Newton's Council. Middle School. Physical Science SC11606

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1 Problem-Based Learning Middle School Physical Science SC11606

2 Page 2 of 16 Standards/Objectives MS-PS2-1 MS-PS2-2 MS-PS2-4 Middle School Physical Science Overview You are a member of, and the Prime Minister of Earth has just given you a new assignment! Students will explore concepts related to motion and stability.

3 Page 3 of 16 Table of Contents PBL Problem Guide 4 PBL Resources 5 Student Problem 6 Key Facts 7 Need to Knows/Learning Issues 8 Additional Information 9 Hypotheses 12 Learning Issue Resource Guide 13 Final Product/Writing Guide 14 Rubric 15

4 Page 4 of 16 PBL Problem Guide Timeframe This lesson plan will take approximately 4 hours. Step-by-step guide Put students into teams of three to five members. Ask for a volunteer to read the STUDENT PROBLEM aloud [page 6]. As a whole group, ask students to list What We Know [FACTS, page 7]. Have each team create a list of What We Need to Know [NEED TO KNOWS & LEARNING ISSUES, page 8]. Have each team begin a list of POSSIBLE HYPOTHESES [page 12]. Provide ADDITIONAL INFORMATION for NEED TO KNOWS, allow teams to research LEARNING ISSUES [pages 9, 10 & 13]. Teams re-evaluate POSSIBLE HYPOTHESES [page 12] and determine one DEFENDABLE SOLUTION for Final Product [page 14]. Teams create and present DEFENDABLE SOLUTION and individual students write ACTION PLAN [page 14].

5 Page 5 of 16 PBL Resources Resources provided Included with this case are: The Science Channel TM : Laws of Motion website Make Me Genius TM : Laws of Motion website Resources to assemble You may wish to assemble the following resources ahead of time: Sir Isaac Newton: Using the Laws of Motion to Solve Problems by Kerri O'Donnell Eyewitness: Force & Motion by Peter Lafferty Physics textbooks Calculators

6 Page 6 of 16 Student Problem FOR STUDENT USE It is the year You are a member of on Earth Travel. Flying cars are now a reality - but without roads to guide traffic, accidents have increased 500% since the year Also, since cars fly hundreds of feet off of the ground, traffic fatalities occur in 90% of accidents. The Prime Minister of Earth has proposed outlawing flying cars. Instead, she wishes to design an infrastructure of tracks on which all vehicles would operate. The Minister for the Department of Travel disagrees - he believes that flying cars simply need new safety features! Your council has been asked to file a report for both proposals. Consider: What are your initial thoughts? What other information would you like to have?

7 Page 7 of 16 Key Facts It is the year You are a member of on Earth Travel. Flying cars are now a reality. Without roads to guide traffic, accidents have increased 500% since the year Traffic fatalities occur in 90% of accidents. The Prime Minister of Earth wants to outlaw flying cars and design an infrastructure of tracks on which all vehicles would operate. The Minister for the Department of Travel disagrees - he believes that flying cars simply need new safety features.

8 Page 8 of 16 Need-to-knows / Learning Issues NEED TO KNOWS What, specifically, is the Prime Minister of Earth's proposal? What, specifically, is the Minister for the Department of Travel's proposal? NEED TO KNOW ANSWERS Provide teams with the Additional Information for Students, pages 9 & 10. LEARNING ISSUES Would collisions be less dangerous on tracks? How could we make flying cars safer? What are Newton's Laws of Motion? LEARNING ISSUE RESOURCES Students will investigate using the Learning Issue Resource Guide, page 13.

9 Page 9 of 16 Additional Information FOR STUDENT USE Prime Minister of Earth's Proposal: "Flying cars are too dangerous! What we need are tracks along which our vehicles can travel - that way, cars can't crash into each other. I propose that we build tracks between all major cities on Earth. Cars can hook onto the track and I think we could safely allow them to travel at 150 mph. I guess at intersections they could slow down to 50 mph. How bad could a crash be at that speed? I guess I haven't worked out all the details. However, our on Earth Travel studies all things related to motion, and they are working hard on a report! I know they can solve our traffic problems by designing a system of tracks."

