Mini-Unit Plan: Physics 30 - Motion in One Dimension
Outcome:
PH30-FM1 – Analyze graphically and mathematically the relationship among
displacement, velocity, time and acceleration for objects that undergo simple linear
motion and uniformly accelerated motion
Indicators:
a. Provide examples of everyday objects that undergo uniformly accelerated motion.
(STSE)
b. Collect and analyze data about everyday objects that undergo uniformly
accelerated motion using technology such as ticker tape timers, motion sensors,
stopwatches/metre sticks. (S, STSE)
c. Sketch the movement of objects using displacement vs. time graphs, velocity vs.
time graphs, and acceleration vs. time graphs. (S, K, STSE)
d. Demonstrate the movement of objects represented by given displacement vs. time
graphs, velocity vs. time graphs, and acceleration vs. time graphs. (S, K, STSE)
e. Interpret motion graphs (e.g., displacement vs. time, velocity vs. time, and
acceleration vs. time) to categorize different types of motion (e.g., speeding up or
slowing down uniformly, standing still, changing direction and uniform velocity).
(S, K STSE)
f. Solve problems involving uniformly accelerated motion, using kinematics
equations (e.g., vf = vi + at, vf2 = vi2 + 2ad, d = vit + 1/2at2, and d = ½(vf+vi)t.
(S)
Overview of Unit:
All lessons will come with a note package, which the students and I will go through
together in class. These note packages will basically be the plan for the lesson that day.
At the end of the package, there will be an assignment and an answer key attached for the
students to work on after I have finished teaching. The assignments will just contain
questions that will help the students practice their skills and develop their thinking even
further. The assignments will not be for marks, only for completion. The only
accumulative work will be the unit exam at the end of the entire unit. At the beginning of
each class, students will have to answer a question given on the board and record it in
their journal. This is not for marks, but is a formative assessment.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Motion
Key words and concepts:
Kinematics, constant speed, position, time, position time graphs, slope of position time graphs,
1. The students will be given a motorized buggy and be asked to observe its motion. Based
on these observations, the students will be asked to help me come up with a definition for
constant speed.
2. The definition of position will be introduced and students will start the Buggy Car
Lab.
3. Buggy Car Lab
 Students will be given a physics buggy, masking tape, stopwatch and
measuring tape. They will collect data from the buggy’s motion and use
this data to create a position vs. time graph.
 Reference:
http://www.mimathandscience.org/downloads/science__curriculum_suppo
rt/motionbuggycartlab_20110907_164501_14.pdf
4. Discuss idea of slope and meaning of the slope on a position vs. time graph.
5. Time for students to work on assignment attached to booklet. Must be handed in
the next day with mark written on front page for full marks of completion.
Lesson 2: Reading Position Time Graphs
Key words and concepts:
Position time graphs and the physical meanings of the slopes
1. Students will be given six position time graphs and a description beside the graph.
They will have to predict what the graph will be and sketch it.
2. The Moving Man simulation will then be used to show the correct graph based on
the description.
 This simulation allows me to set a position and velocity based on the
description. Then once I hit play, the man will move and a graph for the
position time graph will be recorded. This will show the correct graph and
allow students to see which of their predictions were correct.
Reference:
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/moving-man
3. Students will be given some more graphs, of a higher difficulty, and they will
have to predict what these graphs will look like again, based on what they saw
during the moving man simulation.
4. Then we will go over the relationship between the slopes on the position time
graph and their physical meanings.
5. Students will now have time to work on their assignment attached. Must be
handed in the next day with final mark written on front page for full marks of
completion marks.
Lesson 3: Velocity
Key words and concepts:
Displacement, velocity vs. speed
1. Review of previous day and the physical meanings of slope.
2. Introduce definition of velocity
3. Discuss changes in position = displacement. Students will be given a
displacement problem to work on. The equation to find displacement will be
introduced, and using this equation to find displacement in the next example.
4. Introduce idea of position and time; the equation of v=d/t (as vector quantities).
Example using this equation.
5. Discuss difference between velocity vs. speed, distance vs. displacement
6. Displacement activity
 Students will be given different set of directions that I made up and a
meter stick. Students will follow the directions then calculate that distance
and the displacement.
7. Students now have time to work on their assignment. Must be handed in the next
day with final mark written on front page for full marks of completion.
