NORWELL PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Technology-Enhanced Learning Activity Summary

 
Name: Wayne Bossa School: Norwell Middle School
Learning Activity Title: Calculating the Velocity of Falling Objects
Grade Level(s): 7 Subject Area: Science
Description of Activity: What is the learning experience? What will teachers and students do during the course of the activity? Through what performances or products will students demonstrate what they know and are able to do?

Students perform a lab experiment of dropping objects of varying size and mass from a constant distance to prove that law of gravity pulls all objects downward with equal force; i.e. light and heavy objects fall at or nearly the rate.

The experiment allows the students to actually measure the objects' falling time. Once that data has been collected it will be used with the distance of fall to calculate the object's velocity. The velocity is calculated by dividing the distance by the average of the time trials. All calculations in the experiment will be made using an Excel spreadsheet.

Technology Standards Addressed: This learning activity will allow students to develop proficiency in the following Norwell Public Schools technology standards:

  2.0 Word Processing and Publications Skills

  3.0 Spreadsheet - Database

Skills and Concepts (see Scope and Sequence)

3.03, 3.04. 3.12

Curriculum Standards: Which curriculum frameworks, strands, and learning standards does the activity address?

Mass. Science and Technology Frameworks

Physical Science strand  Learning standards: #1, #11, #12

Materials & Equipment: What specific software, hardware, websites, handouts, and other printed materials are involved in this activity?  Attachments included

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

 

 

 

Teacher Tips and Notes: What strategies are recommended regarding logistics, preparation, classroom management, or other implementation concerns?

1) Computer lab needs to be booked for at least 2 class periods

2) Instruction takes place in 3 phases

         a) constructing tables of lab data

         b) writing formulas for average time and velocity

         c) creation of charts and graphs

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 Janet Eskin 8/06

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