SCIENCE OF THE SUMMER OLYMPICS
Maximizing the Long Jump of Bryan Clay
Video produced by NBC Learn in collaboration with NSF. Lesson plans produced by NSTA.
Background and Planning Information
About the Video
This video features Bryan Clay, an Olympic Gold medalist in the decathlon, and focuses on the
technology used to study his form and movement as he carries out one of the most technically
complex event of the decathlon—the long jump. A stereoscopic, or 3D, camera provided by
BMW is used to track Bryan’s every movement during a jump. Bryan, his coach, and engineer
and biomechanist Melvin Ramey of USA Track & Field then analyze the videos to help Bryan try
and improve both his speed as he approaches the take-off board and, in turn, his jumping
distance.
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Series Opening
Introducing Bryan Clay and the Decathlon
Bryan performing and explaining the long jump
Projectile motion as it applies to the long jump
Melvin Ramey discussing takeoff angles
Using BMW’s stereoscopic, or 3D, camera to record Bryan’s long jumps
How the 3D camera might be used on cars
Bryan and Ramey analyzing and discussing the images
Bryan summarizing the usefulness of the feedback
Closing Credits
Language Support To aid those with limited English proficiency or others who need help
focusing on the video, make available the transcript for the video. Click the Transcript tab on
the side of the video window, then copy and paste into a document for student reference.
Connect to Science
Framework for K–12 Science Education PS2.A: Forces and Motion
PS2.B: Stability and Instability in Physical Systems
Related Science Concepts
 Projectile motion
 Trajectory
 Velocity
 Speed
 Run-up, Take off, Flight, Landing
 Measurement
 Musculoskeletal system
 Biomechanics
Maximizing the Long Jump of Bryan Clay (Grades 6–12)
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Connect to Engineering
Framework for K–12 Science Education
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution
ETS2.B: Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World
Engineering in Action
The problem addressed in Science of the Summer Olympics (SOTSO): Maximizing the Long Jump
of Bryan Clay is how to optimize the design of an athlete’s technique to enable a long jump of
the longest possible length. Using a stereoscopic camera, Bryan, his coach, and a variety of
engineers, including Melvin Ramey, are able to measure Bryan’s velocity in both the horizontal
direction and in the vertical direction. By analyzing these measurements, it’s possible for Bryan
to modify his take-off angle in order to maximize the length of his jump. This type of research
involves several engineering knowledge-generating activities, including transfer from science,
experimental engineering research, and direct trial.
In designing a process or object, many variables come into play. The engineer’s task is to create
the best product possible with the available resources. Optimizing the design involves reviewing
how the product performs and making modifications to the design to enable it to perform
“better,” which could mean higher efficiency, lower cost, or within certain established
constraints, among others. The optimization of Bryan Clay’s jump involves identifying the
variables and designing the jump so as to take advantage of those that will enable the best
result. Optimization can be accomplished by reviewing the “stats” or numerical data associated
with the product, or in this case, jump. Computers can do this rapidly, allowing for
modifications “on the fly.”
Take Action with Students Brainstorm with students a list of products or processes for which
they might optimize the design. These could include lockers, backpacks, parking areas, cafeteria
lines, and so on. Students could take measurements showing how quickly they can get their
locker open, exchange books, and close it. Then they might make suggestions for optimizing the
design of the locker to decrease the time further, perhaps by ten percent.
Inquiry Outline for Teachers
Encourage inquiry using a strategy modeled on the research-based science writing heuristic. Student
work will vary in complexity and depth depending on grade level, prior knowledge, and creativity. Use
the prompts liberally to encourage thought and discussion. Student Copy Masters begin on page 7.
Explore Understanding
Explain that most movements that take place in a person’s day-to-day life are fairly linear,
meaning that the motions are in only one direction, often the horizontal direction. Walking,
running, swimming, and biking for pleasure are examples of such motions. Other motions,
particularly in sports, involve projectile motion, or motion in two directions—horizontal and
vertical. Use the following or similar prompts to spark a discussion about projectile motion.
 When a player kicks a football, the ball travels….
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


When a basketball player shoots from mid-court, the ball....
When running the hurdles, the hurdler….
When an archer shoots an arrow, the arrow….
Show the video SOTSO: Maximizing the Long Jump of Bryan Clay. Continue the discussion of
projectile motion as it applies to the long jump, using prompts such as the following:
 When I watched the video, I thought about….
 In a long jump, the athlete moves….
 Melvin Ramey, one of the experts in the video, claimed that _____ because….
 A projectile is….
 The path followed by any projectile is called a _____.
