Constructivist Lesson Plan
Name: Frank Jenkins
Course/Class: Physics 20
Unit 1: Kinematics and Dynamics
Topic: Trajectories, motion and forces
A. Intents/Objectives/Purpose (from Aoka's IDAE Model—EDFX 200)
Date: 02-09-28
Grade: 11
Science 10 Program of Studies (Pedagogic Purpose): “Students should be encouraged to develop affective attributes of
scientists at work; such as, respect for evidence, tolerance of uncertainty, intellectual honesty, creativity, perseverance,
cooperation, curiosity and a desire to understand. … [Initiate and plan an experiment.] Students will be expected to demonstrate
an understanding … of the central role of evidence in the accumulation of knowledge, and the ways proposed theories may be
supported, modified and refuted. … Students will be able to: ... apply the concept of field to quantitatively explain, in terms of
its source, direction and intensity, the gravitational effects of objects and systems.” (Alberta Learning, 1994, p. 3-7)
Scientific Purpose: To test our understanding of gravitational force related to the motion of a ball thrown in the air.
C. Activities
B. Displays/Resources
Administration/Homework
Take attendance.
Hand-out communications to individual students.
Read daily bulletin.
Check to see that individual students have completed the homework assignment.
Go over the homework from last day.
Have students mark their homework. Uncover a few of the homework solutions at a time.
1. Introduction/Set/Advanced Organizers
 Start by juggling one, two and then three balls in the air. Alternately, have volunteer
students do some juggling.
 Indicate that today’s lesson is to try to come to an understanding of the motion of and
the force acting on a ball thrown in the air.
 Avoid doing a review of previous scientific concepts that may link to today’s lesson.
 Introduce the term—thought experiment. Talk about using the criterion of logical
consistency to judge arguments that are made to explain natural phenomenon.
2. Clarifying/Creating-Understanding/Concept-Development
B
 Use a parabolic trajectory for a ball being thrown in the air; e.g.,
 Draw arrows showing the motion of the ball—going up on the left.
C
 Indicate three positions on the trajectory—A, B & C.
A
 Ask: “What do you think the direction of the force acting on the ball
is at A, B and C?” (Use words that solicit the students’ conceptions.)




Ask students to use the provided sheet to help communicate their hypothesis.
Have them indicate the direction of the ball on the way up and down.
Now, have students draw force vectors (arrows) indicating the direction of the force
acting on the ball at positions A, B & C; e.g., F, F or F= 0 (zero).
It is important that students do this work on their own without consulting peers.
o Alternately, using social constructivism (rather than personal constructivism)
students may work in groups to form a common hypothesis.
Coached/Guide-Practice/Seatwork
Discuss the validity of the arguments used in this thought experiment. Discuss the
criteria used to judge assertions; e.g., logical and consistent thought.
Discuss the evaluation of personal (or group) hypotheses.
Refer to Newton’s second law (F = ma)—where the acceleration and unbalanced
force are in the same direction. Refer to the constancy of the force of gravity.
If available, run the computer simulation/applet for the modeling of the force acting on
a cannon ball projected vertically into the air.
Provide students with their homework exercise.

Walk around and use individual interventions to provide coaching/guidance.

3.



116107804
2016-02-13
Seating plan & attendance sheet
[communications as available]
Daily bulletin
Homework-check sheets
Extra homework worksheets
Transparency of solutions
3 tennis balls
a student to juggle the balls
Overhead projector and screen
or board with chalk or marker.
Transparency showing the
trajectory of a ball in the air.
See student hypothesis sheet.
(Alternately, use chalk and
blackboard.)
Student hypothesis sheet.
Overhead projector and screen
for a transparency of the student
sheet.
Refer to the text—Logical
Reasoning in Science and
Technology (LoRST)—by Glen
Aikenhead.
MAP applet from Alberta
Learning, Physics 20, website.
Computer and projector or TV.
Homework exercise
fj 1/6

As appropriate, use a group intervention to re-teach or reinforce concepts or
instructions that have surfaced from individual questions or interventions.
4.


