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Teach Engineering: Energy of Motion Unit PlanTeach Engineering: Energy of Motion Unit Plan
Publisher
TeachEngineering
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Unit Plan

Teach Engineering: Energy of Motion

Curated by ACT

By taking a look at the energy of motion all around us, students learn about the types of energy and their characteristics. They first learn about the two simplest forms of mechanical energy: kinetic and potential energy, as illustrated by pendulums and roller coasters. They come to understand that energy can change from one form into another, and be described and determined by equations. Through the example of a waterwheel, the concepts of and differences between work and power are explained and calculated. Conservation of momentum and collisions are explored, with analogies to popular sports (billiards, baseball, golf), and how elastic and inelastic collisions are considered in the games' design. To show another energy transformation concept, the behavior of energy dissipating into heat by means of friction is presented. Students learn to recognize static friction, kinetic friction and drag, how they work, and how to calculate frictional force. A final lesson integrates the energy of motion concepts, showing how they are interconnected in everyday applications such as skateboards, scooters, roller coasters, trains, cars, planes, trucks and elevators. Through numerous hands-on activities, students swing pendulums, use plastic two-liter bottles to construct model waterwheels, bounce different types of balls, use weights to generate friction data, and roll balls down ramps to collide into cups.

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Concepts

conservation of momentum, energy, friction, heat, kinetic energy, mechanical energy, momentum, motion, potential energy, power, stem

Additional Tags

conservation of energy, elastic, inelastic, mechanical engineering concepts, integrated teaching and learning program and laboratory, teachengineering, teachengineering: energy of motion, collision
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Resource Details

Grade
6th - 8th
Subjects
Science
2 more...
Resource Type
Unit Plans
Audiences
For Administrator Use
1 more...
Lexile Measures
0L

View 3,428 other resources for 6th - 8th Grade Physical Science

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