LIFE IN MOTION

Activity #2 Fast, Faster, Fastest!

Approximate Time Required 1-2 hours

Key Questions
What happens to your acceleration when you go down a low, medium, high slope or
ramp on roller blades? Why?

Student Learning
In addition to the competencies listed in the next section, students will:
• predict how they could determine the relationship of slope to acceleration, and
• devise an activity to test their prediction of the relationship of slope to acceleration
Competencies
Science and Competency 1: To take action, bearing in mind the different types of reasoning
Technology specific to science and technology
• The student proposes a solution to the problem
• The student implements the proposed solution he/she has chosen.
• The student assesses the results
Competency 2: To appreciate how human activities are influenced by the
specific contributions of science and technology
• The student considers the nature of science and technology as it relates to
the problem
• The student examines the impact of science and technology as it relates to
the problem
Competency 3: To propose acceptable explanations in appropriate scientific and
technological languages
• The student develops the ability to use ordinary language related to science
and technology when dealing with a problem
• The student develops the ability to use symbolic language related to science
and technology when dealing with a problem
Cross-Curricular Competency 2: To solve problems
Competencies • The student analyzes the components of the situational problem
• The student formulates possible solutions
Intellectual • The student implements the solution
Competency 3: To exercise critical judgment
• The student forms an opinion
Competency 4: To be creative
• The student explores various possibilities regarding a project
• The student evaluates his/ her project
Competency 3: To work with others
Personal and • The student plans a task with others
Social • The student works with others
Communication- Competency 1: To communicate appropriately
Related • The student carries out the communication

Lifelong The student gradually constructs a dynamic world-view that gives meaning to
Learning Areas his/her life.
World-View The student participates actively in his/her learnings with other members of
Social his/her community.
Relationships

Links to other Competency 3: To communicate by using mathematical language

Subject Competency 4: To appreciate the contribution of mathematics
Areas to the different spheres of human activity
Mathematics Competency 3: The student views/ reads visual texts critically
Language Arts

Materials
Per class Per Student Per group of students

Plank of wood to be used as a Graph paper or access to Data sheet to record

ramp, shoebox to build ClarisWorks program on observations, e.g. time,
moveable ramp, or suitable computer distance, height of ramp
materials to create a ramp Worksheets for Activities
balls or toy cars R.I.P. POEM #2A, #2B, and #2C

Constructivist Activity Steps

Role of Teacher Role of Student
Engage Discuss personal experiences on roller Talk about personal
blades, snowboard, skiing, etc. experiences.
How could we determine the Contribute to the discussion.
relationship of slope to acceleration.

Individual Ask question: what happens to your Give responses orally

predictions acceleration when you go down a low,
medium, high slope/ ramp on roller
blades? Why?
Group predictions Divide students into groups to
share their individual predictions and
come up with a group prediction.
Share your individual predictions
and develop a group prediction
regarding what happens to your
acceleration when you go down a low,
medium, high
slope/ ramp on roller blades? Why?
Activity/Experiment Guide students to devise an
activity to test their prediction about
the relationship of slope to
acceleration, using materials readily
available in the classroom or home.
Devise an activity to test your
prediction about the relationship of
slope to acceleration. Try out various
possibilities using your problem
solving skills.

Group discussion Provide worksheets (Activities #2A, Record data on worksheet, create
Group reports #2B, and #2C) to record graph on graph paper or Claris
why predictions observations. Provide access to Claris Works. Interpret data.
were accurate or Works program.
inaccurate.
Short explanation Review concept of D = R x T (D means Ask questions to clarify.
distance, R means rate of
acceleration, T means time)

Apply to a new Lead students to think about the Answer, challenge question
situation concept of gravity; e.g. at what
height or point could you drop the
object (toy car or ball) so that it
reaches the finish line in the
shortest time possible?

Vocabulary List
Acceleration: the change in velocity over time; to speed up
Centimeter: a unit of length/distance in the metric system; one-tenth of a meter
Deceleration: the change in velocity over time; to slow down
Gravity: the force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth or toward any other body
having mass
Rate: a numerical proportion between two sets of things
Slope: an upward or downward inclination
Velocity: the speed of an object (distance travelled over time) and its direction of motion

Evaluation Ideas
• Collect and review student worksheets to evaluate if proper recording techniques were used and
how results were interpreted.
• Create a crossword puzzle using definitions of relevant vocabulary based on the activity

Extensions
• Write a story about an event in student’s life when speed and acceleration played an important
role, e.g. sport event.
• Have students research and record speeds of 1) various animals, 2) favourite athletes in motion
(sprinters, swimmers ) and 3) forms of transportation.

Teacher Comments from Field Testing

The various ideas student suggested to measure acceleration on various slopes were
interesting. One class used shoe boxes with movable slopes, while another class used
heavy cardboard and varied the height of the slope with textbooks underneath it. Some
students used toy cars to roll down the slope, while others chose marbles and small
plastic balls.