Closure/Summary
Review the idea of a thought experiment.
Review the forces acting on a ball that is thrown near-vertically into the air.
5.

Solitary Practice/Homework
If appropriate, ask students to ask their parents/relatives at home the same question that
was asked in class today.
Complete the homework exercise for next day.
Review/Assessment
Periodically review the forces involved in trajectory motion and the usefulness of
thought experiments.
Include this trajectory law and the logical testing of hypotheses on future tests.

6.


Use the trajectory transparency.
Trajectory drawing
Student hypothesis sheet
Homework exercise
Trajectory transparency
Homework exercise solutions
Quizzes, and chapter and unit
exams
D. Evaluation/Reflection (of/on lesson)
This lesson was built on a lesson plan format resulting from research on the lessons presented by
teachers who were identified by their peers as being excellent teachers. (Rosenshine, 1986). This
particular lesson started with a juggling act to get the students’ attention and to motivate them to learn.
The lesson then follows the Rosenshine lesson plan format from introduction through clarifying and
guided practice to closure. All components of lesson plans (written or unwritten) used by excellent
teachers are employed. The combination of the experience of the excellent teachers and the research of
Roseshine leads me to test and use this approach.
Since this is a constructivist lesson, it purposely does not review and link the new concept to old
concepts—it was left to the students to do the initial linking. Personal hypotheses are stated/created
and tested in this lesson—tested logically, in a thought experiment. Personal (private) hypotheses are
used rather than the accepted scientific (public) hypothesis, so that students’ prior knowledge can be
brought forward and tested. Constructivist research indicates that, if students are allowed to test
personal hypotheses that are mis/pre/alternate/prior conceptions, then conceptual change is more likely
to occur. Not only is the conceptual change likely to be immediate, but is more likely to be a long
lasting change, beyond the next test and beyond this course.
This lesson employs a thought experiment rather than a hands-on (laboratory) experiment. The reason
for this is that the force acting on an object that is thrown into the air is not directly measurable.
Students are asked to make predictions but the predictions are tested by logical and consistent thought
rather than by experiment. The create-test-use cycle applies equally well to logical thought as it does to
laboratory work. The hidden curriculum goals for learning about logical thought are made explicit.
The opportunity to use the U of A MAP (Modular Approach to Physics) Project applet to model the
throwing of an object vertically in the air allows students to test their personal (private) hypotheses.
Students make their hypotheses as to the direction of the unbalanced force acting on the object at A, B
and C, and then the computer model runs/shows the consequence of their personal hypothesis. If their
personal hypothesis is in conflict with the scientific (public) hypothesis, then the object moves in a
different path than the observed path from students’ experience and from what was observed during
the juggling act in the lesson introduction. This also allows an opportunity to introduce the topic of
computer modeling/simulations; i.e., a model is built upon hypotheses.
This lesson plan reflects a synthesis of hypothetico-inductive reasoning, of Rosenshine’s concept of a
lesson, and of the constructivists’ concept of a lesson. The most obvious innovation is to have students
test (and falsify if necessary) their own hypotheses rather than testing the given scientific hypothesis.
116107804
2016-02-13
fj 2/6
Analysis of a Ball Thrown Vertically Upward
Complete the Hypothesis (complete with reasoning) to answer the following problem. Provide a
personal hypothesis—indicate what you think is happening. Draw a force vector at Points A, B and C
to indicate the direction of the unbalanced force. If your hypothesis is that the unbalanced force is zero,
write F = 0 at that point.
Purpose
To test a personal hypothesis regarding the forces acting on a ball that is thrown near-vertically
upward.
Problem
What is the direction of the unbalanced force acting on a ball that is thrown near-vertically upward—
