Title: Free Fall Gizmo

Grade and Subject: 11th Grade Physics

1. LESSON AND ASSESSMENT PLAN CONTEXT
The class being taught is an Accelerated Physics class. The students are
all on the accelerated track for science and four of the students are gifted.
Previous to this course the students took accelerated biology and
accelerated chemistry. This lesson is about free fall motion. Students have
already learned about 1D motion in other contexts. Free fall motion is an
Overview application of the general principles of 1D motion. The content is being
taught in the structure of the 5E model. This activity is an elaboration
activity for the learning cycle on free fall. To assess both content
knowledge and scientific habits of mind formally, students will complete a
lab analysis. I will assess these skills informally through class discussion. I
will formally assess the students through an online assessment.
Cedar Grove High School is 98% black, with the remaining 2% made up of
Hispanic and mixed race students. My class of 27 students is 100% Black.
The class is made up of 18 females and 9 males. Ellenwood, where the
Student school is located, is not very diverse. I have noticed that my students are
Background, very curious about people of other races and cultures. The school culture
Culture, and is very oriented towards sports, band and general school pride. The
Context students are very invested in extracurricular activities and many see it as
their pathway to college. The requirements for good grades to participate
at the high school level and receive college scholarships cause the
students to become very grade oriented.
The lessons previous to this were on general 1D motion. Students were
introduced to the vocabulary and equations associated with 1D motion.
The lesson after this will continue to have students to work with free fall
through an online simulation. Students will be able to compare their
observations of the real world with their observations during the simulation.
Students have had many experiences with dropping objects in their own
lives. Even though they rarely speak of their own theories of how and why
objects fall, they have developed them. This learning cycle is focused on
Rationale having students articulate their own theories and compare them to our
current scientific understanding.

The Gizmo presents students with a simulation to run experiments with.

Students are guided by the Student Exploration sheet to make predictions,
test their hypotheses and draw conclusions. For free fall, an online
simulation is especially useful, since the school does not have a vacuum
chamber for students to run experiments in. This activity provides students
with an environment they would not otherwise have access to.
2. LESSON AND ASSESSMENT PLAN LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Purpose of the 1. How can technology be used to find the rate at which objects on Earth
Lesson: Central fall?
Focus 2. What evidence supports that all objects fall at the same rate?
Learning Students will be able to use technology to generate graphs of falling
Objective(s) objects.
 Students will be able to analyze graphs of falling objects to find the rate at
which they fall.
Students will be able to evaluate how well the data from the lab matches
known theories.
Students will be able to participate constructively in a scientific discussion.
Students come in and have the first 10 minutes of class (which is
interrupted by the announcements) to complete their bell ringer. The
classroom is laid out with students sitting at 6 tables. Students were able to
Facilitation & pick their own seats but they sit in the same seat from day to day. These
Safety tables serve as the students groups when doing cooperative work, unless I
choose to strategically group them. I will transition by asking for Team
Physics to give me their attention. I also give students times that a section
will end when they start it.
Language Students will use equations to describe the motion of an object.
Function
Academic Language

Displacement, distance, speed, velocity, acceleration, time, free fall,

acceleration due to gravity (g), gravity

Vocabulary Students have already been introduced to these vocabulary words in

previous lessons. Students will use this vocabulary to describe their
observations, and develop explanations when writing. Students will also
use this vocabulary in a class discussion.
Syntax or Students will use equations and graphs to represent motion.
Discourse
SCSh4b. Use technology to produce tables and graphs.
GSE - Georgia SCSh4c. Use technology to develop, test, and revise experimental or
Standards of mathematical models.
Excellence SP1c. Compare graphically and algebraically the relationships among
position, velocity, acceleration, and time
Formal and Formal: Activating questions, Gizmo assessment
Informal
Assessment Informal: Class discussion
3. LESSON AND ASSESSMENT PLAN ACTIVITIES
Bell Ringer/ Engage: Students will complete the Gizmo activating
questions for the Free Fall Laboratory Gizmo. These questions are meant
to stimulate students thinking about Free Fall. They provide a starting point
Introduction for the rest of the lesson. We will briefly discuss students answers, but I
(20 min) will not provide any concrete feedback at this point in the activity. Students
should inquire for the answers during the activity.

Each student will pick up a laptop during the introduction time and log on.
Body Elaborate: Students will complete the Free Fall Laboratory Gizmo. They
(55 min) will be given the student guide, which walks them through how to use the
Gizmo. I will circulate the room and answer questions. I will also probe
students about their work and identify their current conceptions.

Instructional Strategies & Learning Tasks that Support Diverse Student Needs
Evaluate: After completing the student guide, students will take the
assessment given online. The assessment is 5 questions and will provide
me with data on what students have learned from the Gizmo. Students will
return their laptops to the cart.
Elaborate/ Evaluate: We will have a class discussion over the Gizmo. The
teachers guide for the Gizmo gives suggested questions. I will add new
questions based off my observation of the students and student questions.

Closure
(20 min)

Differentiation, The Gizmo is another presentation of the same material as the Vernier lab.
Modification(s), It is more algebraically based than the Vernier lab, which is graphically
and based. Students will get both perspectives to have a more complete
Accommodation(s) picture. The Gizmo will explicitly teach how these perspectives are related.
4. LESSON AND ASSESSMENT PLAN RESOURCES
Laptops (27)
Materials Student Exploration sheets
Teacher Guide