Concordia University Nebraska Education Department Lesson Plan Format

Name: Luke Ericson Grade Level: 11/12

Topic/Central Focus: Subject: Physics

Momentum Time Frame: 47 minutes

Standard(s) to be met in the lesson:

SC.HSP.1.1.D
Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes
the force on a macroscopic object during a collision

- Examples of evaluation and refinement could include determining the success of the
device at protecting an object from damage and modifying the design to improve it by
applying the impulse-momentum theorem. Examples of a device could include a
football helmet or an airbag. Assessment is limited to qualitative evaluations and/or
algebraic manipulations.

Learning Objective: Assessment Tool(s) and Procedures:

1) Students will be able to define impulse.
2) Students will be able to state and apply.
the mathematical equation for impulse.
3) Students will explain ways to minimize
impulse in a collision.
4) Students will be able to design,
evaluate, and refine a device that
minimizes the impulse on an object in a
collision.
5) Students will be able to explain the
effects of impulse on an object.
6) Students will be able to describe how
Newton’s second law applies to impulse.
Performance Assessment that will be
graded using a rubric.
(both attached below)
Formative Assessment:
1) A question will be asked before
instruction and after instruction so
that I can track their understanding.
(Pre-assessment)
2) I will circulate around as they
complete the performance
assessment to check for
understandings

Research-Based Best Practice used in lesson and why it is appropriate/useful

Direct Instruction: to begin this lesson, a slideshow will be presented in order to provide
students with the knowledge they will need to accomplish learning targets and to be
successful in the performance assessment.

Activity based instruction allows students to apply knowledge of impulse to the design of their
cart and get hands on experience with manipulating impulse experienced in a collision.

Student Engagement used throughout the lesson

Student/teacher engagement through the PowerPoint and oral response questions.
Student/Student engagement in partner discussion
Student/small group engagement in the performance assessment itself
Student/materials engagement in designing, building, and refining their device.
Concordia University Nebraska Education Department Lesson Plan Format

Key Vocabulary:

Impulse, Force, Time, Collision, Momentum, Change in Momentum

Materials: Technology:

1) Impulse slideshow note taking method Laptops for note taking.

for students
2) Materials for performance assessment: Smartboard to present presentation on.
5 carts with a cup mounted on them, 2
dozen eggs, marshmallows, cotton
balls, masking tape, toothpicks, Ziploc
bags, peanut butter, pudding, a ramp,
some books to crash into.

Faith/Values Integration:

Problem Solving: Students will find a way to keep the egg from cracking based on scientific
principles
Perseverance: Students will have to try multiple attempts and work for improvement.
Teamwork: Students will have to cooperate and work with members of their team
Assets (Knowledge of Students: personal, cultural, community)

Class of 23 students, Sarah reads at a level three grades below where she should, Scott and
Emma are gifted, Samantha, Brock, and Liz finish their work quickly, Brian, Kristen, Madison,
David, and Oscar struggle academically and have limited vocabularies, and the other twelve
students can be considered average but have a wide range of interests and learning profiles.

Differentiating Instruction
- There are 23 students in the class. They will be broken into 7 groups of three, and one group of two.
Each of the three students in a group will have a different job to complete for their group, which will
differentiate the process of the task. They will be allowed to choose which job they will complete based
on their interests. The group of two will be two of the students who finish work quickly because they
will have more to do.

- The jobs will be real world occupations found in a car company.

a) Engineer: This student will complete the initial design of the cart, after discussing with the
rest of the group. They will also make adjustments based on feedback from the other two
students in the group, and will also help with the construction of the cart.
b) CEO: This student will select the materials that will be used to build the cart, and give
feedback and suggestions to the engineer while evaluating the engineer’s initial design and
making improvements. The CEO will also help construct the cart. The CEO will also
share/promote the design of their cart to the class.
c) Mechanic: This student will give feedback and suggestions to the engineer, especially thinking
about the construction of the cart. The mechanic will also be the leader of the construction of
the cart.

