Writing Prompts 

Writing Prompts 1C: NASA Guidance on Student Use: Below are writing prompts related to content learned in this unit as well as recommended assessment probes. The assessment probes can be found in a series of books titled “Uncovering Student Ideas”. One copy of each of these books has been provided to each school’s science department. The names of each book and the shorthand used to denote the books follow.  Uncovering Students Ideas in Science: 25 Formative Assessment Probes, Volume 1 (Vol . 1)  Uncovering Students Ideas in Science: 25 More Formative Assessment Probes, Volume 2 (Vol. 2)  Uncovering Students Ideas in Science: Another 25 Formative Assessment Probes, Volume 3 (Vol. 3)  Uncovering Students Ideas in Science: 25 New Formative Assessment Probes, Volume 4 (Vol. 4)  Uncovering Students Ideas in Physical Science: 45 New Force and Motion Assessment Probes, Volume 1 (PS) Indicators with Related Writing Prompts and Assessment Probes 5.1.1 The student will use analytical techniques appropriate to the study of physics. ‐symbolically represent vector quantities Writing Prompt: Car Accident, Swinging in the Trees, Space Shuttle Launch Assessment Probes: Apple in a Plane (PS, p. 107) 5.1.2 The student will use algebraic and geometric concepts to qualitatively and quantitatively describe an object’s motion. ‐motion with a constant velocity ‐motion with a constant acceleration ‐free fall Writing Prompt: Lawn Mowing, Sledding Assessment Probes: Following Jack: Part 2 (PS, p. 27), Go‐Cart Test Run (PS, p. 31), Crossing the Finish line (PS, p. 47), NASCAR Racing (PS, p. 51), Roller Coaster Ride (PS, p. 55), Free‐Falling Objects (PS, p. 167) 5.1.3 The student will analyze and explain how Newton’s Laws describe changes in an object’s motion. ‐the effect of balanced forces ‐the effect of unbalanced forces ‐inertia ‐relationship among force, mass and acceleration ‐action/reaction Writing Prompt: Car Accident, Swinging in the Trees, Running Downhill, Sledding, Space Shuttle Launch Assessment Probes: Force and Motion Ideas (PS, p. 79), Outer Space Push (PS, p. 95), Riding in the Parade (PS, p. 99), Pulling on a Spool (PS, p. 119), Lifting Buckets (PS, p. 123), Finger Strength Contest (PS, p. 127), Equal and Opposite (PS, p. 131), Riding in a Car (PS, p. 135), Apple on a Desk (Vol. 3, p. 63), Rolling Marbles (Vol. 3, p. 71) 5.1.4 The student will analyze the behavior of forces. ‐inverse square relationship of gravity Writing Prompt: Gravity of Asteroids, Moving Truck, Astronaut Training Assessment Probes: Why Things Fall (PS, p. 115), Experiencing Gravity (PS, p. 157), Apple on the ground (PS, p. 163), Gravity Rocks! (PS, p. 171), Dropping Balls (Vol. 3, p. 77), Standing on One Foot (Vol. 4, p. 61) 5.2.2 The student will describe the sources and effects of electric and magnetic fields. ‐Qualititative description of magnetic field created by moving charges ‐Qualitative description of the force on a moving charge or on a current carrying wire in a magnetic field Writing Prompt: Assessment Probes: Unit 1C: NASA
Essential Question Indicator(s) Car Accident
In what ways can an object’s motion be changed? 5.1.1 The student will use analytical techniques appropriate to the study of physics. 5.1.3 The student will analyze and explain how Newton’s Laws describe changes in an object’s motion. A police officer is called to the scene of a car accident. In his accident report he sketches the scene and describes it. According to his description the car went off of the road and hit a tree right after a bend. The driver claimed that a second car ran them off the road by hitting them from behind. Using his observations and his knowledge of physics, the police officer determined that the driver was not telling the truth. Road Car Tree Explain how the police officer determined that the car was not run off the road by a second car that came from behind. In your reponse, be sure to include:  labels of the forces that would have acted on the car if it were hit from behind.  labels of the forces that must have acted on the car to have in follow the path indicated with the arrow on the sketch of the scene.  how forces affected the motion of the car. Be sure to consider the completeness of your response, supporting details, and accurate use of terms. Unit 1C: NASA
Essential Question Indicator(s) Swinging in the Trees
What makes a net force balance or unbalanced? 5.1.1 The student will use analytical techniques appropriate to the study of physics. 5.1.3 The student will analyze and explain how Newton’s Laws describe changes in an object’s motion. Two monkeys are swinging on vines together. One monkey gets stuck hanging from a branch unable to move. The other monkey, who is very smart, knows that to move he needs to have a net force in the direction he wants to go. Identify the forces acting on the two monkeys and how those forces impact their ability to swing. In your reponse, be sure to include:  labels of the forces acting on the two monkeys using arrows and appropriate terms.  identification of the balanced and unbalanced forces.  how unbalanced and balanced forces affect the motion of the monkeys. Be sure to consider the completeness of your response, supporting details, and accurate use of terms. Unit 1C: NASA
Essential Question Indicator(s) Lawn Mowing
What makes a net force balance or unbalanced? 5.1.2 The student will use algebraic and geometric concepts to qualitatively and quantitatively describe an object’s motion. A student is mowing the grass. He started at the dog house. The following is a graph of the student’s distance from the dog house in the first five minutes of mowing. Distance from the Dog House over Time
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Distance (Meters)
14
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8
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2
0
0
0.5
1
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2.5
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5
Time (Minutes)
Describe the motion of the student and the forces he is exerting on the mower. In your reponse, be sure to include:  how the student’s speed is changing.  how the student’s acceleration is changing.  when the forces on the mower are balanced and when they are unbalanced. Be sure to consider the completeness of your response, supporting details, and accurate use of terms. Unit 1C: NASA
Essential Question Indicator(s) Running Downhill
How does Newton’s first law affect human motion? 5.1.3 The student will analyze and explain how Newton’s Laws describe changes in an object’s motion. A student has begun training for tryouts for lacrosse by running a two mile loop through her neighborhood every evening. Part of the run is a very steep hill. One evening, the student is running down the hill at a very quick pace when she notices a dog lying in the middle of her path. To avoid hitting the dog, she tries to stop but has difficulty. With effort, she is able to stop right before running into to the dog. Explain why it was so difficult for the student to stop. In your reponse, be sure to include:  the role of Newton’s first law in making it difficult for the student to stop.  the correct use of the term inertia.  why some objects in motion have more inertia than others. Be sure to consider the completeness of your response, supporting details, and accurate use of terms. Unit 1C: NASA
Essential Question Indicator(s) Sledding
How does Newton’s second law affect the motion of an object? 5.1.2 The student will use algebraic and geometric concepts to qualitatively and quantitatively describe an object’s motion. 5.1.3 The student will analyze and explain how Newton’s Laws describe changes in an object’s motion. A student comes up with an idea to make some extra money during a snow day. All the neighborhood kids are outside sledding. The student offers to pull the students to the top of the hill for one dollar per ride. The student notices that it was taking more time to pull some student to the top then it was other students even though he was pulling with the same force. He decides to start timing how long it takes to pull each kid and see if there was a pattern based on their age. Amount of Time vs. Age
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Amount of Time to Top of Hill 30
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Age of Sled Ridder
Explain why some kids too longer to pull to the top of the hill then other kids despite pulling with the same force. In your reponse, be sure to include:  the pattern of the data including any exceptions to the trend.  the role of Newton’s second law in it taking longer to pull some kids.  a prediction of how long it would take to pull the ten and twelve year olds if they were on the same sled. Be sure to consider the completeness of your response, supporting details, and accurate use of terms. Unit 1C: NASA
Gravity of Asteroids
Essential Question How does the size of a body impact its gravitational force? Indicator(s) 5.1.4 The student will analyze the behavior of forces. A group of private investigators are interested in mining valuable minerals from asteroids. They first need to test all of their mining equipment under situations that simulate the gravity of the asteroids. As they begin to research the gravity of the asteroids, they find that it varies greatly depending on the mining location. Gravity = Universal Gravitational Constant * Mass Radius Universal Gravitational Constant ~ 6.67*10‐11 Use the image and the equation for determining gravity to explain why the gravity of an asteroid would vary depending on the location on the asteroid. In your reponse, be sure to include:  the effect mass has on the gravity of an object.  the effect of size or radius has on the gravity of an object.  how the situation would be different if the asteroid were perfectly round. Be sure to consider the completeness of your response, supporting details, and accurate use of terms. Unit 1C: NASA
Moving Truck
Essential Question How are weight and mass related? Indicator(s) 5.1.4 The student will analyze the behavior of forces. A family is moving cross country. They are driving the moving van from the west coast to the east coast. Along the way they have to stop at truck weigh stations. Although there is no change to the content in truck, there are changes in the weight from weigh station to weigh station. The most dramatic change was from Winter Park, Colorado to New Orleans, Louisiana. Winter Park, Colorado
Elevation: 3,676 meters above sea level New Orleans, Louisiana
Elevation: 0.5 meters below sea level Explain how the weight of the truck changed even though there was no change to what was in the truck. In your reponse, be sure to include:  the difference between mass and weight.  if the truck’s mass changed when its weight changed.  why the elevation of the two locations is important. Be sure to consider the completeness of your response, supporting details, and accurate use of terms. Unit 1C: NASA
Astronaut Training
Essential Question How does gravity affect human motion? Indicator(s) 5.1.4 The student will analyze the behavior of forces. Astronauts train intensively before going into space. One way that they train is by practicing moving in environments that mimic the weightlessness of space. Explain why it is important for astronauts to practice moving without gravity. In your reponse, be sure to include:  examples of forces that are exerted on the human body on Earth.  Examples of forces that are exerted on the human body in space.  how movement in a zero gravity environment would be different than movement on Earth. Be sure to consider the completeness of your response, supporting details, and accurate use of terms.