NCDPI – AIG Instructional Resource: Background Information
Resource Title: Wacky Hall Walker ExD
Subject Area/Grade Level (s): Science/7
Time Frame: 4 class meetings (60 min each) Modified version: 2 class meetings
Common Core/Essential Standard Addressed:
ES 7.P.2.1 Explain how kinetic and potential energy contribute to the mechanical energy of an object.
ES 7.P.2.2 Explain how energy can be transformed from one form to another using a model or diagram of a moving object.
Additional Standards Addressed:
Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing (W):
W.7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions
for further research and investigation.
Common Core Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects (RST):
RST.6-8.7 Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g.,
in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening (SL):
SL.7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics,
texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Brief Description of Lesson/Task/Activity: Within the physical science strand of 7th grade science, students focus on the motion of objects. In
this task, students will act as engineers as they research, design, and construct competition wacky hall walkers. The inquiry nature of this
project allows students to build meaningful connections while promoting 21st Century Skills.
Type of Differentiation for AIGs (include all that apply):
Adaptations for AIGs:
Content
x Process
Enrichment
x Extension
Acceleration
x Product
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction
AIG ~ IRP Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project
Explanation of How Resource is Appropriate for AIGs: AIG students in the middle grades quickly grasp the qualitative concept of energy transfer
(potential/kinetic/mechanical) in the 7th grade Essential Standards for Science. True formulaic quantification of these concepts (beyond those
using gravitational potential energy) is still too advanced; however, students can use quantitative data to make deliberate changes in an object’s
motion. To challenge these students, it is necessary to provide opportunities for them to use their understanding to develop experimental
design procedures. Explanatory writing and the use of labeled diagrams are essential in advanced courses (AP sciences, etc.), so any opportunity
to develop these skills is beneficial to AIG students. Finally, multiple opportunities to define and refine experimental design factors further
develop the metacognitive and evaluative/evidentiary reasoning ability of these students.
Needed Resources/Materials
 Metersticks
 String
 Triple Beam Balance or other mass-measuring device
 Graph paper
 Masking tape to define start and stop for multiple walkers
 Long hallway
 Teacher-prepared “wacky hall walkers” –see Educational Innovations, Inc. or perform a web search for directions to build own
 Materials for students to alter “walkers”: different length and diameter tubes/lids (coffee, oats, Pringles, etc.), different length and
width rubber bands, different masses to be added to the rubber band inside the tube
 Computer/multimedia software access
 Flip camera/digital camera (optional)
Sources:
 Educational innovations, Inc. at www.teachersource.com
 http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/magic-rollback-can-sick-science
TEACHER NOTES: The “wacky hall walker” is an excellent way for students at all levels to gain an understanding of potential, kinetic, and
mechanical energy. This lesson plan is designed to be a continuation of that initial exposure. Student prior knowledge and skills should include
the defined terms “potential energy,” “kinetic energy,” and “mechanical energy.” Students should be familiar with the following experimental
design terms and processes: “independent variable,” “dependent variable,” “constants,” “Control Group,” “Experimental Group,” and
“repeated trials.” In addition, students should have the ability to design data tables and create their resulting graphs.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction
AIG ~ IRP Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project
STAGE ONE: ENGAGE
In a previous lesson, students will have already worked with teacher-prepared (and consistently constructed) “wacky hall walkers.” Students will
have already identified the potential energy (the twisted rubber band) and its conversion into kinetic energy (the rolling of the walker) and the
addition of both to define mechanical energy, also defined as the ability to do work (the movement of the mass of the walker multiplied by the
distance it travels). Students will also have already determined that the distance traveled by the walker is proportional to the number of rubber
band turns in accordance with their understanding of energy transfer and friction and then used this relationship to predict the distances
traveled given a specific number of rubber band turns.
In this extension lesson, students will use the teacher-prepared “wacky hall walker” as the control group and develop their own experimental
models. Students will be assigned to four-person groups and will be provided with the following RAFT:
R(ole): an engineering group for the Wacky Hall Walker Toy Company
A(udience): the approving toy board for the WHW Toy Company
F(ormat): multimedia presentation, including data tables, graphs, and labeled schematics
T(opic): the modification of “wacky hall walkers” to better meet different categories
The different categories being considered by the WHW Toy Company are a response to consumer e-mail requests:
1. Increased distance traveled
2. Decreased size for easier carrying (must still travel a minimum distance to be determined by teacher)
3. Decreased mass for easier carrying (must still travel a minimum distance to be determined by teacher)
4. Self-rewinding version (must still travel a minimum initial forward distance to be determined by teacher)
The teacher may decide to randomly assign categories to each of the groups to ensure a variety of approaches or may allow groups to pursue
their own interests. The teacher may also allow groups the freedom to experiment to determine a variety of effects and then choose a category
for their walker to “enter” based on their different results.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction
AIG ~ IRP Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project
STAGE TWO: ELABORATE
DAYS 1 & 2:
As student groups begin discussing the possible modifications to the walkers, the following experimental design questions can be posed (as
necessary) to ensure that students remain on track:
 “How does the length of the rubber band affect the walker’s distance performance?”
 “How does the width of the rubber band affect the walker’s distance performance?”
 “How does the smaller diameter of the tube affect the walker’s distance performance?”
 “How does the smaller mass of the walker affect the walker’s distance performance?”
 “How does the addition of a weight to the rubber band affect the walker’s distance performance?”
 “How is energy being transferred during this process?”
Allow student groups the time to build and test different variations. Prompt students to draw and label their processes and record data as gathered
to prevent a loss of information. Flip or digital cameras are also useful in this process and can be used in the creation of the final presentation.
DAY 3: Provide time for students to create their final presentations based on the rubric provided in the “Evaluate” section.
STAGE THREE: EVALUATE
DAY 4:
Student groups will present their multimedia presentations demonstrating their modified “wacky hall walkers.”
Students will be assessed on:
1. Statement of Category Challenge Attempted
2. Explanation of Experimental Design Process
3. Labeled Diagram of Walker
4. Completed Data Table for Multiple Trials
5. Graph(s) for Data Table
6. Conclusion(s) Reached
7. Visual of Walker in Motion (optional)
TEACHER NOTES: Teachers may also want to consider adding an individual participation/group collaboration segment to the final product rubric
to allow students to more effectively reflect on their individual behaviors and group dynamics to foster further development of these social
skills. This lesson can be modified down to two days if a written report is completed instead of multimedia presentations created/shown during
class time.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction
AIG ~ IRP Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project