 Bryan, his coach, and Ramey use the images made by the 3D camera to….
Ask Beginning Questions
Stimulate small-group discussion with the prompt: This video makes me think about these
questions…. Then have groups list questions they have about how they can study projectile
motion and apply their results to the long jump. Ask groups to choose one question and phrase
it in such a way as to be researchable and/or testable. The following are some examples.
 How does an object’s mass affect its trajectory?
 How does an object’s shape affect its trajectory?
 How does force affect an object’s trajectory?
 How long does an object spend moving upward in a trajectory?
 How long does an object spend moving downward in a trajectory?
 How does the angle at which the object is launched impact its trajectory?
Design Investigations
Choose one of these two options based on your students’ knowledge, creativity, and ability level.
Open Choice Approach (Copy Master page 7)
Groups might come together to agree on one question for which they will explore the answer,
or each group might explore something different. Allow students time to examine the
materials, which often aids students in refining their questions or prompting new ones that
should be recorded for future investigation. Students should brainstorm to form a plan they
would have to follow in order to answer the question. Work with students to develop safe
procedures that control variables and enable them to gather valid data. Encourage students
with prompts such as the following:
 The materials we will use are….
 The variable we will test is….
 The variables we will control are….
 The steps we will follow are….
 The data we will collect are....
 To conduct the investigation safely, we will….
Focused Approach (Copy Master pages 8–9)
The following exemplifies how students might investigate how the propelling force affects the
trajectory of an object.
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1. Allow time for students to examine the materials you have available, which might include
balls with different sizes but the same masses, or balls with different masses but the same
size, sports equipment such as bats, golf clubs, and rackets that can be used to launch the
balls, a variety of toy rockets and their launchers, protractors, and meter sticks. Examining
the materials often aids students in refining their questions or prompts new ones that
should be recorded for future investigation. Ask students questions such as the following to
help them envision their investigation.
 What force could you use to move the projectile?
 How can you change the amount of force used to propel the projectile?
 How will you make sure that the projectile is launched in exactly the same way each
time?
2. Guide students to choose a tool that allows them to change the amount of force propelling
the rocket. Allow students time to examine their tools and work with them a little, and then
choose different ones if desired. Caution: On the basis of the launchers and projectiles
used, determine if this investigation is best done outdoors or in a large, open room, such as
the gym instead of your classroom. Also, make sure you and your students wear safety
goggles throughout the investigations and stress that students do NOT aim any of the
projectiles toward one another at any time.
3. Once students have settled on their launchers and projectiles, give them free rein in
determining how they will explore how force is related to the trajectory of a projectile.
Ensure that students brainstorm to form a list of variables involved in this experiment and
determine which must be controlled and which will vary. As needed, help them focus on
their proposed procedures by using prompts such as the following:
 The materials we will use are….
 The variable we will test is….
 To change this variable, we will….
 The variables we will control, or keep the same, are….
 The data we will collect are....
 To make sure that the controls are the same, we will….
 We will compare trajectories by….
 To conduct the investigation safely, we….
4. Depending on the force generated by the launchers, students can either use meter sticks to
measure the apex of the trajectories or use their cell phones to record the various
trajectories, making sure to include something in the videos as a point of reference to
determine how much farther greater forces propelled the projectile than weaker forces. Or,
students might use stopwatches to time both the upward and downward motions of the
projectile during each launch.
5. As needed, suggest ways students might organize their data using tables or graphs. Explain,
too, if necessary, how to graph multiple trajectories on the same graph.
6. Make sure students understand how this investigation relates to the physics of the long
jump, using these or similar prompts:
 The projectile in our investigation can be compared to….
 The point at which the projectile left the ground is Bryan’s….
 The path, or trajectory, of the projectile is similar to Bryan’s in that….
 The projectile’s trajectory is different from Bryan’s in that….
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7. Remind students of the two velocities demonstrated in the video and prompt students to
think about how these might be changed given their launcher of choice. Then, students
might continue their investigation by exploring how a take-off angle similar to those of elite
long jumpers—between about 18o and 22o according to Ramey—affects the shape of the
rocket’s trajectory and make conjectures as to why this angle is optimal.
Make a Claim Backed by Evidence
Students should analyze their data and observations and then make one or more claims based
on the evidence their data shows. Encourage students with this prompt: As evidenced by… we
claim… because….
An example claim might be:
As evidenced by our measurements taken with a constant launch angle, we claim that more
force caused the rocket to reach a higher elevation because the arcs increased in height as we
increased the force exerted by the rocket launcher. More force results in greater acceleration so
the upward movement would be greater before gravity’s force began to result in negative
acceleration.
