Basic Projectile Motion Investigations: Coyote/Roadrunner Physics Debunked!    

Hands-on Physical Science Workshops for Grades 5-9 Science and Mathematics Teachers

Sponsored by

Salem State College Collaborative and CPO Science

Location:             Peabody High School, Peabody, MA

Date:               March 8, 2007

Time:              8 AM to 2 PM                                                   

Cost:               $30 – Member Schools   $125 for Non-Member Schools 
                              See website www.salemcollaborative.org for member list.
Workshop Series Instructor: TBA

Description: What path does the coyote take when he runs off the edge of a cliff? Well, fans of the cartoon know that he runs straight out, realizes he is over a deep canyon, puts up a “help” sign, and then plummets straight down until a tiny dust cloud rises up from the canyon floor. In this workshop, you will conduct a series of fun, quantitative experiments with a simple marble launcher and electronic timers. We will study projectile motion thoroughly, and then add in some bonus classroom-friendly statistical analysis activities. By the end of the workshop, we will see who can hit the bulls-eye on our classroom target designed to be used with the marble launcher. We will describe the correct coyote path, and do this all through hands-on, inquiry-type explorations. This workshop is geared toward middle school teachers and freshman high school teachers of science and math.

Correlation to MA Frameworks

Subject Area

Grade 6 – 8

High School

Physical Science

11. Explain and give examples of how the motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion, and speed.

13. Differentiate between potential and kinetic energy. Identify situations where kinetic energy is transformed into potential energy and vice versa.

1. Motion and Forces

Central Concept: Newton’s laws of motion and gravitation describe and predict the motion of most objects.

 

Technology/Engineering

1.  Materials, Tools, and Machines

Central Concept: Appropriate materials, tools, and machines enable us to solve problems, invent, and construct.

2.  Engineering Design

Central Concept: Engineering design is an iterative process that involves modeling and optimizing to develop technological solutions to problems within given constraints.

1. Engineering Design

Central Concepts: Engineering design involves practical problem solving, research, development, and invention/innovation, and requires designing, drawing, building, testing, and redesigning. Students should demonstrate the ability to use the engineering design process to solve a problem or meet a challenge.

 

Registration Information:

Please register online at our website www.salemcollaborative.org or email the following information to Jim Kearns at registration@salemcollaborative.org. If you have registration questions, please call Jim at 781-771-4860.

Make checks or Purchase Orders payable to CPMSIE and bring it to the Workshop

DEADLINE to sign up for a CPO workshop is one week prior to the workshop.