while the ball is moving upward, while the ball is at the top of its trajectory, and while the ball is
falling back to Earth?
Hypothesis
B
C
A
116107804
2016-02-13
fj 3/6
Analysis of a Ball Thrown Vertically Upward—Solution(s)
Complete the Hypothesis (complete with reasoning) to answer the following problem. Provide a
personal hypothesis—indicate what you think is happening. Draw a force vector at Points A, B and C
to indicate the direction of the unbalanced force. If your hypothesis is that the unbalanced force is zero,
write F = 0 at that point.
Purpose
To test a personal hypothesis regarding the forces acting on a ball that is thrown near-vertically
upward.
Problem
What is the direction of the unbalanced force acting on a ball that is thrown near-vertically upward—
while the ball is moving upward, while the ball is at the top of its trajectory, and while the ball is
falling back to Earth?
Hypothesis
B
C
F
F
A
ABC
Hypothesis 1
According to the motion of the ball,
if the ball is moving up at Point A,
then the unbalanced force must be up.
Hypothesis 2
Assuming that the only force acting is gravity,
and according to Newton’s second law,
if the ball is moving up at Point A,
but slowing down,
then the unbalanced force is down.
According to the motion of the ball,
if the ball is not moving at Point B,
then the unbalanced force must be zero.
According to the motion of the ball,
if the ball is moving down at Point C,
then the unbalanced force must be down.
Assuming that the only force acting is gravity,
and according to Newton’s second law,
if the ball is not moving at Point B,
but is in transition between moving up and
moving down,
then the unbalanced force is down.
or
Assuming that the only force acting is gravity,
and according to Newton’s second law,
if the ball is moving down at Point C,
and accelerating toward Earth,
then the unbalanced force is down.
[Note: Add force vectors.]
116107804
2016-02-13
fj 4/6
Analysis of a Ball Thrown Near-Vertically Upward
Exercise
For each of the questions below, draw the vectors requested beside Points A, B and C.
Indicate your reasoning along with each answer.
1. Indicate the direction of the velocity vectors at
Points A, B and C
B
C
A
2. Indicate the direction of the acceleration vectors at
Points A, B and C.
B
C
A
3. Indicate the direction of the unbalanced force
vectors at Points A, B and C.
B
C
A
B
4. Indicate the direction of the velocity, acceleration
and unbalanced force vectors at Points A, B and C.
C
[See the reasoning above.]
A
116107804
2016-02-13
fj 5/6
Analysis of a Ball Thrown Near-Vertically Upward--Solutions
Exercise
For each of the questions below, draw the vectors requested beside Points A, B and C.
Indicate your reasoning along with each answer.
5. Indicate the direction of the velocity vectors at
Points A, B and C
Point A: The ball is going up, therefore the
direction of the velocity is near-vertically upward.
Point B: The ball is at rest, therefore the v = 0 and
the vector is zero, with no direction.
Point C: The ball is going down, therefore the
direction of the velocity is near-vertically
downward.
B
C
A
6. Indicate the direction of the acceleration vectors at
Points A, B and C.
Point A: The ball is decreasing in velocity, therefore
the direction of the acceleration is in the opposite
direction to the velocity, above.
Point B: The ball is at rest, but is accelerating as
always due to the gravitational force downward.
The force is gravity is constant.
Point C: The ball is increasing in velocity
downward, therefore the direction of the
acceleration is near-vertically downward.
B
C
A
7. Indicate the direction of the unbalanced force
vectors at Points A, B and C.
Point A: The unbalanced force is the force of
gravity which is always acting vertically downward.
If the acceleration is downward, the unbalanced
force, by inference, is downward.
Point B: The unbalanced force is the force of
gravity which is always acting vertically downward.
If the acceleration is downward, the unbalanced
force, by inference, is downward.
Point C: The unbalanced force is the force of
gravity which is always acting vertically downward.
If the acceleration is downward, the unbalanced
force, by inference, is downward.
B
C
A
B
8. Indicate the direction of the velocity, acceleration
and unbalanced force vectors at Points A, B and C.
C
[See the reasoning above.]
[Note: Add vectors by hand or otherwise.]
116107804
2016-02-13
A
fj 6/6