Lesson Planning Form for Differentiating Instruction Calvin College

Education Program
Teacher
Date

Kelley Tuinenga
N/A

Subject/ Topic/ Theme:

Friction: Making Sense of Friction

I. Objectives
What is the main focus of this lesson?
The main focus of this lesson is to continue our investigation of friction and the affects it has on the
amount of force required to overcome the force of static friction. In this lesson the students will
investigate the data that they have collected throughout this unit and display it on a bar graph.
How does this lesson tie in to a unit plan?
The unit is on friction and its affect on moving and resting objects.
What are your objectives for this lesson?
1) Identify friction as a force that changes the way an object moves.
2) S.IP.03.16 students will construct simple charts and graphs from data and observations.
3) S.IA.03.13 students will communicate and present findings of observations and investigations.
4) P.FM.03.36, P.FM.03.37 students will relate the change in motion of an object to the force that
caused the change of motion and how the change in motion of an object is related to the strength
of the force acting upon the object and to the mass of the object.
II. Before you start
Prerequisite knowledge
and skills.

Assessment
(formative and
summative)

Materials-

-Previous experiencing with the terminology

-Participation in the previous lessons of this unit.
- Ability to work collaboratively with classmates
- Prior experience with bar graphs.
- Use the students bar graphs to assess the students ability to construct
simple charts and graphs from data and observations.
- Use the class discussion and student presentations to assess the students
ability to communicate and present findings of observations and
investigations.
- Use the journal entry to assess the students ability to relate the change
in motion of an object is related to the strength of the force acting upon the
object and to the mass of the object.
Each student:
1 yellow blank bar graph handout
1 pink blank bar graph handout
N/A

Classroom Setup:

III. The Plan

Tim
Parts
e
Motivatio
n
(Opening/
Introducti
on/
Engageme
nt)

The description of (script for) the lesson, wherein you describe teacher
activities and student activities
1. Review the experiment and discuss whole group the results. Ask, What did we
discover about mass and friction during our last experiment? Which surface
required the most amount of washers to get the block to move? Which surface
required the least amount of washers to get the block to move? (which required
more force to get the block to move, to over come the static friction)
2. Explain that we are going to compare the data from the two experiments by
making bar graphs of the data. We are going to compare the number of washers
needed to overcome the force of friction of the different surfaces on the block of
wood, making the block of wood move. (explain that they may have seen bar
graphs in math before, and they are a helpful tool for scientists to visualize data
that they compile)

Developm
ent

3. Hold up empty bar graph and demonstrate how to make the x-axis and y-axis of
the bar graph, explain that on the top is where the title goes; our title is going to
be Friction + Mass. The bottom there is a line to explain what the y-axis is, ask
what we should put there, (Surface type or surface). The x-axis also has a blank
line; write # of washers. Write in increments of 10 on the side of the graph.
This part of the lesson can be differentiated, depending on time. I scaffold
the graph greatly because of our limited time. I filled out the majority of the
graph and had them add the title and labels. I liked this because it took less
time and the students still were involved in creating some of the graph
without having to create it from scratch.
4. Whole group create the first graph on the pink paper, explain that all of our data
is the same because we did that research experiment as a class.
5. Look at page 17 in our science journals who can tell me how many washers did
it take for us to move the rough block? Etc. until all the bars a filled out.
Dont have student color in the bars, explain if they have time later they can
shade in the bars.
6. Have students create the second bar graph in groups of 3-4, same group they
did the first experiment so that there data will be the same.
7. Assist the groups as necessary.
8. After groups have completed the bar graph, ask the group to present their
findings to the rest of the class. Ask the students if the bar graphs will look
simlar among the groups. Discuss any discrepancies that may occur. Have
Closure
students compare the bar graph of the investigations without the extra weight
and with the extra weight on the wood block. Ask the students what the
information on the bar graphs leads them to conclude.
9. Administer Post assessment quiz, read aloud to the class but have students
answer individually.
Your reflection on the lesson including ideas for improvement for next time: