NGSS Lesson Planning Template Commented [1]: Possible Journal Entries: Candidates

can enter in science related questions about energy,

Grade/ Grade Band: 3-5th grade Topic: Roving the Moon Lesson # __5__ in a series of _7___ lessons forces and motion.
Brief Lesson Description: Now that the astronauts are on the surface of Mars it is important that they are able to move about the planet. Found a video about this activity at PBSKID.org
Astronauts will need to drive across the moons surface, carry supplies, travel to outpost, and explore the area. http://pbskids.org/designsquad/build/roving-moon/
Performance Expectation(s):
MS-PS3-5 Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is This is a video that candidates can place on their
transferred to or from the object. weebly as a resource. I would also encourage them to
MS-ETS1-4 Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an take pictures of their own rover they make in the
optimal design can be achieved. JPL/NASA course.

Specific Learning Outcomes: To engage in this engineering challenge, which will have students studying how to design a rover that Required: Candidates need to make a connection to
moves. The testing is iterative. The students will articulate the aspects of the design that positions the rubber bands so that the rover their content courses (biology, chemistry, and geo).
moves the further. Students will need to explain their model in terms of kinetic energy changes, transferring the energy from the rubber This does not have to be related to the lesson, but
bands to the wheels. encourage them to use their imagination to make a
connection. This will be easy for the geo students, this
Lesson Level Narrative
might be harder for the bio and chem folks.
The crew has landed on Mars and established a base camp. It is time to get to work on the planet and this requires a mode of
transportation. The crew will need to build and use a mars rover to drive across the planets surface, carry supplies, get to areas where they
will need to build their outpost, and explore the area. Your tasks as engineers is to engage in the engineering design process to: build a My Science Story Spill can talk about how they can
rover out of cardboard; figure out how to use rubber bands to spin the wheels; and improve their design based on testing results. relate ANYTHING to what they are learning in the
Science & Engineering Practices: Disciplinary Core Ideas: Crosscutting Concepts: content based courses or in the NASA course.
Developing and Using Models to understand PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Energy and Matter
what it takes to produce a vehicle to help Transfer Energy may take different forms, Remember that they need at least one page of
the astronauts do work. When the motion energy of the in this case this is energy of reflection from this lesson/learning experience.
rover changes, there is inevitably motion.
Using scientific reasoning some other change in energy at Take pictures of the designs that your studetns built.
Take pictures in stages, the begiinning, the middle and
the same time
the end. Talk about the testing process and how
Analyzing data from system trials to
important it is in learing about forces.
determine which design is best for landing ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering
on the surface of Mars Problems Commented [2]: The Leader Notes have a list of
The more precisely a design tasks questions that the candidate will need to ask the
Engaging in Argument from Evidence criteria and constraints can be students.
Student will complete a number defined, the more likely it is that What do we have to do to make the rover move?
of trials with their rover and make the designed solution will be How can you make different kinds of wheels?
connections between three successful. Specification of How do you think square wheels affect how the rover
moves across the floor?
components (wheels, how the constraints includes consideration
rubber bands are set up, and how of scientific principles and other
This is accomplished through brainstorming how to
far individual rovers move). They relevant knowledge that is likely build a space craft that can absorb the shock of a
will use these factors to describe to limit possible solutions landing. The purpose is to have students make their
the observable features of the ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions thinking visible and to get them to ask questions.
rover and how this is related to Research on a problem should be
kinetic energy of the object. carried out before beginning to
design the system. Testing a
solution involves investigating
how well it performs under a
range of conditions

Possible Preconceptions/Misconceptions:
Research about forces and motion starts with middle-school age students and their ideas. Younger students will need a great deal of
guidance to connect to the content ideas that are embedded in this lesson. They will need guidance to begin understanding the ideas of
force needed to change motion (speeding up, slowing down or changing the direction of motion of an object). Make sure that you ask
students many questions to get a good understanding about what students think they know about what will make the rover move.
Students may think that the rover is moving because a force in the direction is causing the motion Champagne, A., Gunstone, R., Klopfer, L.
(1985). Effecting changes in cognitive structures among physics students. In West, L. (Ed.), Cognitive structure and conceptual change (pp.
61-90). Students will need to know that forces acting on the rover can occur in opposite directions, and that even when an object isnt
moving the object is not exerting any force. Teaching elementary and young middle schoolers that objects that are not moving can change
may lead them to understand that active and passive objects exert force Minstrell, J. (1982). Explaining the "at rest" condition of an object..
The Physics Teacher, 20, 10-14.

LESSON PLAN 5-E Model

Engage
Teachers: Joke of the day will be written on the
board for the students to read as they take a seat.
How do we know Saturn was married more than
once? Because she has a lot of rings!
Student
Students will walk into the classroom and take a
seat with their groups from last week.
Students will analyze the joke first individually and
later as a group to share out a group answer.

EXPLORE: Lesson Description What should the teachers ask and do? What will the students do?
We have now landed on Mars, what do we do next? Do we simply come back to Earth or what? Students will be guided to answer that we
need to explore. Then the students will have to come up with ways to explore and move around the planet in hopes that they will answer
that a rover or a transportation method is needed. We will explain that Mars terrain may or may not be similar to Earths and that we
need to modify our method of transportation to better suit it.

EXPLAIN: Concepts Explained and Vocabulary Defined:

Vocabulary
-Potential energy: the energy possessed by a body by virtue of its position relative to others, stresses within itself, electric charge, and other
factors. (STORED ENERGY)
-Kinetic Energy: energy that a body possesses by virtue of being in motion.
-Mass: A measure of the amount of matter in an object
-Wheels (patterns, textures, size, quantity)
-Speed: the rate at which someone or something is able to move or operate.
-Trajectory: the path followed by a projectile flying or an object moving under the action of given forces.

ELABORATE: Applications and Extensions:

EVALUATE:

Formative Monitoring (Questioning / Discussion):

Summative Assessment (Quiz / Project / Report):

Elaborate Further / Reflect: Enrichment: