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Gravity and Motion
At-a-Glance:
In 6th grade, students become scientists and
engineers as they investigate the answers to
different questions and use their scientific
knowledge to solve problems. In this unit,
students focus on the relationship between
gravity and motion, tracing how gravitational
potential energy transforms to mechanical
kinetic energy in different energy systems.
They investigate the relationship between the
drop height of a bouncy ball and its rebound
height, and then compare the amount of
energy transferred by moving marbles of
different masses.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Common Misconceptions:


Unit 1 – Page 1
Misconception: Gravity only exists on
Earth.
 Fact: Gravity is the force of attraction
between all matter, which means that
every object in the universe attracts
every other object with its gravity.
Misconception: Energy can be created
and destroyed.
 Fact: Energy is never created or
destroyed. Instead, it transfers from
one form to another. When one part of
a system loses energy, another part of
the system gains energy, so the total
amount of energy is always
conserved.
©2016 KnowAtomTM
A Breakdown of the Lesson Progression:
1
Energy Transformation
Students are introduced to the scientific process by
exploring the relationship between force, energy, and
motion. They investigate how the force of gravity
causes energy to transfer in an energy system where
one object (a bouncy ball) has gravitational potential
energy because of its height above the ground. That
energy is transformed into mechanical energy as
soon as the ball begins moving toward the ground.
2
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Mass and Energy Transfer
Once students understand how energy is
transferred through systems, they apply that
knowledge to explore the relationship between
an object’s mass and the amount of kinetic
energy it has. Specifically, students investigate
how marbles of different masses transfer
different amounts of kinetic energy during a
collision by measuring the distance a plastic cup
travels after being hit by each of the marbles.
Unit 1 – Page 2
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Gravity and Motion
Table of Contents
Curriculum
Unit Overview
Applying Next Generation Science Standards
Science and Engineering Practices
Unit 1 Pacing Guide Example
Science Words to Know
Teacher Background
Vocabulary Assessment
Concept Assessment
4
5
7
10
12
14
73
75
Lesson 1: Energy Transformation
Blank Data Table and Graph
Lesson 2: Mass and Energy Transfer
Blank Data Table and Graph
26
53
54
72
Lessons
Appendices
Assessment Answer Keys
Lab Manual Answer Keys
Common Core Connections
Sample Concept Map
Support for Differentiated Instruction
Materials Chart
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 3
83
89
92
97
98
99
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1:
Gravity and Motion
Overview:
The world’s tallest waterslide is
located in Kansas City, Kansas. Its
name, Verrückt, means “insane” in
German. At 551 meters (168 feet) tall,
it is taller than both Niagara Falls and
the Statue of Liberty. Once in motion
down the slide, riders can reach
speeds of more than 97 kilometers (60
miles) per hour.
© Schlitterbahn Kansas City Water Park
The Verrückt is the world’s
tallest waterslide.
The scientific principles of forces, energy transfers, and motion
underpin many rides and games common today, including
waterslides and roller coasters and extending into games such
as baseball and billiards.
Unit Goals:
In this unit, students investigate the relationship between
gravity, motion, and energy. Students begin by tracing the
transfer of energy when a bouncy ball is dropped from different
heights, exploring the relationship between drop height
(gravitational potential energy) and bounce height (kinetic
energy). Students build on that knowledge as they investigate
how the amount of energy transferred by a moving marble
changes depending on the marble’s mass.
1. Recognize the different forms of energy and how energy
can transform from one form to another.
2. Identify the relationship between force and energy
transfers in an energy system.
3. Describe how the kinetic energy of an object is directly
connected to its mass.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 4
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Applying Next Generation Science Standards
This unit covers the following Next Generation Science Standards. Each
standard includes where it is found in the unit, as well as how it applies the
relevant crosscutting concepts (listed in green) and disciplinary core ideas
(listed in orange). *Note: Science and engineering practices are listed
separately.
Focus Standard:
MS-PS3
Energy
MS-PS3-5. Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim
that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is
transferred to or from the object.
 Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer: Students
identify evidence of energy being transferred (not created
or destroyed) within a system when the kinetic energy of an
object changes. In Lesson 1, students measure the change in
a bouncy ball’s bounce height when its gravitational
potential energy changes. In Lesson 2, students investigate
the change in motion of a cup when it collides with marbles
of different masses. Lessons 1 and 2
 Energy and Matter: Students analyze how there are
different forms of energy, and the transfer of energy can be
traced through an energy system as energy transforms from
one form to another. Lessons 1 and 2
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 5
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Supporting Standards:
MS-PS2
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
MS-PS2-4. Construct and present arguments using evidence to
support the claim that gravitational interactions are
attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects.
 Types of Interactions: Students analyze gravitational
interactions by focusing on the relationship between mass
and the strength of gravity’s attractive pull. Lesson 1
 Systems and System Models: Students analyze Earth from
a systems perspective as they investigate how the attractive
force of gravity produces a system of interacting parts (such
as Earth and objects on Earth’s surface). Lesson 1
MS-PS3
Energy
MS-PS3-1. Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to
describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of
an object and to the speed of an object.
 Definitions of Energy: Students test and graph the
relationship between kinetic energy and mass as they
measure the amount of energy transferred when balls of
different masses collide with a cup. Lesson 2
 Scale, Proportion, and Quantity: Students analyze the
proportional relationship between mass, speed, and kinetic
energy. Lesson 2
MS-PS3-2. Develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of
objects interacting at a distance changes, different amounts
of potential energy are stored in the system.
 Relationship Between Energy and Forces: Students
model how different amounts of energy can be stored in a
system by changing the drop height of a bouncy ball above
the ground. Students measure this by measuring the
resulting bounce height when the gravitational potential
energy changes. Lesson 1
 Systems and System Models: Students analyze energy
systems, evaluating how different parts of a system interact
with and influence other parts of the system. Lesson 1
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 6
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Science and Engineering Practices
Students use the following science and engineering practices in the unit’s
lessons.
Lesson 1: Energy Transfers
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
 Students develop a question that will help guide them through an
investigation into the relationship between a ball’s height above the ground
(gravitation potential energy) and its resulting rebound motion (mechanical
kinetic energy).
2. Developing and using models
 Students create a model (scientific diagram) of their bouncy ball system.
Students use the model to visualize how the materials will be used, and to
communicate their experiment to others.
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
 Student teams collaboratively plan and conduct an investigation that
compares the bounce height of a bouncy ball when dropped from three
different heights above the ground.
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
 Students collect and analyze data on the height the ball bounces when
dropped from different heights, looking for patterns that might indicate a
relationship between a ball’s height above the ground and its resulting
rebound motion.
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
 Students conduct five trials for each height, recording the height the bounce
reaches, and then calculate the average number from the five trials. Students
then graph their data to help them identify patterns.
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for
engineering)
 Students use the data they gathered in the experiment to construct an
explanation that either supports or rejects their hypothesis about how
changing the drop height of a ball causes its bounce height to change.
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
 Students come together as a class to compare team results, using their data
from the experiment to analyze the relationship between the drop height of a
ball and its bounce height based on any patterns observed in the data.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 7
©2016 KnowAtomTM
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
 Students use information from their lab manuals and class discussion, along
with their knowledge of gravity, motion, and energy systems, to analyze how
gravity’s attractive pull provides the force necessary to cause energy to
transfer within a system such as a roller coaster or a bouncy ball.
Lesson 2: Mass and Energy Transfer
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
 Students develop a question that will help guide them through an
investigation into the effect of a marble’s mass on the amount of kinetic
energy it can transfer to a plastic cup at the base of an inclined plane when it
rolls into it.
2. Developing and using models
 Students create a model (scientific diagram) of their inclined plane system.
Students use the model to visualize how the materials will be used, and to
communicate their experiment to others.
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
 Student teams collaboratively plan and conduct an investigation that tests
how the mass of the marble affects the distance the target cup moves when
the marble rolls down an inclined plane and into the cup.
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
 Students collect and analyze data on the distance the target cup traveled
after marbles of different sizes collide with it, looking for patterns that might
indicate a relationship between the marble’s mass and the amount of kinetic
energy transferred.