- The group that each student is assigned to will be based on readiness, with heterogenous grouping.
This will let students who have a clearer understanding help students who don’t understand as well.
- -Students are not limited to only their selected role, the can help others but their role is their focus.
Concordia University Nebraska Education Department Lesson Plan Format

Procedure with time allotments:

A) Hook/Engage/Pre-Assess Students (5 min.)

- A cart carrying an egg in a plastic cup will be rolled down a ramp. The cart will hit a
wall made of propped up books, and the egg will break. I will then explain to the
students that they will be creating a device that will stop that egg from breaking.
Explain that each student will work for a “car company” and their job is to design an
“airbag” that will keep the “crash dummy” from cracking.

- Pre-Assess: before the lesson begins, ask the students to discuss with a partner how
an airbag works. Walk around to formatively assess the students’ understanding.

B) Communicate the purpose of the lesson to students (objective/assessment)

(3 min.)

- The purpose of this lesson is to learn how impulse governs the force experienced in a
collision, and to manipulate the impulse experienced in a collision by designing a
device to protect an egg in a collision.

C) Instructional Sequence: (35 min.)

1) Present a slideshow that provides students with the knowledge that they will need to
accomplish the learning targets, and to be successful in the performance assessment.
Ask discussion questions to formatively assess student understanding before moving
on.
2) The final slide of the slideshow should introduce the performance assessment. This
slide should clearly explain every aspect of the performance assessment. Take time to
explain the assessment, making sure that everyone understands before moving on.
3) Split the 15 students into 5 groups of 3. These groups will be predetermined,
heterogenous, and based on readiness. Hand each group an instructions sheet that
clearly outlines the expectations of the performance assessment. Have students
decide which job they will complete for their group.
4) Give students time to work, while walking around and providing scaffolding as
needed. In the first day, students should get their cart completely designed and built
so that they will be ready to do an initial trial run the next day.

D) Closure: (5 min.)

1) Have students return to their seats.

2) Have the CEO’s from each group present their design to the class, explaining what
materials they used, how their cart reduces impulse in a collision, and why they
designed it this way.
3) Explain that students will be completing an initial crash test tomorrow and restate the
learning targets from the day.
Concordia University Nebraska Education Department Lesson Plan Format

Analyzing Teaching (Reflection):

Completed after the lesson is taught.
Give evidence that the lesson was successful for students meeting the learning
objective(s).

If you could teach this lesson to the same group of students again, what are two or three things you would do
differently to improve the learning of these students based on their varied developmental and academic needs and
characteristics? Consider missed opportunities and other aspects of planning, instruction, and/or assessment.
Explain in the table below.
Clearly state each change you would Explain why and how you would change
make. it.
Concordia University Nebraska Education Department Lesson Plan Format

Egg Car Company Performance Assessment Handout:

1.Students will design a cart that will protect an egg from cracking in a collision.

2.Students will be given a wooden cart with a cup mounted on it. The egg will be placed in the
cup, and the cup will be rolled down a ramp toward a pile of books that it will collide with. If the
egg survives, the steepness of the ramp will be increased until the egg cracks.

3.Your group will be given certain materials that you can use to protect your egg from cracking.
These materials will include peanut butter, popsicle sticks, marshmallows, cotton balls, tape,
toothpicks, Ziploc bags, and pudding. You may choose only three materials to use, so pick
carefully.

4.The students will design an initial device, perform the test, evaluate how their cart did, then
based on their evaluation refine the cart to make it better before performing a final test.

Students will be graded on how well they apply their understandings of physics in their
designing of the cart. They will also be graded on how they evaluate and refine their cart.

Students will have roughly two days to complete this.

