Lesson Title: Let’s Get Moving (and Graphing)
Technology/system requirements: Laptops, Projector, Internet access, video, speakers
connected to laptop to project sound from video.
Material Requirements:
Moving Man simulation Student sheet, Student Lab worksheet, writing utensils.
Link: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/search?q=moving+man
Pre-Activities and Concepts: Students should understand the concept of a distance-time
graph.
Lesson Elements Guide for Teacher
Engage:
Watch the Bill Nye Video “Loco-Motion” It shows animals
moving at different speeds using different modalities set to
Bjorn Turon’s “Loco Motion”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8feGzdsQOU&feature=rel
ated
Demonstrate how to draw a graph using Distance on the Y
axis and Time on the X axis. Challenge students to predict
what a graph of the motion of some of the animals they saw
in the video would look like. Have students share their ideas.
Explore:
Distribute the “Student Sheet”. It gives step-by-step
directions on what students should do and observations they
should make. Briefly demonstrate how to use the Simulation.
Review assigned roles and expectations for the lab.
As students complete the “Student Lab Sheet”, ask questions.
What happened to the graph when the man moves? Why do
you think it happens? Look at the graph and the numbers
underneath the man. What do you notice as the man moves?
What is the relationship between the man’s movement and
iQUEST Lesson: http://www.csusm.edu/iquest - NSF Project Award Number: 0833753 Moving Man
the shape of the graph? Redirect any misconceptions.
on the situation set up in each experiment.
Explain:
Lead a whole class discussion of these questions:

What happened to the graph when you dragged the man
toward the house?

Why do you think that happened?

What happened to the graph when the man stood still?

Why do you think that happened?

What happened to the graph when you dragged the man
away from the house?

Why do you think that happened?
Students should understand as the man moves to the right –
the line of the graph increases, as the man moves left, the
line decreases and when the man stands still, the line is
horizontal.
Evaluate:
Allow students time to finish writing their conclusion prior to
turning in their “Student Lab Sheet”.
Teacher collects the completed “Student Lab Sheets” for
assessment.
The answers to the conclusion question shows if the students
were able to take the concepts learned in the lab and apply
them to other situations.
Students are asked to draw a graph based on a scenario AND
describe a scenario based on a graph.
.
Extend:
The PhET website,
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/search?q=moving+man
has a variety of further motion and graphing lessons and activities.
Provide time, or encourage students to further investigate the
concepts.
iQUEST Lesson: http://www.csusm.edu/iquest - NSF Project Award Number: 0833753 Moving Man