10 Page 10 of 16 Additional Information FOR STUDENT USE Minister for the Department of Travel's Proposal: "Flying cars can be perfectly safe with the right safety precautions! They just need some kind of force field to surround them that prevents other cars from hitting them. Perhaps some kind of wrapping to reduce the impact would work? I suppose I haven't worked out all the details either, but our on Earth Travel studies all things related to motion, and they are working hard on a report! I know they can solve our traffic problems by making flying cars safer!"

11 Page 11 of 16 Additional Information Present teams with the Student Problem, page 6. Teams will list facts and need to knows. Ensure that each team asks what each proposal contains. Provide teams with each proposal. After reading the proposals, teams will be ready to research Learning Issues related to forces and interactions. Teams may support the Prime Minister of Earth's proposal. They must suggest possible speed limits and address how to regulate intersections. Teams may support the Minister for the Department of Travel's proposal. They must make safety feature recommendations. Provide resources listed on the Learning Issue Resource Guide, page 13. Teams should now decide whose proposal they will support and begin to generate hypotheses.

12 Page 12 of 16 Hypotheses Hypotheses will vary by the recommendations that teams make for suggested speed limits and how to address intersections if they support the Prime Minister of Earth's proposal. Hypotheses will vary by safety feature recommendations if they support the Minister for the Department of Travel's proposal.

13 Page 13 of 16 Learning Issue Resource Guide WEBSITES The Science Channel TM : Laws of Motion Make Me Genius TM : Laws of Motion video_play.php?id=175&type=0 TEXT RESOURCES Sir Isaac Newton: Using the Laws of Motion to Solve Problems by Kerri O'Donnell Eyewitness: Force & Motion by Peter Lafferty Physics textbooks

14 Page 14 of 16 Final Product and Writing Guide Team Each team will make a presentation to the ministers stating which proposal they endorse and provide supporting evidence. Individual Each student will write a report to be released to the public outlining the problem, both proposals, and the proposal they endorsed with an overview of their findings.

15 Page 15 of 16 Rubric AREA ABOVE AVERAGE Three points each AVERAGE Two points each BELOW AVERAGE One point each NO EVIDENCE Zero points each POINTS Final Product All Learning Issues addressed Three or more hypotheses present High quality final product Most Learning Issues addressed Two hypotheses present Roles somewhat defined Fair quality final product Few learning issues addressed One hypothesis present Low quality final product No learning issues addressed No hypotheses present No final product Writing Assessment Problem Summary, Learning Issues/New Information Integrated well presented Hypotheses well presented Solution and Defense well presented Problem Summary, Learning Issues/New Information Integrated presented Hypotheses presented Solution and Defense presented Problem Summary, Learning Issues/New Information Integrated poorly presented Hypotheses poorly presented Solution and Defense poorly presented Problem Summary, Learning Issues/New Information Integrated not presented Hypotheses not presented Solution and Defense not presented Collaboration Individual works well with group members Individual communicates well with group members Individual carries out their individual responsibilities Individual works acceptably with group members Individual communicates acceptably with group Individual mostly carries out their individual responsibilities Individual does not work well with group members Individual does not communicate well with group members Individual attempts but fails to carry out their individual responsibilities Individual interferes with group members Individual does not communicate at all Individual does not attempt to carry out their individual responsibilities Points = Above Average = Average 6 14 = Below Average 0 6 = Failing

16 Wake Forest School of Medicine Problem-Based Learning Page 16 of 16 provides essential case studies to K 12 teachers across the United States. These cases help support problem-based learning enrichment programs to focus on implementing Common Core State Standards. Access useful and easy-to implement case studies on Math, English Language and other STEM topics online at Problem Based Learning Medical Center Boulevard Winston-Salem, NC

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