Lesson Plan

All Work and No Play

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Car crashes provide an excellent way to study kinetic energy transfer. Scholars explore energy through hands-on simulated crashes. They work together to design their own experiments and apply the knowledge gained to a situation that could save a baby's life.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Review all equations related to potential energy, kinetic energy, and work prior to starting the lesson
  • Extend the lesson by changing the weight of the car going down the hill to see how it alters the calculations
Classroom Considerations
  • Relies on prior knowledge of designing an experiment and collecting qualitative data
Pros
  • Uses a 5E format
  • Requires only common materials
  • Offers teacher notes throughout to help lesson go smoothly
Cons
  • None