The unit I chose to use my tool with is about momentum. Momentum is the quantity mass X velocity of an object. The question that I have is to define the momentum of an object and set of objects, and explain how momentum changes over time if there is no external force. To show this question I have come up with a tool that will help show it. The tool that I will be using is a flip book.
A flip book is a small book with a bunch of pages, you flip through the pages of the book and on the pages are drawings that come together as you flip through the pages. In this flip book that I will be showing, it will show an object exploding. The book will show the pieces of the object being exploded shooting out in all directions, from the internal force of the explosion of the object. The momentum of the pieces will not have an external force stopping it, so over time the momentum will change because the pieces will eventually have to land.
The flip book could be used to learn the objective by being reinforcement to the note taking that the students would be doing in class. This would be a way to let them see with their own eyes what I am really talking about when I say that momentum can change over time even if there is no external force acting on it. I plan on using this tool with 5th or 6th graders. I could also use this tool to show them momentum of cars colliding and other instances where momentum is involved. Activities that could be done before my tool is introduced would be that they would get prior knowledge of the subject of momentum and velocity and use my tool as their reinforcement to their note taking knowledge. My tool is also something that the students would not need any prior knowledge on to be used.
To make a flip book like stated before all you need is paper, colored pencils/crayons, and a stapler. All you need to do is staple the pages of the book together, then in the corner of the book at the bottom right hand corner, you then draw what you want to be expressed part by part, so when you flip through it, the picture comes together telling a little story. The step-by step procedure for the tool I’m using is simple, just flip through the pages. My tool is not one that you would need to wear eye protection, or dispose of in a special way because it is just paper. The only safety issue I see arising would be getting a paper cut. Pretty much my tool does not involve any legal or ethical issues for it to be used.
I believe that this tool for the most part addresses my objective. The flip book with the explosion may not address every part, but if I had a flip book with two cars colliding at the same pace into each other, then I think that that flip book would cover all the aspects of the objective. I think that the effectiveness of this tool is strong for the reinforcement of my lesson. Students that learn in different ways can benefit from this tool. If they are visual learners, then this is a perfect tool to let them see how the objective is laid out. The first part of the lessons where they would take notes will be good for the auditory learners. Some misconceptions that the tool might have are just that maybe the tool might confuse the students that are not visual or hands on learners.
Overall this tool is very cost effective, the schools have colored pencils, or I can ask the students to bring their own in. The school has paper and I could make only one flip book and show it over an overhead projector, or if we have enough to go around I could supply all the students with one. The time to make a flip book is not long at all. I am not good at drawing what so ever, so I could ask the art teacher to come in and help out for that lesson. I honestly am not sure of other ways that the objective could be communicated, but I think the flip book is cheap and a good way for them to learn about momentum.