Compare Findings
Encourage students to compare their ideas with others, such as classmates who investigated a
similar question or with those who investigated a different question or a different object,
material they found on the Internet, an expert they chose to interview, or their textbooks.
Remind students to credit their original sources in their comparisons. Elicit comparisons from
students with prompts such as:
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of the experts in the video in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of my classmates in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those that I found on the Internet in that….
Students might make comparisons like the following:
My ideas are similar to those of classmates who simply tossed a tennis ball into the air using
different amounts of upward force. Like the rocket, the greater the upward force on the tennis
ball, the higher the apex of its projectile.
Reflect on Learning
Students should reflect on their understanding, thinking about how their ideas have changed or
what they know now that they didn’t before. Encourage reflection, using prompts such as the
following:
 The claims made by the expert in the video include….
 I support or refute these claims because, in my investigation,….
 When thinking about the expert’s claims, I am confused as to why….
 Another investigation about projectile motions I would like to explore is….
Inquiry Assessment
See the rubric included in the student Copy Masters on page 10.
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Incorporate Video into Your Lesson Plan
Integrate Video in Instruction
Compare and Contrast Replay, multiple times, if needed, the video segment from 0:15 through
0:29 and have students describe the different projectiles—the discus, the shot put, the javelin,
and even Bryan himself—and their motions. Challenge students to identify the factors they
think are affecting the projectiles’ trajectories.
Visualize a Concept Obtain a pair of stereoscopic glasses or a stereoscope and a pair of photos
made for this purpose. Have students take turns aligning the photos so that when viewed
through the lens, they are able to see one photo in 3D. Then use a drawing to explain the
process of triangulation to students.
Using the 5E Approach?
If you use a 5E approach to lesson plans, consider incorporating video in these Es:
Explain Use the Design Investigations section of the Inquiry Outline to support your lessons on
measurements, motion, speed, and velocity.
Elaborate Use the video as a springboard to encourage students to learn more about projectile
motion involved in different types of sports, including golf, tennis, football, basketball, baseball,
and so on. While Bryan uses his body as the projectile, other sports use additional tools to
effect projectile motion, such as golf clubs, bats, and ramps. Have students make comparisons
of the projectile motion of Bryan and athletes in other sports such as Aaron Fotheringham’s
wheelchair ramp jumping.
Connect to … Technology
Help students relate the stereoscopic, or 3D, technology, used by BMW with that used in their
everyday lives, such as the 3D glasses worn at movie theaters, IMAX films, holograms, 3D
videos and televisions, and virtual reality glasses, among others. Some students might also
know that such technology is used to make many of the movies shown on today’s screens as
well as in medicine and in many types of industries that study materials at the microscopic level
or that produce models of fossil animals or features deep beneath Earth’s surface. For example,
three-dimensional scanners are commonly used in dentistry, tunnel construction, and
anthropological research. Geologists and engineers in the oil and gas industry use 3D modeling
software to determine the size of underground reservoirs. Another use of 3D technology is in
3D printers, which receive data they convert into layers and layers of material that form an
actual object. These printers have even been used to create an artificial titanium bone that was
implanted into a woman in Belgium. Have students create Internet “tours” that other students
can follow to show examples.
Use Video in Assessment
Play a segment showing Bryan moving through the air, such as 1:38–1:48, with the sound
muted. Then provide students with the following instructions. Play the segment multiple times
as needed.
Explain the science concepts behind what is happening. Use the terms acceleration, vertical,
horizontal, force, and gravity in your response.
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COPY MASTER: Open Choice Inquiry Guide for Students
Science of the Summer Olympics: Maximizing the
Long Jump of Bryan Clay
Use this guide to investigate a question about one of the factors that affects the motion of a
projectile. Write your lab report in your science notebook.
Ask Beginning Questions
The video makes me think about these questions….
Design Investigations
Choose one question. How can you answer it? Brainstorm with your teammates. Write a
procedure that controls variables and makes accurate measurements. Add safety precautions
as needed.
 The materials I will use are….
 The variable I will test is….
 The variables I will control are….
 The steps I will follow are….
 The data I will collect are....
 To conduct the investigation safely, I will….
Record Data and Observations
Record your observations. Organize your data in tables or graphs as appropriate.
Make a Claim Backed by Evidence
Analyze your data and then make one or more claims based on the evidence your data show.
Make sure that the claim goes beyond summarizing the relationship between the variables.