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
 Students conduct five trials for each of the three marbles, recording the
distance the target cup moved, and then calculate the average distance from
the five trials. Students then graph their data.
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for
engineering)
 Students use the data they gathered in the experiment to construct an
explanation that either supports or rejects their hypothesis about how
changing the mass of the marble affects the distance a cup moves when the
marble rolls into it.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 8
©2016 KnowAtomTM
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
 Students come together as a class to compare team results, using their data
from the experiment to analyze the relationship between an object’s mass
and the amount of energy it transfers based on any patterns observed in the
data.
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
 Students use information from their lab manuals and class discussion, along
with their knowledge of forces, gravity, and energy systems, to analyze how
moving objects transfer energy when they come into contact with other
objects.
* Unit connections to Common Core Math practices: MP.2, MP.4, and MP.5.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 9
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1 Pacing Guide Example
All KnowAtom units are designed to take approximately one month. Lessons
may span one or two weeks. This pacing guide provides one example for how
to break down the lessons in this unit over a month. Breakdown in this
guide is based on 45- to 55-minute class periods. Communities that have
longer or shorter class periods or schedules where science class occurs more
frequently can modify this guide accordingly.
Any days in this guide that appear unused take into account months with
holidays, vacations, times when a lab and/or investigation takes longer to
complete. Note that at the beginning of the school year, when the engineering
and scientific processes are new to students, labs may take longer to
complete.
Day 1
Lesson 1
Start: As a
class, read
Sections 1 and
2 of the
KnowAtom
student lab
manual.*
Final Goal:
Transition to
the Socratic
dialogue.
Lesson 1
Start: Students
carry out
experiment,
analyze data,
and evaluate
results.
Final Goal:
Teams
complete lab
conclusions.
Day 2
Unit 1: Gravity and Motion
Lesson 1
Start: Socratic
dialogue.
Final Goal:
Transition to Lab
1 question.
Lesson 1
Start: As a class,
review lab
conclusions,
wrap up the lab,
and debrief.
Final Goal:
Review assigned
assessment
questions.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Day 3
Week 1
Lesson 1
Start: Recap lab
question.
Final Goal:
Students develop
majority of lab with
check-ins (up to
scientific diagram).
Week 2
Non-Science
Day
Day 4
Day 5
Lesson 1
Start: Teams
complete lab
development and
may begin
experiment.
Non-Science
Day
Final Goal: Students
complete lab
development.
Lesson 2
Start: As a class, read
Section 3 of the
KnowAtom student
lab manual.*
Lesson 2
Start: Socratic
dialogue.
Final Goal:
Transition to the
Socratic dialogue.
Final Goal:
Transition to Lab 2
question.
Unit 1 – Page 10
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Non-Science
Day
Non-Science
Day
Lesson 2
Start: Recap lab
question.
Final Goal:
Students develop
majority of lab
with check-ins
(up to scientific
diagram).
Lesson2
Start: Teams
analyze data, and
evaluate results.
Final Goal:
Students
complete lab
conclusions.
Week 3
Lesson 2
Start: Teams
complete lab
development and
may begin
experiment.
Lesson 2
Start: Teams carry
out experiment and
collect data.
Final Goal:
Students complete
lab development.
Final Goal: Teams
complete data
collection.
Week 4
Lesson 2
Start: As a class,
review lab
conclusions, wrap
up the lab, and
debrief.
Final Goal:
Review assigned
assessment
questions
(optional).
Non-Science
Day
Non-Science
Day
Non-Science
Day
* As the school year progresses, students are expected to come to class having
already read the lab manual so they can actively participate in the Socratic
dialogue. When students read the lab manual outside of class time, this time
can be used for deeper Socratic dialogue.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 11
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Science
Words to
Know:
This unit’s vocabulary is divided into two lessons. Use the blank
concept map visual to connect vocabulary once the unit is
complete. An example concept map is displayed in Appendix 3.
1. cause and effect – a relationship between events or things,
where one is the result of the other
2. data – the measurements and observations gathered from
an experiment
3. energy – the ability to do work
4. experiment – a specific procedure that tests if a hypothesis
is true, false, or inconclusive
5. force – a push or pull that acts on an object, changing its
speed, direction, or shape
6. gravitational energy – the energy stored in an object as a
result of its vertical position or height
7. gravity – the force of attraction between all matter; more
massive objects have a stronger gravitational force
8. hypothesis – a clear and concise statement that can be
proved true or false
9. kinetic energy – energy of motion
10. mass – a measure of the amount of matter that makes up an
object or substance; measured in grams (g)
11. mechanical energy – the energy of a substance or system
due to its motion
12. pattern – something that happens in a regular and
repeated way
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 12
©2016 KnowAtomTM
13. potential energy – energy that is stored
14. proportion – the relationship between things, as to size,
quantity, or number
15. science – all knowledge gained from experiments
16. scientist – a person who follows a scientific process to
discover new knowledge
17. system – a set of connected, interacting parts that form a
more complex whole
18. weight – a gravitational force exerted on an object by a
planet or moon; measured in newtons (N)
19. work – any change in position, speed, or state of matter
due to force
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 13
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Teacher Background
The
Science of
Gravity
Roller coasters have been around for a long
time—in fact, roller coasters are a modern
version of Russian ice slides that were
popular in the 1600s. Those ice slides were
similar to a waterslide. They were long,
steep wooden slides covered in ice that
people sledded down.
Roller coasters are a good example of the
STEM cycle in action. STEM stands for
science, technology, engineering, and math.
Broadly, science is the search for
explanations about the natural world, and
scientists use evidence to form conclusions
that support those explanations. All
knowledge learned from experiments is part
of science.
Roller coasters use
scientific concepts of
forces and motion.
Engineers then apply scientific knowledge to create new
technologies that solve problems. Math is a tool that both
scientists and engineers use to capture results and communicate
those results to others.
For example, roller coasters and waterslides are technologies
that engineers have designed to entertain people. Engineers
have to understand basic scientific concepts about forces and
motion in order to design them.
the STEM cycle
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 14
©2016 KnowAtomTM
The Scientific Process
Question
Research
Following a
Scientific
Process
Hypothesis
Summarize
Experiment
Materials
and
Procedure
Scientific
Diagram
Data
Conclusion
Anyone who follows a scientific process to discover new
knowledge is a scientist. Scientists use a scientific process to
guide them in developing a replicable experiment as they seek
out answers to questions about the world around them.
There are eight steps that scientists often follow to answer
questions using data from experiments. These steps provide
scientists with a logical framework to go about answering their
questions.
1. All scientific investigations start with a question—a statement
that requires an answer. The question ends in a question mark
and does not include words like “I” or “because.” For example,
Galileo Galilei was an Italian scholar in the 16th century who
would become known as the father of scientific investigation and
astronomy. He was fascinated by falling objects, and wondered
whether different objects fall at different speeds. One question he
asked was: “Do heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects?”
2. After formulating a question, scientists do background
research on their topic. Research is the search for knowledge
across books, experts, websites, and other reliable sources. While
researching, scientists learn what other experiments have been
done on their topic of interest and what else needs to be known.
3. Based on their research, scientists create a hypothesis about
the question they are asking. A hypothesis, or claim, is a clear
and concise statement that can be proved true or false.
Hypotheses are written as declarative sentences that do not
include personal pronoun words like “my” or “I think.” For
example: “Heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects.”
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 15
©2016 KnowAtomTM
4. Next, a scientist summarizes the experiment that will test
his or her hypothesis by briefly describing the controlled
testing and data needed to prove the hypothesis true or false.
An experiment is a specific procedure that tests if a
hypothesis is true, false, or inconclusive. This summary
determines what materials need to be collected and how the
experiment’s procedure needs to be designed.
It should also include variables and constants. A variable is
something you change. It can be a factor, trait, or condition that
can exist in differing amounts or types. There are independent
and dependent variables. An independent variable is the
variable changed by the scientist. For example, in Galileo’s
inclined plane experiment, the size of the balls was the
independent variable. To ensure a fair trial, a good experiment
has only one independent variable. The scientist changes the
independent variable to observe what happens.
