ALEX Resources

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SC2015] (4) 1 :

1 ) Use evidence to explain the relationship of the speed of an object to the energy of that object.

In this lesson, students will explore how to increase the potential and kinetic energy of their toy cars by building ramps. Students will measure the distance the car travels and create a class line graph via the internet from the recorded data. Students will investigate potential and kinetic energy by introducing different variables such as mass, weight, and height during a ramp redesign, and measure the distance the cars travel using the variables. Students will create a presentation on Educreations to showcase their ramp redesign using their chosen variable.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SC2015] (3) 1 :

1 ) Plan and carry out an experiment to determine the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object using one variable at a time, including number, size, direction, speed, position, friction, or air resistance (e.g., balanced forces pushing from both sides on an object, such as a box, producing no motion; unbalanced force on one side of an object, such as a ball, producing motion), and communicate these findings graphically.

[SC2015] (3) 3 :

3 ) Explore objects that can be manipulated in order to determine cause-and-effect relationships (e.g., distance between objects affecting strength of a force, orientation of magnets affecting direction of a magnetic force) of electric interactions between two objects not in contact with one another (e.g., force on hair from an electrically charged balloon, electrical forces between a charged rod and pieces of paper) or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with one another (e.g., force between two permanent magnets or between an electromagnet and steel paperclips, force exerted by one magnet versus the force exerted by two magnets).

[SC2015] (4) 1 :

1 ) Use evidence to explain the relationship of the speed of an object to the energy of that object.

[SC2015] (4) 3 :

3 ) Investigate to determine changes in energy resulting from increases or decreases in speed that occur when objects collide.

[SC2015] (5) 6 :

6 ) Construct an explanation from evidence to illustrate that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed downward towards the center of Earth.

[SC2015] (5) 7 :

7 ) Design and conduct a test to modify the speed of a falling object due to gravity (e.g., constructing a parachute to keep an attached object from breaking).*

This lesson is adapted from a lesson entitled, "Marble Run", from the NASA Education Guide Amusement Park Physics with a NASA Twist.

Students will explore the effects of force, speed, motion, and gravity in creating a roller coaster track for a marble.

This lesson was created as part of the 2016 NASA STEM Standards of Practice Project, a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SC2015] (4) 1 :

1 ) Use evidence to explain the relationship of the speed of an object to the energy of that object.

[SC2015] (4) 3 :

3 ) Investigate to determine changes in energy resulting from increases or decreases in speed that occur when objects collide.

In this learning activity, students will use raw eggs and a shoe box to investigate how seat belts and airbags work together to save lives during a collision.  

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.