Inquiry Assignment – Studying Potential Energy via a Stacked Ball Drop

This project can be used in Grade 11 University physics for the following units:
 Scientific Investigation Skills and Career Exploration
 Forces
 Energy and Society
It will last four 70 minute periods and can cover the following curriculum expectations:
Overall Specific
A1. demonstrate scientific - A1.1 formulate relevant scientific questions about observed
investigation skills (related relationships, ideas, problems, or issues, make informed predictions,
to both inquiry and research) and/or formulate educated hypotheses to focus inquiries or research
in the four areas of skills hypotheses to focus inquiries or research
(initiating and planning, - A1.5 conduct inquiries, controlling relevant variables, adapting or
performing and recording, extending procedures as required, and using appropriate materials
analysing and interpreting, and equipment safely, accurately, and effectively, to collect
and communicating); observations and data
- A1.10 draw conclusions based on inquiry results and research
findings, and justify their conclusions with reference to scientific
knowledge
C2. investigate, in qualitative - C2.1 use appropriate terminology related to forces, including, but
and quantitative terms, net not limited to: mass, time, speed, velocity, acceleration, friction,
force, acceleration, and gravity, normal force, and free-body diagrams
mass, and solve related - C2.3 conduct an inquiry into the relationship between the
problems; acceleration of an object and its net force and mass

D2. investigate energy
transformations and the law
of conservation of energy,
and solve related problems
D3. demonstrate an
understanding of work,
efficiency, power,
gravitational potential
energy, kinetic energy,
nuclear energy, and thermal
energy and its transfer
(heat).
- D2.1 use appropriate terminology related to energy transformations,
including, but not limited to: mechanical energy, gravitational
potential energy, kinetic energy…
- D2.3 use the law of conservation of energy to solve problems in
simple situations involving work, gravitational potential energy,
kinetic energy, and thermal energy and its transfer
- D2.4 plan and conduct inquiries involving transformations between
gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy
- D3.1 describe a variety of energy transfers and transformations, and
explain them using the law of conservation of energy
- D3.3 explain the following concepts, giving examples of each, and
identify their related units: thermal energy, kinetic energy,
gravitational potential energy, heat, specific heat capacity, specific
latent heat, power, and efficiency
Sources:
 Eric’s POE demonstration
 This Video
 This Website
The Lessons:
*Note*
Students should have already learnt some basic information such as:
 Newton’s laws
 What energy is and how it transfers
 Different types of energy
 Momentum (p=mv)
 Any other vocabulary listed in the specific expectations
Day Planning Learning Goals Assessment

1 - Begin class with overview of some - I can define and FOR – observing
forces/energy terms via Kahoot (20 correctly use various student’s
minutes) terms related to achievement in
- Follow POE on stacked balls and their energy & forces Kahoot
potential energy; have students make
predictions “reasonable students” might - I can make FOR – have
make, observe the experiment, and then reasonable students fill out
explain why they think this happened. (30 predictions and POE table
minutes) explain what I
-Think-pair-share: give students time to observe using FOR – Have
think aloud and discuss with peers what connections from students fill out
they saw during POE (10 minutes) course material exit cards
- Exit card to consolidate the class (10
minutes)
2 - Class recap/ discussion of Day 1’s POE (10 - I can make AS – Self
minutes) observations Reflection on
- Go over inquiry level 2 posters posted relevant to the understanding of
around the room so students have an idea demonstration experiment thus
about what will be expected of them (10 far
minutes) - I can relate this
- Repeat POE (demo portion); have experiment to my
students write down their observations on previous knowledge
sticky notes and place on step 1 of inquiry of physics
posters (15 minutes)
 - Next have students write down what they
are wondering and place on step 1 of
inquiry posters (15 minutes)
- Watch Physics Girl Video (5 minutes)
- Have students draw a diagram of what
they saw and self-reflect how well they
understand the experiment so far
(15 minutes)
3 - Class will begin with an overview of - I can differentiate FOR – making
dependent, independent, and controlled between a notes based on
variable terms and examples (15 minutes) dependent and an student
- Students will then write on sticky notes independent conversations
what they could measure/observe about variable and discussions
the experiment and place it on step 2a of
the charts as possible dependent variables - I can use my
(20 minutes) scientific knowledge
-Next students will write on sticky notes to choose
what they think they could change about appropriate
the experiment to affect what they are dependent and
measuring and place them on step 2b of independent
the charts as possible independent variable variables to observe
(20 minutes)
- Next, as a class students will reach a
consensus on which one sticky note from
each step they will choose to be their
dependent and independent variables, and
which will be left to be control variables;
they will place the sticky notes on the
corresponding spots in steps 3a and 3b (15
minutes)
4 - Begin class by reviewing with students - I can formulate an FOR – have
how to form a hypothesis and reminding accurate hypothesis students fill out
them it does not need to be right, as long based on previous an exit card
as they think it is reasonable (10 minutes) experiments
- Next, have students work in groups of 4 to OF – short
5 and formulate a hypothesis together and - I can explain what I individual
fill out steps 4 and 5 of the inquiry chart (15 observed and interviews
minutes). whether it supports assessed via a
- Once groups have their hypothesis’ or rejects my rubric
formed, supply them with the materials hypothesis using the
necessary to test it and allow them to correct physics
perform the experiment. (20 minutes) terms
- Next have students individually fill out exit
cards about how their experiment
 concluded; as students are doing this - I can think of other
conduct brief interviews with each experiments/ events
individual student to assess their in everyday life that
knowledge (25 minutes + extra time for these same
interviews as needed) principles apply to