The dependent variable is what happens as a result of the
independent variable. In Galileo’s experiment, the dependent
variable was the acceleration of the balls as they moved down
the ramp. Acceleration is an increase in speed over time. Galileo
wanted to see if changing the mass of the balls (independent
variable) caused their acceleration (dependent variable) to
change.
A constant is a quantity that remains the same in an
experiment. Constants allow scientists to isolate one variable at
a time to ensure the experiment results are valid.
5. Once a scientist has decided on an experiment, he or she
vertically lists the materials with quantities and the step-bystep procedure. Information related to safety is also included.
Carefully documenting this information is important because
scientific results are not valid unless someone can replicate
the exact experiment.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 16
©2016 KnowAtomTM
6. To help other readers
understand the
experiment set-up, a
scientist makes a
scientific diagram of the
experiment-in-progress.
The diagram is the size
of a person’s hand, is
drawn in pen, includes a
title, and labels all of the
materials used.
7. Scientists use
experiments to look for
patterns in data that suggest a cause-and-effect relationship,
where one event or thing is the result of the other. A pattern
is something that happens in a regular and repeated way. In
order to discover a cause-and-effect relationship, scientists
design experiments in a way that show how changes to one
thing cause something else to change in a predictable way. The
results of the experiment are data—the measurements and
observations gathered from an experiment.
Data are typically organized in a table (e.g., a table of height,
time, or volume measurements). Graphs can help scientists
make sense of data and allow data to be communicated
visually among colleagues. Both data tables and graphs must
be titled and labeled.
8. The final step is to use the data to develop a conclusion—a
summary of what a scientist has learned about the hypothesis,
using data from the experiment as evidence. The conclusion is
written out in full sentences and uses the data to argue
whether the original hypothesis was true, false, or
inconclusive. If results are inconclusive, meaning they do not
confirm or deny the hypothesis, the scientist needs to design a
different test. Most scientific experiments lead to theories that
require more testing.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 17
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Gravity
and Mass
Isaac Newton was one of the first scientists to set forth the idea
that gravity is a predictable force that acts on all matter. He also
came up with three laws of motion, which we’ll explore a little
later on. A force is a push or pull that acts on an object, changing
its speed, direction, or shape. Gravity is one of the fundamental
forces that govern the interaction of matter. It is believed to be
caused by the warping of space and time in response to matter.
Picture a bowling ball, representing a planet, sitting on a blanket
that represents space. The warping of the blanket represents the
object’s gravitational field. If you put an object with less mass on
the blanket near the bowling ball, the object will fall into the
depression of the bowling ball. Gravity works in the same way.
All matter has gravity, but the force of attraction depends on the
mass of the two objects. Mass is the measure of the amount of
matter that makes up an object or substance. It is measured in
grams (g). The more massive an object is, the more its gravity
will pull on other objects.
Here on Earth, you always experience the pull of Earth’s gravity
because Earth is so much more massive than anything else on
the planet. Because of this, acceleration due to gravity is nearly
identical everywhere on Earth (9.8 m/s2). The force of gravity
acting on an object is also its weight— a gravitational force
exerted on an object by a planet or moon. It is measured in
newtons (N). Here on Earth, the distinction between mass and
weight is typically ignored by non-scientists because of gravity’s
constant acceleration of 9.8 m/s2.
An object’s mass remains the same, but
its weight changes depending on gravity.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
However, on other planets and the moon,
which have noticeably different gravities,
an object’s weight would change
dramatically. For example, the moon is less
massive than Earth. Because of this, its
gravity is weaker than Earth’s, causing an
object’s weight to drop by 83 percent on the
moon compared to on Earth. The object’s
mass, on the other hand, would remain the
same regardless of where it was.
Unit 1 – Page 18
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Gravitational
Fields
Because gravity is an attractive force, objects don’t need to
come into contact with one another to exert a force on each
other. Instead, objects have gravitational fields, which are the
area around the object where another object will feel the
gravitational force of the first object. For example, Earth’s
gravitational field extends beyond the atmosphere, pulling on
all objects within it.
This gravitational field
causes patterns in
movement. For example,
every time you release a
pen in the air, the pen
will fall back to Earth’s
surface because the pen
is within Earth’s
gravitational field.
