Lesson 1: Collisions 1
Duration of Days: 3
Lesson Objective
1. Students will explain what happens during a collision.
2. Identify variables like speed, weight, and material.
3. Use models and slow motion evidence.
4. Ask testable questions.
5. Design a fair test.
What happens when two things hit each other?
collision
force
kinetic energy
damage
contact force
deform
line of best fit
elastic limit
breaking point
Independent variable
dependent variable
peak force
free body diagram
concussion
axon
stored (potential) energy
air resistance
friction
MS-PS2-1
MS-PS2-2
MS-PS3-1
MS-LS1-8
MS-ETS1-2
MS-ETS1-3
Lesson Description
Students will step into the shoes of crash investigators to explore what happens in the split second when two objects crash into each other. Using everyday examples, slow-motion videos, and hands-on models, they will investigate why some collisions cause severe damage while others leave objects completely unharmed. Finally, students will collaborate to build a "Driving Question Board" and design their own science experiments to test how changes in speed, weight, and materials change the outcome of a crash.
Purpose
Students will understand the hidden forces at play in their everyday lives—from car crashes and sports injuries to dropping a cell phone—so they can figure out the factors that cause objects to break or survive. This lesson empowers students to transition from just observing a phenomenon to asking deep, testable questions and designing fair experiments to explain how the physical world works.
DOK 2: Students will identify variables, examine cause-and-effect relationships, and use models to explain what happens during an impact.
DOK 3: Students will analyze a complex phenomenon, formulate their own testable questions, and brainstorm design ideas for future scientific investigations.
For English Language Learners (ELL) & Emerging Readers: Provide a visual word bank with illustrations for key terms (like collision, variable, damage, and force). Allow students to use sentence frames for their Driving Question Board contributions (e.g., "I wonder what would happen if we changed the _____?").
For Students Needing Extra Support (Scaffolding): Provide pre-cut or color-coded sticky notes to help them categorize their questions for the DQB. Use a simplified, two-column graphic organizer ("What I saw" vs. "What it means") to process the slow-motion collision videos.
For Kinesthetic & Tactile Learners: Provide physical objects (like tennis balls, foam blocks, or clay) for students to squeeze and press at their desks, giving them a hands-on sense of how different materials deform under pressure before they write down their ideas.
Formative Assessments