LESSON CONTENT

 Lesson Plan Template:

General Lesson Plan

 Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as

a result of this lesson?

As a result of this lesson students should be able to:

1. Identify changes in motion that produce acceleration.

2. Explain why circular motion is continuous acceleration even when the speed does not
change.
3. Calculate acceleration as the rate at which velocity changes.
4. Graph acceleration on a velocity-time graph.
5. Define instantaneous acceleration.
 Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this
lesson?

At the beginning of this section students should know:

o Motion is described as a change of position in relation to a frame of reference.

o The distinction between speed and velocity.
o Simple vector operations as addition and subtraction.
o How to identify positive and negative integers on a number line.
o Graphing Skills: Student should be able to identify the slope and its meaning in a linear
graph.
o Basic Algebra skills: How to calculate or determine areas of rectangles and other type of
operations.

Be aware of a common student misconception: If an object is accelerating then the object is

speeding up. Explain to students that this is true in a common, everyday usage. But in scientific
terms, acceleration refers to any change in velocity. Velocity is a vector including both speed and
direction, so acceleration can be speeding up, slowing down, or even just changing direction.

 Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
 The Guiding Questions will include the following:

0. How are changes in velocity described?

1. How can you calculate acceleration?
2. How does a velocity-time graph indicate acceleration?
3. What is the meaning of the area under the graph in a velocity-time graph?
4. When is an object moving with constant acceleration?
5. What is instantaneous acceleration?
 Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to
students?

The concept of acceleration will be presented using an inquiry format. The teacher will do an
opening demonstration:

o Let a ball roll down an inclined rail and ask students for observations. Record all
observations. To proceed, they must mention something to the effect that the ball speeds
up as it rolls down.
o To obtain a more detailed description, ask students which observations are measurable.
Make sure they include the observation that the ball speeds up as it rolls down the rail.
(Do not let them state the ball accelerates since we haven't defined acceleration yet!)
o Ask students how they could measure speed directly. Lead them to the conclusion that
they cannot, but that they can measure position and time.
o Students should mark the position of the object at equal time intervals.
o Time should be plotted as the independent variable.
o The teacher can demonstrate this concept with a variety of constant acceleration motion
examples such as a cart rolling down a track, a bowling ball rolling down an access ramp,
or a disc and axle rolling down a ramp of two parallel pieces of conduit pipe.
o Timing variations could include using photo-gates, water clocks, pendulums and
metronomes in addition to stopwatches.
o Make sure that the angle of inclination is less than 30 degrees.
o Initial position and speed must be zero. (See sample graphs below.)

The teacher should discuss experimental procedure and the verbal interpretation of the parabolic
x-t graph. Students should be able to describe that the displacement during each time interval
increases over the previous time interval. Since the object travels greater distances in each
successive time interval, the velocity is increasing. Define Acceleration as a change in speed or
velocity (increasing or decreasing) at a time interval. The teacher should present at this time a
perfect example of acceleration due to a change in speed or velocity--free fall: the movement of
an object toward Earth solely because of gravity.
Students should have also written an expression for the straight-line graph: x = kt2 + b, where b --
> 0. The units of the constant of proportionality (slope) are m/s2, but k is not the acceleration of
the object. Emphasize the x vs t2 relationship and correct use of units, however stating that the
slope has the units of acceleration would be premature, because that quantity has yet to be
defined. (This type of reasoning should be assigned for gifted students.)
Explain that acceleration isn't always the result of change in speed. Ask students to provide you
with examples of motion where they're moving with constant speed or velocity, however their
direction of motion changes continuously (a carousel, a bicycle on a circular path, etc.).
Although you may have a constant speed, your change in direction means you're accelerating.
Extend the discussion until you arrive to the point where some objects move with a change in
both speed and direction at the same time; example roller coaster. The cars reach the top of the
incline. Suddenly, they plummet toward the ground and then whip around a curve. You are
thrown backward, forward, and sideways as your velocity increases , decreases, and changes in
direction. Your acceleration is constantly changing because of changes in the speed and direction
of the cars of the roller coaster.
Explain constant acceleration is a steady change in velocity. That is, the velocity of the object
changes by the same amount each second. For example an airplane's acceleration may be
constant during a portion of the its takeoff.
Explain the meaning of the slope in a velocity vs. time graph is acceleration and from the slope
equation.

