Grade Level(s): 6,7,8

Subject(s): Math, Science

Goals:
1. Students will improve observation skills.
2. Students will improve recording and interpreting data.
3. Students will improve group working skills.
4. Students will improve understanding of Newtonian mechanics.

Duration of Lesson:
Pre Lab: 15-20 minutes to set background information and set stage for lab
Lab: 35-40 minutes
Post Lab: 10-15 minutes

Materials:
1 Boy's basketball
1 Girl's basketball
Meter sticks or Electronic Measurement device
Graphing Calculator or Computer with graphing program
Cinder block wall

Technology Tools/Courseware:
Graphing calculator
OR
Computer with Graphing software
Word processing software
Meter sticks or Electronic Measurement device

Special Notes:
1) Make sure each group has enough room to be separated from each other.
2) Do not have students climb on any object to reach higher than they can reach.
3) Inclusion and Special Needs students can be paired with other students to meet IEP mandates.

Procedure:
1. Create student groups of three or four.  Assign duties: 1 Ball Dropper, 1 Measurer, 1 Observer, 1 Recorder

2. Take students outside or in an open area that has a block wall.

3. Have students observe and record all characteristics of the boy's basketball and the girl's basketball.

4. Pick four different spots on the wall to drop the boy's basketball from.  Estimate the distance from the floor to each spot.  Find actual distance of each spot.

5. Drop the ball from each spot three times.  Record the distance the ball returns each time.

6. Use the same four spots for the girl's basketball, and repeat step 5.

7. Subtract return distance from start distance.

8. Divide the difference by the starting distance, multiply by 100

9. Create data table for all information.

10. Have students use a word processing program to create a lab report.
Lab report should contain a data table and a graph for the boy's basketball and the girl's basketball.

11. The conclusion should address the following: 1) Newton's Third law states, "for every action there is an opposite and equal action".  Based on this, why did the ball not return to its original position? 2) Were the percentages of return the same for the boy's ball and the girl's ball?  Could the size, inflation or material make a difference?
3) Could the person dropping the ball have made a difference?
4) List ways or factors which could have caused an error to have occurred with this experiment.

Modifications:
No modifications should be necessary due to working in teams.

Enrichment:
1) Try the lab with different types of balls.
2) Use a ladder and try greater distances and see what percentages you get.
3) Use over inflated and under inflated balls and compare results.
Evaluation:
1) Quality of lab report and graph in it.
2) Answers to Conclusion questions.
3) Oral questions posed during the Post Lab activity.
4) Monitor students as they perform the experiment.

State and National Standards:
WV IGO'S:
Math 6.24 (5,7,8)  collect, organize, display, and interpret data using line graphs, circle graphs, bar graphs, histograms, stem-and-leaf plots, tables, and charts.
Math 7.12 (5,6,8)  use appropriate estimation strategies (overestimation, underestimation, front- end estimation, range of estimates) in problem situations including evaluating the reasonableness of a solution and missing information.
Math 8.28 (5,6,7,9,10,11)  determine measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode, range), and dispersion from data, graphs, tables, and experiments
Science 6.59  utilize a model to represent direction and amount of force (e.g., arrow point to show direction)
Science 6.61( 5,7,8,9,10)  analyze graphs depicting motion, predict future motion (e.g., graphs, tables, charts)
Science 7.52 (8,9)  explain qualitatively conservation of energy (e.g., potential energy to kinetic energy)
Science 7.55 (5,6,8,9,10) analyze motion graphically
Science 8.51  describe Newton's Laws of Motion and identify examples (e.g., sailboat, bouncing balls, firing a rifle)
National Standards:
These standards are from the Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning organization(McRel)
Mathematics Standard and Benchmarks
Standard 4: Understands and applies basic and advanced properties of the concepts of measurement
Level 3 (Grade 6-8)
5. Understands the concepts of precision and significant digits as they relate to measurement (e.g., how units indicate  precision)
6. Selects and uses appropriate units and tools, depending on degree of accuracy required, to find measurements for real world problems
7. Understands formulas for finding measures (e.g., area, volume, surface area)

Science Standard and Benchmarks: Physical Sciences
Standard 10: Understands forces and motion
Level 3 (Grade 6-8)
1. Understands general concepts related to gravitational force (e.g., every object exerts gravitational force on every other object; this force depends on the mass of the objects and their distance from one another; gravitational force is hard to detect unless at least one of the objects, such as the Earth, has a lot of mass)
3. Knows that an object's motion can be described and represented graphically according to its position, direction of motion, and speed
5. Knows that an object that is not being subjected to a force will continue to move at a constant speed and in a straight line
PW:
PW. 2 Given a set of rules, directions, or instructions, apply them to solve a problem or accomplish a task.
PW. 5 Given an event or activity, identify the resources needed and develop a plan of action.
PW. 10 Use correct punctuation, spelling, vocabulary and grammar in all written work.
PW. 26 Demonstrate the ability to operate computer equipment.
PW. 28 Demonstrate the ability to select and use multiple software packages for specific purposes.
Career Cluster(s):
Science
Technical
References:

Authors:
Karen L. Bennett
Timmie A. Korczyk
Ivan W. Smith
Beckley-Stratton Junior High