As objects move within
another object’s
gravitational field, the
Anything within Earth’s
energy within the field
gravitational field will feel
changes. Energy is the
Earth’s gravitational force.
ability to do work. Work
is any change in position, speed, or state of matter due to
force. In other words, work is the transfer of energy by a
force.
To understand this relationship between motion, energy,
work, and force, it is first important to know about the two
different categories of energy: potential and kinetic.
Potential energy is energy that is stored. Kinetic energy is
the energy of motion. There are different forms of both
potential and kinetic energy. Energy of one kind can
transform (change) into energy of another form in an
energy system. A system is a set of connected, interacting
parts that form a more complex whole.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 19
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Perfect
Systems vs.
Real-World
Scenarios
For example, imagine that you are holding a pen above the
ground. You, the pen, and the ground make up an energy
system. The pen has a kind of potential energy called
gravitational energy, which is the energy stored in an object as
a result of its vertical position or height. The higher you hold the
pen, the more gravitational energy it has. This is a cause-andeffect relationship. The height of the pen causes the amount of
energy stored in the pen to change (the effect).
When you drop the pen, that gravitational potential energy
transforms into a form of kinetic energy called mechanical
energy. Mechanical energy is the energy of a substance or
system due to its motion. The pen keeps falling until it’s acted on
by an outside force, such as the ground. This describes Newton’s
First Law of Motion, which says that an object at rest will remain
at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion unless
acted upon by an outside force (the law of inertia).
In a perfect system, the total amount of energy remains the
same as it transforms from one form to another. In other words,
however much gravitational energy the pen has, that same
amount of energy will transform into mechanical energy as the
pen falls to the ground.
However, in the real world, some of that energy is transferred
out of the system. When energy is transferred, it moves into or
out of an object or system. For example, friction transfers
energy out of a system. Friction is a force that slows motion
whenever two objects rub against each other by turning
mechanical energy into heat. Friction is why your hands feel hot
after you rub them together.
Drag, also called air resistance, is another force that transfers
energy out of a system. Drag is similar to friction, but it occurs
between a solid substance and a fluid such as air. As the pen falls
to the ground, it experiences drag as it moves through the air.
The force of drag causes some of the pen’s energy to transfer out
of the system, resulting in less mechanical energy.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 20
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Energy in
Roller
Coasters
These same concepts can be applied to a roller coaster. Similar
to the pen, the roller coaster is an energy system. The roller
coaster system is made up of Earth, the track, and the roller
coaster cars. Whenever the roller coaster cars change their
motion, energy is transformed from one form to another. As
the cars climb up the hill, kinetic energy is stored as
gravitational potential energy. The higher above ground the
first hill on a roller coaster cars are, the more gravitational
potential energy the cars will have.
As the roller coaster cars move up the hill,
they store gravitational potential energy.
The higher above ground the roller coaster
cars are, the more energy they have stored.
The moment the roller coaster cars begin to move downhill,
their gravitational potential energy transforms into
mechanical kinetic energy. In a perfect system, the same
amount of gravitational energy would transform into
mechanical energy because no energy would be transferred
out of the system.
Gravitational potential energy transforms to
kinetic mechanical energy as gravity pulls the
coaster down the track.
Gravitational potential energy transforms
to mechanical energy as the cars begin
moving down the hill.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 21
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Roller
Coaster
Energy
Systems
However, not all of the gravitational energy transforms into
mechanical energy because the roller coaster is not a perfect
system. Drag and friction cause energy to transfer out of the
roller coaster system. The heat produced by both provides
evidence that energy has transferred out of the roller coaster
system because it makes the air around it warmer.
This transfer of energy out of the system is why the first hill on
a roller coaster is always the tallest. At the top of the first hill,
the roller coaster cars have the most gravitational energy. As
that gravitational energy transforms to mechanical energy as
the cars begin to move down the hill, some of the energy
transfers out of the system because of friction and drag. As a
result, there is less energy within the roller coaster system to
move the cars up the next hill. Eventually, all of the energy will
transfer out of the system. This will cause the roller coaster
cars to slow down and then come to a stop.