The Roles: (Your focus will be on your role, but you should help the others when needed)

a) Engineer: This student will complete the initial design of the cart, after discussing with
the rest of the group. They will also make adjustments based on feedback from the other two
students in the group and will also help with the construction of the cart. Part of the engineer’s
job is to document their design, evaluation, and refinement, explaining why they did what they
did for each phase.

b) CEO: This student will select the materials that will be used to build the cart and give
feedback and suggestions to the engineer while evaluating the engineer’s initial design and
making improvements. The CEO will also help construct the cart. The CEO will also
share/promote the design of their cart to the class.

c) Mechanic: This student will give feedback and suggestions to the engineer, especially
thinking about the construction of the cart. The mechanic will also be the leader of the
construction of the cart.
Concordia University Nebraska Education Department Lesson Plan Format

Impulse and Momentum Performance Assessment: 24 possible points

Design a cart 4 of 4 3 of 4 2 of 4 1 of 4 0 of 4
that reduces Your group Your group Your group Your group Your group
the impulse successfully designed a designed a designed a did not design
experienced designed a cart that cart that cart that did a cart
by an egg in cart that reduces reduces not reduce
a collision reduces the impulse, with impulse, but impulse, and
impulse some without the with no proper
experienced scientific proper scientific
by an egg in a reasoning in scientific reasoning in
collision with regard to reasoning in regard to
proper methods for regard to methods for
scientific reducing methods for reducing
reasoning in impulse. reducing impulse.
regard to impulse.
methods for
reducing
impulse.

Evaluate your 4 of 4 3 of 4 2 of 4 1 of 4 0 of 4
cart after a Your group Your group Your group Your group Your group
trial run successfully evaluated evaluated evaluated did not
evaluated your cart after your cart after your cart after evaluate your
your cart after a trial run and a trial run and a trial run but cart after a
a trial run and found some got some did not come trial run.
found some ideas for ideas for up with any
ideas for improvement, improvement, ideas for
improvement but some of but without improvement.
based on them were not the proper
impulse and scientifically scientific
momentum. based. reasoning.

Refine your 4 of 4 3 of 4 2 of 4 1 of 4 0 of 4
device after Your group Your group Your group Your group Your group
you have made made made made did not make
evaluated it improvements improvements improvements improvements improvements
and make to your cart to your cart to your cart to your cart to your cart
improvements based on your based on your based on your based on your based on your
that allow the evaluation. evaluation. evaluation. evaluation. evaluation.
cart to be Your Your Your Your
rolled down a refinements refinements refinements refinements
steeper ramp improved the slightly did not did not
without performance improved the improve the improve the
breaking the of your cart performance performance performance
egg. and were of your cart, of your cart, of your cart
based on and were but were and were not
impulse and based on based on based on
momentum impulse and impulse and impulse and
momentum momentum momentum
Concordia University Nebraska Education Department Lesson Plan Format

Apply what 4 of 4 3 of 4 2 of 4 1 of 4 0 of 4
we have Your group Your group Your group Your group Your group
learned about designed the designed your designed your designed your did not design
momentum cart based on cart with the cart with cart with none a cart, and
and impulse principles we principles we some of the of the had no
to the design have covered have covered principles we principles we principles we
of your cart in class in class in have covered have covered have covered
(Content) regarding mind, but the in class in in class in in class in
impulse and ideas were mind, but the mind. mind.
momentum. not ideas were
completely not
and clearly completely
applied to the and clearly
cart. applied to the
cart.

Actively 8 of 8 6 of 8 4 of 8 2 of 8 0 of 8
contribute to You actively You actively You actively You actively You did not
your groups contributed to contributed to contributed to contributed to contribute to
design, all aspects of all of the some of the some of the the project
construction, the project, aspects of the aspects of the aspects of the and did not
evaluation, and showed a project, and project, and project, but show
and refining. clear showed some showed some did not show understanding
(Evaluated by understanding understanding understanding understanding of impulse
the teacher of impulse of impulse of impulse of impulse and
as he walks and and and and momentum
around and momentum. momentum momentum momentum
observes)
Concordia University Nebraska Education Department Lesson Plan Format