Physics Lab on Horizontal
Projectile Motion using Angry
Birds
FOR: GRADES 10-12
ERIK MAHAL
2 CLASS LAB
Content and Standards
 3.4.12.C
Analyze the principles of translational
motion, velocity and acceleration as they
relate to free fall and projectile motion.
 Analyze the principles of rotational
motion to solve problems relating to
angular momentum, and torque.

Content and Standards
1.
Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge,
and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
c.
use models and simulations to explore complex systems
and issues.
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities.
2.
Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use
information. Students:
c.
evaluate and select information sources and digital tools
based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.
Prerequisites
 Students need a clear understanding of horizontal
projectile motion and vectors in Physics.
 This lab should be taught half way through the
chapter of projectile motion so students are familiar
with needed equations.
 Students should be comfortable with percent error
equations and be able to reflect on what their results
mean
Instructional Objective
 Correctly calculate the flight path (ΔX) of an object
using a horizontal angle with given velocity and mass
of the object.
Instructional Procedure (Before)
 The Students will be given a lesson on basic
projectile motion and how to calculate the ΔX using
given angles of zero, speeds and masses of an angry
bird.
 They must use these formulas to calculate the
horizontal displacement of the angry bird
Instructional Procedure During
 The Students will have a screen shot of the angry
bird’s game. They then must calculate how far the
bird will travel with a given velocity and mass if it is
shot from a horizontal angle.
 The students must show their work and provide and
hypothesis of a distance they believe their bird will
travel.
 Each student will have a different bird, which will
have different masses and in turn velocities so each
group will have different answers.
Instructional Procedure (After)
 After they provide their hypothesis, they can go
online and use the game to test their hypothesis.
 Once the students see how far the bird actually
travels in the game, they can calculate their percent
error
 Then see where (if) they made mistakes in their
calculations.
 Students will than write a lab report discussing their
results and what was difficult or too easy during the
lab.
Materials and Equipment
 Scientific Calculators for each group of students
 A pencil and paper with a formula sheet
 A computer with web access
 with a game site unblocked from the school proxy so the
students can access the game to run the test
Assessment and Evaluation
 The students will be partly graded on their percent
error from the calculations from the screenshot and
the actual recorded distance in the game. (%60)
 The other part of their grade will be a lab report in
which they will reflect on what they learned and how
the exercise helped them understand horizontal
projectile motion. (40%)
 As this is a high school level lab, the accuracy of their
calculations will carry more of the grade than the lab
report.
Differentiation
 For students with IEP’s or ELL’s they will be split up
strategically so no two students with learning
disabilities are in the same group.
 Special attention will be given to them during the
experiment in case their disabilities makes it difficult
to use a computer mouse with the precision needed
to achieve a horizontal angle.
 Gifted Students

Gifted or exceeding brilliant students can also go on to
calculate other angles past that of horizontal projectile motion,
with different launch angles.
Technology
 This lab calls for students in groups of 3 to have
access to a computer.
 A scientific calculator such as TI-80 and above will
also be used in order to ease calculations
Self Assessment
 I can see by the calculated percent error’s from the
students lab reports if I taught them the equations
and explained the presented material thoroughly
enough
 From the lab reports I can also see what the students
found difficult or even too easy from the lab, and
make changes for the next time I run the lab
Supplement to other Classes
 Projectile Motion in physics can be taught along side
another topic in a different class very easily. The lab
could be done during a time where the students are
learning about trebuchets or medieval warfare that
also use projectile motion.
 I could also show modern day examples of projectile
motion such as the punkin’ chunkin’ in the Midwest.