Materials:
- metre sticks - basketballs
- level 2 inquiry posters - other various balls (ex. bouncy ball)
- tennis balls - hot glue gun (to create stability ring on balls)
- Sticky notes
Resources:
Physics Review Kahoot
Smarter Science Level 2 Inquiry Posters
Physics Girl Video
Handouts:
Day 1:
POE fillable table & instructions
3,2,1 Exit Card
Question Response
3 things I am wondering about this 1.
demonstration/experiment
2.

3.

2 things I think I would like to change and 1.

observe if I were to repeat this experiment
myself 2.

1 principle/ concept I have learnt previously 1.

in this course that I think may apply to this
demonstration

Day 2:
Self-reflection table - for each statement reflect on which level you believe you are at by filling
in the correct box (could be one box or multiple boxes) with a brief explanation of why.
 I understand… Level 4 – Very Level 3 – Very Level 2 – Well Level 1 – Not
well/ could well but could enough to move enough to move
explain to not explain to onto the next onto the next
others others step step
The physics
principles related
to this
experiment
Why we observed
what we did

How this
experiment could
be altered to
explore various
outcomes

Day 3:
Anecdotal Notes of student conversations:
Name What the student did well What the student can
improve on
(Example) Sarah Writing down plenty of possible Contributing to the class
F. dependent and independent variables discussion on which variables
should be chosen
…

Day 4:
Final Exit Card:
1. What was your hypothesis?

2. Did your experiment results support or reject your hypothesis? Why or why not?

3. What principles do you think apply to your experiment and where might you see this
happen in real-life?
Exit Interview Rubric:
The student Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
can…
Explain the The student The student The student The student
physics principles adequately explained all attempted to could not/
related to this explained and principles explain some incorrectly
experiment supported all principles explained the
principles principles
Explain the The student The student The student The student
different types of could could define and could define and could not/
variables why exceptionally distinguish distinguish incorrectly
they chose what define and between the 3 between the 3 defined the 3
they did distinguish types of types of types of
between all 3 variables and variables with variables and
types of support their some accuracy was unable to
variables and decisions and attempted show support
confidently to support their for their
support their decisions decisions
decisions
Explain whether The student The student was The student was The student
or not their confidently able to explain able to explain could not
hypothesis was explained why why or why not to some degree explain whether
supported or not or why not their hypothesis why or why not their hypothesis
and why their was supported their hypothesis was supported
hypothesis was was supported or not
supported and
what future
changes they
may make

Extensions:
This inquiry project could also be extended into an earth and space class as many of the
same principles apply to Supernovas. Much like the transfer of energy from the basketball into
the balls on top of it, energy from fusion in the core of the supernova is transferred via a
shockwave into the outer layers that moves even them faster.