GED 2002 Teachers' Handbook of Lesson Plans

Activity Title - Newton's Egg-speriment

Goal/Objective

Students will design the best possible protection for their egg at the least possible cost. They will use their understanding of inertia and friction to design their protective device.

Lesson Outline/Introduction

Discuss Newton's First Law of Motion. Explain how friction holds things in place but how a sudden stop can overcome the friction.

Activity

The students should be divided into groups of two. Each group is given one raw egg. The egg will be placed in a toy truck, which will be run down a ramp into a brick wall. The students will build a protective device for their eggs. Their goal is to build affordably but keep their egg safe. They are to consider all the materials on hand. The material can be bought at the assigned price.

Debriefing/Evaluation Activity

Let each group share what the result was of their egg crashing into the wall. Have them tell how much their design cost. Discuss whose design worked best and was most affordable.

Materials, Texts, Realia, Handouts

• Toy truck
• Raw eggs
• Board for a ramp
• Brick wall
• String
• Rubber bands
• Cotton balls
• Tape
• Toothpicks
• Styrofoam cups
• Paper and pencil
• Index cards
• Plastic garbage bags for clean-up

Extension Activity

Have the students write up the results of their experiment.

ESE/ESOL Accommodations

Have each group prepare a set of vocabulary cards. Have them write key words and their meanings on the cards. Let them quiz one another using the cards.

Real-Life Connection

Discuss how this experiment is much like what engineers do to investigate real-life devices in cars, airplanes, and amusement park rides.

Activity Title - Newton's Egg-speriment

Introduction

Say: Newton is known for his First Law of Motion. This law states that objects tend to keep doing what they're doing until a force stops (or starts) them. So a toy truck at rest wants to stay at rest until you push it, and a truck in motion will stay in motion until something stops it. The same goes for things riding in the truck. Friction holds the egg in the truck while it gradually speeds up or slows down. But if the truck stops suddenly, inertia overcomes friction and the egg keeps moving!

Main Activity

Divide the class into groups of two.

Say: Your challenge is to design a safety device for your egg. You can purchase materials to make it. Your goal is to build affordably but keep your egg safe.

Have students keep records of what their group spends.

After the students have completed their devices have them place their egg in the truck and send it down the ramp into the wall.

Closure/Conclusion

Say: How did your device work? How much did you spend?

Have the students compare their results.

Follow-up lessons/Activities

Have the students write a paragraph telling how they think they could have improved their results .