 marbles of varying sizes or weights, an inclined plane, a metric ruler, and a milk carton for each group. The milk carton could be replaced with a paper or plastic cup as well. The materials would be fairly easy to attain at any store, and cheaper at a dollar store. The inclined planes would be more challenging but you could use wooden planks or metal ramps.
In order to use the tool, I would first give the background on work by defining terms and asking students to help with their own knowledge. I would then follow the directions given by the lesson plan, and finally do a wrap up to check for understanding. This tool would require explicit instructions at the beginning of how the materials should be used and how to perform the task. There are few safety issues but it would definitely still be addressed with the students and how they behave during science experiments. There would be no protective equipment or disposal of waste needed and no legal or ethical issues.
The tool only addresses the objective in a basic overview. It definitely talks about work and how that relates to changes in potential and kinetic energy. In the lesson, it is the teacher’s job to go over, specifically, the reasons and explanations. It goes over all of these things in general terms. I think for elementary students, the general understanding is all you will really achieve. It does cover all aspects of the objective, however.
I think that the tool will fairly effectively teach the concept to the students. It may not be as in depth as it could be but it will take more than just one discussion on it to understand. I think this tool does just as good of a job as any in teaching how work relates to energy. The students will get to see first hand, how an object performs work on another and how their differences in potential energy, result in differences of kinetic energy, and therefore a difference in work. They will get to perform this task in their own group so it will be directly absorbed. I think the students will also find it very engaging and fun because they get to find their own measurements and see the results in their own tables and charts. The students may have misconceptions about work and how energy works and this will show them how it actually works. They will be able to make a prediction and then test to see if what they assumed was true. In most cases, students will not be surprised but they will be able to learn about why the potential and kinetic energies actually affect this. Seeing the experiment first hand will inspire change in their minds about physics.
There are few costs involved in this lesson. The cost of the materials will be slight but it may be out of the teacher’s pocket if there is no budget for materials. This experimentation will certainly take more time than just explaining work and energy through a lecture. This concept is abstract for elementary students, however and it is important to take this cost into consideration with the benefits. This will also take time for preparation and planning on the teacher’s part but I think in science, it is obvious that the benefits outweigh the costs in most cases. Students are much more likely to learn a concept through experimentation than a lecture when they are young. This lesson would be well worth the effort.