Roller Coaster Energy System
Roller coasters are energy systems.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 22
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Bouncy
Ball Energy
System
This idea of energy transformation and energy conservation can
be understood by thinking about two objects that come into
contact with one another. For example, when you drop a bouncy
ball from up in the air to the ground, it forms a system with the
ground. Its stored gravitational energy is transformed into
mechanical energy as it falls to the ground.
When the ball hits the ground, the ground pushes back on the ball.
This is because of the Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which states
that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Action-reaction pairs occur whenever two objects come into
contact. The force of the impact of the ball hitting the ground
causes the ball’s shape to change because it is made of flexible
rubber. As a result, the bouncy ball’s kinetic energy transforms to a
form of potential energy called elastic energy, which is energy
stored in objects when stretched. As the bouncy ball’s shape is
restored, the elastic potential energy transforms back to kinetic
energy and the ball bounces back into the air.
In a perfect system, the ball would bounce back to its original drop
height above the ground. However, in the real world, the ball won’t
bounce as high on the second bounce because some of the energy
has transferred out of the system. As it moves through the air, drag
causes some of the gravitational energy to transfer out of the
bouncy ball system. When the ball hits the floor, friction transfers
some more energy
out of the system.
Finally, at the
moment the ball
hits the ground,
some of the energy
is transferred out of
the ball as it
transforms to sound
energy, which is
energy produced by
sound vibrations
moving through a
substance in waves.
A bouncy ball and the ground make up an energy system.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 23
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Billiard
Energy
System
The game of billiards is another way to understand energy
transfer and energy conservation. You can think about the
game of billiards as a system consisting of the balls and the
table. The outside force of a person hitting the cue ball causes
energy to transfer from the cue stick to the cue ball and then
to the other balls. In a perfect system, the same amount of
energy put into the cue ball is going to be conserved and
transferred to the other balls because of the conservation of
energy. In the real world, some energy transfers out of the
system because of friction caused by the white cue ball
moving across the table, and drag as it moves through the air.
Whenever two objects come into contact with each other,
both objects exert a force on each other. For example, when
the cue ball hits another ball, the force of the collision
transfers some of the mechanical energy into the second ball.
This diagram illustrates the transfer of
energy when the cue ball does not hit the
other ball exactly in the middle.
This transfer of energy changes
the motion of the billiard balls.
This is why the solid and striped
balls begin to move after a
break—the white cue ball has
transferred mechanical energy
that causes the other balls to
move. If the cue ball is hit with a
smaller force, it will have less
energy to transfer to the other
balls. If it is hit with a greater
force, it will have more energy
to transfer to the other balls.
The motion of the white cue ball
after it hits another ball depends
on how exactly it hits the other ball. For example, the cue ball
will stop moving if it travels in a straight line and hits the
other ball exactly in the middle of the other ball. This is
because of energy conservation: all of the energy from the
white cue ball is transferred to the other ball.
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Relationship
Between
Mass and
Force
However, you’ll often notice in a game of billiards that the
cue ball keeps moving after hitting another ball. This is
because the cue ball did not hit the other ball exactly in its
middle. As a result, not all of the cue ball’s energy is
transferred to the other ball, so the cue ball keeps moving
before friction eventually causes it to stop.
Another factor that influences the energy of a moving object
is its mass. You might notice that all of the balls on a pool
table are the same mass. This is because the kinetic energy of
a moving object is influenced by its mass.
Kinetic energy is proportional to mass. Proportion refers to
the relationship between things, as to size, quantity, or
number. The kinetic energy doubles as the mass of the object
doubles, while the kinetic energy halves as the mass of the
object halves. In other words, a more massive object moving
at a certain speed has more mechanical energy than a less
massive object moving at the same speed. Speed is the rate at
which an object covers distance
in a period of time.