Lesson 4: Velocity-Time Graphs
Key words and concepts:
Velocity-time graphs, vectors
1. Students will be given velocity-time graphs and a description beside it and they must
predict what the graph will look like. They will discuss with their classmates and
compare graphs. I will use the Moving Man simulation again to show the correct graph,
this time for velocity instead of position.
2. Discuss the idea of positive or negative direction in a velocity-time graph.
3. Students will be given a series of events and they must now graph it, and compare
with their classmates. We will go over the answer together as a class.
4. Students will now have time to work on their assignments.
Lesson 5: Changing of Velocity
Keywords and concepts:
Changing speed, instantaneous velocity, average velocity, tangents to position time graph
1. Students will be given an example of a ball set up at the beginning of two ramps attached
to each other, both having different angles. They will have to describe what they think the
motion will be.
2. We will now discuss the idea of average velocity during an interval of time. ∆d/t
gives average velocity.
3. Average velocity is during an interval of time; now discuss how to find velocity at
one moment in time.
4. Ticker Tape Timer Lab
 Students will observe the change in velocity of a car rolling down a ramp.
A picture will be created using a ticker that ticks 60 times per second and
students will use this information to make position vs. time and velocity
vs. time graphs.
 Reference:
 http://www.mercerislandschools.org/cms/lib3/WA01001855/Centricity/do
main/652/1h/kinematics/ticker%20tape%20lab%2013.pdf
5. After lab, will introduce concept of instantaneous velocity.
6. Discuss how to find slopes of a curved graph; secants and tangents.
7. Students will now have time to work on their assignments.
Lesson 6: Acceleration
Key words and concepts:
Acceleration, slope of velocity-time graph
1. Students will begin with a question in note package that involves a car travelling with a
velocity and having it speed up. Students will have to answer a series of questions and
interpret.
2. Review the ideas of instantaneous and average velocity.
3. Introduce new concept of acceleration. Define constant acceleration.
4. Look at a velocity-time graph and its slope. Relate the slope of this graph to
acceleration.
5. Example problem involving acceleration and velocity-time graphs.
6. Students will now have time to work on their assignments.
Lesson 7: Acceleration-Time Graphs
Key words and concepts:
Sign of the acceleration, speeding up, slowing down, representations of slowing down and &
speeding up in position vs. time, velocity vs. time graphs
1. Review the meaning of slopes on a position time graph, and a velocity time graph.
2. Students will be given different position time graphs, and based on what they
know about these graphs, they will have to draw the corresponding velocity time
graphs and acceleration time graphs. This will lead to the positive and negative
signs of velocity and acceleration and associate it with speeding up or slowing
down. No forces acting on object yet in this unit.
3. Maze Game Simulation
 Students will get a chance to play around with the Maze Game simulation.
This simulation allows them to play around with position, velocity and
acceleration.
 This will just sum up all three concepts
 Reference: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/maze-game
4. Introduce the kinematic equations that can be used depending on what is given in
word problems. Work through example word problems using equations.
5. Students now have time to work on their assignments.
Lesson 8: Unit Review
1. Go through all lessons in the unit and high light important concepts
2. Discuss what will be on exam
3. Students will be give a unit review booklet to work on. They will have to hand
this in to be marked and for feedback. This will be used to see what areas they
will need to focus on.
4. Formulas will not have to be memorized, will be given formula sheet during
exam.
5. Exam will contain all of the lessons and will be sectioned up. They will go in the
same chronological order as the lessons.
Potential adaptations:
The intent for the lessons was to have lots of interpretation and inquiry work from
the students. Although I understand that not all students are capable of the same level of
inquiry and so I would change some of the questions in the notes to be more clear and
guided so that students would still have to think but they have some guidance to get them
started. I would like to have students try most of the examples on their own but I would
also go through all of the examples if needed for certain students. I understand that some
students move slower than others, but in a course like this, there is so much material but
not enough time. So to accommodate this, I would continue to move on at a normal pace
during the lesson, but come back to help those individuals that got lost along the way. I
expected assignments to be handed in the next day, but exceptions can be made for those
students who find it overwhelming and need more time. All the labs are meant to be for
the highest level of inquiry; however, I can change this for those who cannot do this level
of inquiry. I would just give some steps in the labs for the students to get started and
thinking about their activity.