; or
Summarize:

o When an object speeds up the final velocity is greater than the initial velocity, so
acceleration is positive (a>0)
o When an object slows down the final velocity is smaller than initial velocity, so
acceleration is negative (a<0)
o When an object moves with a constant velocity then the final velocity and initial velocity
are equal, so the object does not accelerate a=0

Explain from the graph v=f(t) above, that the instantaneous acceleration is how fast a velocity
is changing at a specific instant. Example; A skateboarder moving along a half-pipe changes
speed and direction. As a result, his acceleration changes. At each moment he is accelerating, but
his instantaneous acceleration is always changing.
 Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students
complete with teacher guidance?

After the content is presented or at different stages during the presentation of the content
(optional) this activities or exercises should be completed by the students under teacher
guidance:

0. Represent the motion that would result from the following configuration: (See
Attachment: Figure for teacher guidance exercise)

a) qualitative graphical representation of x vs. t

b) qualitative graphical representation of v vs. t
c) qualitative graphical representation of a vs. t
d) general mathematical expression of the relationship between x and t
e) general mathematical expression of the relationship between v and t
f) general mathematical expression of the relationship between a and t

Calculating Acceleration:

2. A rubber ball rolls down an incline table, starting from rest. After 5 seconds, its velocity
is 10 meter per second. What is the acceleration of the ball?

Problem Solving Skills:

Read and Understand
What information are you given?

time(t) = 5 seconds
starting velocity ( ) = 0 m/s
final velocity ( ) = 10 m/s

Plan and Solve

What unknown are you trying to calculate?

acceleration (a) - ?

What equation contains the given quantities and the unknown?

Replace each variable with its known value.

 down the table

Look back and Check

Is your answer reasonable?

In free fall acceleration, objects accelerate at a rate of 9.8 ; if the table is not very steep, a value of

2 seems reasonable.

 Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students

complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?

At this point of the lesson, students should be able to complete the exercises on the
reinforcement hand out. (See attachment, Reinforcement activities and exercises for acceleration)

 Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the

knowledge gained in the lesson?

The teacher should conclude the lesson by reinforcing the following ideas:

2. Any changes in velocity or changes in direction or changes on both can be described as

acceleration.
3. When an object's changes in velocity are the same for every time interval, the object is
moving with constant acceleration.
4. When an object speeds up: if the final velocity is greater then initial velocity, the
acceleration is positive (a>0). When an object slows down: the final velocity is smaller
than the initial velocity, so acceleration is negative (a<0). When an object moves with
constant velocity: the final velocity and initial velocity are equal, so the object does not
accelerate a=0
5. To calculate acceleration use the

equation:
6. The meaning of the slope in a speed vs. time graph is the acceleration of the object. It
could be positive, negative or zero.
 7. In a displacement vs. time graph a curved line represents the acceleration. To calculate
the instantaneous acceleration on that graph, find the smallest change in velocity at a
specific instant.
 Summative Assessment

The teacher will determine if the students have reached the learning targets for this resource by
taking traditional multiple-choice, true and false, or fill in the blank assessments. One of these
assessments is included in the Attachment section of this lesson. Unit 1 Self Assessment.
Bioscopes; by Charles Carpenter. (used with permission)
Also, Unit 1 Activity 3 Falling For Gravity, you will find an excellent lab to monitor student
gains through graphical analysis and critical thinking. (Optional Assessment for collecting,
organizing and graphing data)

 Formative Assessment

The teacher will gather information both formally and informally about student understanding
throughout the lesson. At the beginning of the class the teacher will review previous content
(distance, position, displacement, speed, velocity, and graphical analysis) to check their ability to
understand acceleration. By asking quick questions about these topics informally we have an
idea about what they need to know before moving on to other more difficult topics.

o Engaging:
 Demonstrate through rolling an object down an incline, or release it from a certain
height. This will catch students attention immediately; during this encourage them
to observe, describe, and explain what they see. The teacher will be able to gauge
their understanding.
o Reading and Writing:
 Encourage students to read about acceleration in their core textbook, using the
web, reading another physics book or through other resources and complete a
concept map to organize what they know about acceleration. The teacher will
circulate and interact with the students while they do their work, checking their
progress through the activity and providing help.

A sample student created concept map: Chart.docx

 Feedback to Students
 Students will get feedback about their performance or understanding during the lesson in
different stages during and after the class time:

o Encourage students to check their ideas with a classmate and the teacher during the
observation; through describing and explaining the opening demo.
o Students will be able to assess their own understanding through their use of resources.
The text or online resources will provide guidance to prove and support their ideas. The
homework assignment will reinforce their learning.
o The teacher will review their work and be able to see if students are on the right track and
redirect them if necessary.

ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS



Accommodations:
Inclusion Students - Visually Impaired:

Students who are visually impaired may grasp the concept of acceleration by describing the
feeling of the actions instead of just the observations. Consider the following scenario:

When traveling in a closed car with your eyes closed, it is hard to tell how far you have traveled
or how fast you are going. But you can feel accelerations.

o How do you know when you are speeding up or slowing down?

 (When speeding up, it feels as if you are pressed against the back of the seat.
When you are slowing down, it feels as if you are pulled forward against the seat
belt.)
o How can you tell if you are changing direction?
 (You can feel yourself pulled to one side, away from the direction the car is
turning.)


Extensions:
o A good extension of this lesson could be to ask students to make a project where they
apply the idea of acceleration to the design of a roller coaster. Students should research a
particular roller coaster and create a drawing or diagram of its features. Have them
describe the motion of the roller coaster in terms of its velocity and acceleration.
(Students may work in pairs for this project)
o Another group of students can conduct research to find out the time period (in seconds) in
which different kinds of cars can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. For example, the Ford
Escape, an SUV with a 3.0-liter V-6 engine, can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 8.5 s.
 Students should include a variety of models in their research, such as full-size cars,
compact cars, trucks, SUVs, gas-electric hybrids, and sports cars. Ask them to create a
bar graph to compare their data. (For ESOL and inclusion students)

Suggested Technology: Graphing Calculators, Computer for Presenter, Computers for Students,
Probes for Data Collection, Basic Calculators, LCD Projector


Special Materials Needed:

Depending on your access and familiarity to the equipment, choose either Low or High Tech:

Low Tech:

o Bowling ball
o chalk
o accessibility ramp
o disc and axle
o parallel-pipe ramp
o Stopwatch
o water clock, metronome or pendulum
o Ticker tape
o masking tape
o markers
o Graphical Analysis

High Tech:

o Dynamic cars and tracks

o large steel ball
o photogates (2)
o Computer
o ULI interface
o ULI timer
o Graphical Analysis


Further Recommendations:
o Make sure to set up the incline ramp less than 30 degrees: angles larger than 30 degrees
will accelerate the ball or car too fast and the results might not be accurate.
o Also early on in the lesson discuss the position proportionality to time square, so when
the students obtain their graph, they should be able to understand it.
 o Address the misconception about objects speeding up are accelerating, acceleration is a
vector, it has magnitude and direction, so any changes in speed or any changes in
direction or any changes on both, will produce an acceleration on the object.
o It is very important to guide the students to understand the different scenarios where
acceleration could be positive, negative, or zero, as well as graphing them in an
acceleration vs. time graph.

Additional Information/Instructions
By Author/Submitter

Be aware that:

 Students have a misconception about acceleration: if an object is accelerating then the object is
speeding up.
 Students may have difficulty rearranging the equation to solve for other variables, especially
for . Write the procedure clearly on the board and describe each step.

SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION

Contributed by: Rafael Suarez
Name of Author/Source: Rafael Suarez
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Miami-Dade
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial

* Please note that examples of resources are not intended as complete curriculum.