My Evidence
My Claim
My Reason
Compare Findings
Review the video and then discuss your results with classmates who investigated the same or a
similar question, or with students who investigated a different question. Or do research on the
Internet or talk with an expert. How do your findings compare? How do they differ? Be sure to
give credit to others when you use their findings in your comparisons.
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of the experts in the video in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of my classmates in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those that I found on the Internet in that….
Reflect on Learning
Think about what you found out. How does it fit with what you already knew? How does it
change what you thought you knew?
 The claims made by the experts in the video are….
 I support or refute these experts’ claims because in my investigation….
 When thinking about the experts’ claims, I am confused as to why….
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COPY MASTER: Focused Inquiry Guide for Students
Science of the Summer Olympics: Maximizing the
Long Jump of Bryan Clay
Use this guide to investigate a question about a projectile’s trajectory. Write your lab report in
your science notebook.
Ask Beginning Questions
How does force affect the trajectory of a projectile?
Design Investigations
Brainstorm with your teammates about how to answer the question. Write a procedure that
controls variables and allows you to gather valid data. Add safety precautions as needed. Use
these prompts to help you design your investigation.
 The materials I will use are….
 The variable I will test is….
 To change this variable, I will….
 The variables I will control, or keep the same, are….
 To make sure that the controls are the same, I will….
 I will compare trajectories by….
 To conduct the investigation safely, I will….
Record Data and Observations
Organize your observations and data in a table. The table below is one example for testing how
force affects a toy rocket’s trajectory. Also, make a graph using colored pencils to show the
different trajectories. Make a key to show which trajectory is which.
How Force Affects a Projectile’s Trajectory
Launch Number/Force of
the Launcher
Time (seconds) Projectile Is in Motion
Upward Motion/Downward Motion
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Projectile’s Trajectories
Time
(s)
Launch Number Key
Make a Claim Backed by Evidence
Analyze your data and then make one or more claims based on the evidence shown by your
data. Make sure that the claim goes beyond summarizing the relationship between the
variables.
My Evidence
My Claim
My Reason
Compare Findings
Review the video then discuss your results with classmates who explored the same question or
a different one. Or do research on the Internet or talk with an expert. How do your findings
compare? Be sure to give credit to others when you use their findings in your comparisons.
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of the experts in the video in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of my classmates in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those that I found on the Internet in that….
Reflect on Learning
Think about what you found out. How does it fit with what you already knew? How does it
change what you thought you knew?
 The claims made by the expert in the video include….
 I support or refute these claims because in my investigation….
 When thinking about the expert’s claims, I am confused as to why….
 Another investigation about projectile motions I would like to explore is….
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COPY MASTER: Assessment Rubric for Inquiry Investigations
Criteria
Initial question
Investigation
design
Variables
Safety procedures
Observations and
Data
Claim
Findings
comparison
Reflection
1 point
Question had a yes/no
answer, was off topic, or
otherwise was not
researchable or testable.
2 points
Question was
researchable or testable
but too broad or not
answerable by the
chosen investigation.
The design of the
While the design
investigation did not
supported the initial
support a response to
question, the procedure
the initial question.
used to collect data
(e.g., number of trials,
control of variables)
was not sufficient.
Either the dependent or
While the dependent
independent variable
and independent
was not identified.
variables were
identified, no controls
were present.
Basic laboratory safety
Some, but not all, of the
procedures were
safety equipment was
followed, but practices
used and only some
specific to the activity
safe practices needed
were not identified.
for this investigation
were followed.
Observations were not
Observations were
made or recorded, and
made, but were not
data are unreasonable in very detailed, or data
nature, not recorded, or
appear invalid or were
do not reflect what
not recorded
actually took place during appropriately.
the investigation.
No claim was made or
Claim was marginally
the claim had no
related to evidence
relationship to the
from investigation.
evidence used to support
it.
Comparison of findings
Comparison of findings
was limited to a
was not supported by
description of the initial
the data collected.
question.
Student reflections were
limited to a description
of the procedure used.
Student reflections
were not related to the
initial question.
Maximizing the Long Jump of Bryan Clay (Grades 6–12)
3 points
Question clearly stated,
researchable or testable,
and showed direct
relationship to
investigation.
Variables were clearly
identified and controlled
as needed with steps and
trials that resulted in data
that could be used to
answer the question.
Variables identified and
controlled in a way that
results in data that can be
analyzed and compared.
Appropriate safety
equipment used and safe
practices adhered to.
Detailed observations
were made and properly
recorded and data are
plausible and recorded
appropriately.
Claim was backed by
investigative or research
evidence.
Comparison of findings
included both
methodology and data
collected by at least one
other entity.
Student reflections
described at least one
impact on thinking.
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