As a result, a more massive object
will apply a greater force in a
collision, transferring more
mechanical energy. The
relationship between force and
mass is described by Newton’s
Second Law: force equals mass
times acceleration. An object with
greater mass needs more force to
accelerate than an object with
less mass. However, the total
amount of energy of the system,
which is made up of the two
interacting objects, will remain
the same because energy is
A more massive object will apply a greater force in a
never created or destroyed.
collision, transferring more mechanical energy. This
diagram is from above looking down at the balls.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 25
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Lesson 1: Energy Transformation
Objective: Students set up their laboratory notebooks and carry out
an experiment to explore the relationship between the gravitational
potential energy of a bouncy ball and its resulting bounce height
(kinetic energy).
Materials:
B
A
Consumable
A. Goggles – 1 per student
B. Laboratory notebooks
– 1 per student
Non-Consumable
C. Bouncy balls – 1 per team– (not shown)
D. Scientific Process Visual – (not shown)
E. Who is a Scientist Poster – (not shown)
F. Gravity Visual – (not shown)
G. Energy and Roller Coasters Visual – (not shown)
H. Energy Systems Visual – (not shown)
I. Energy Transformation Visual– (not shown)
J. STEM Cycle Visual– (not shown)
Teacher Tool Kit:
K. Measuring tape – 1 per team
L. Masking tape – shared
C
K
L
Teacher Preparation:
• Download the visuals from the KnowAtom Interactive website.
• Locate a place in the classroom to hang the “Who is a Scientist
Poster.”
• To save time, prepare photocopies of the Blank Data Table and
Graph for each student using the copy masters on page 53.
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• Arrange separate pick-up stations for students to collect
materials for use at their desks. For example:
o Pick-Up Station 1: measuring tape, masking tape, and
bouncy balls
o Pick-Up Station 2: laboratory notebooks and goggles
Student Reading Preparation:
• Students read Sections 1 and 2 of the student lab manual. In
6th grade, students are expected to come to class having
already read the lab manual so they can actively participate in
the Socratic dialogue before the lab portion of the lesson. At
the beginning of the school year (September-October), the lab
manual can be read in class.
• If class time is used to read the lab manual together, model
how to read closely for understanding. For example:
o Emphasize connections between examples in the reading
and broader concepts. For example, ask why a certain
example was used to support the reading’s main point.
o Use “why” and “how” questions to connect ideas in the
reading to student experiences.
Socratic Dialogue:
• The Socratic dialogue serves as the bridge between the
nonfiction reading and the lab portion of the lesson.
• The example Socratic dialogue below describes one possible
progression of ideas to engage students in higher order
thinking. Blocks are used to divide the dialogue according to
key organizing concepts. They are not meant to indicate how
much time a dialogue should take; length of time may vary
depending on the subject matter and student understanding of
the concepts. Note that in a Socratic dialogue, the teacher is not
the only one asking questions and challenging ideas. Students
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©2016 KnowAtomTM
should be actively engaged in proposing questions, challenging
assumptions, and using evidence to support their arguments.
Not sure how to set up a Socratic dialogue? Check out
www.knowatom.com/socratic for an in-depth look at how to
hold a next generation Socratic dialogue in the classroom.
Block 1-1: Introduction to Science
1. Display STEM Cycle Visual.
Use Socratic dialogue to preassess student
understanding of science,
which is all knowledge
gained from experiments.
Big Idea 1: Begin a
dialogue with students
about how science is the search for explanations about the
natural world, and scientists use evidence to form conclusions
that support those explanations. For example:
o Ask one student what makes science different from other
subjects, such as history. (Science is the search for
explanations about the natural world, so scientists ask
questions about the causes of different phenomena they
observe or learn about in the world around them. Unlike
other subjects, scientists conduct experiments to gather
data that will answer their questions.)
o Connect questioning with experiments, asking another
student to explain why evidence is important in science,
and how scientists gather evidence. (Experiments play a
critical role in the search for knowledge because
experiments are procedures designed to test whether a
hypothesis is true, false, or inconclusive. Experiments are
how scientists answer questions about the world around
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them, providing data that can support or disprove a
hypothesis.)
o Ask the first student to use any personal experiences with
gathering evidence. For example, some students may have
experience with experiments, while others are new to it.
Some students may have had a question about something
they observed, which they investigated to find an answer.
Anytime someone asks a question and uses data gathered
in an investigation to answer that question, they are being
scientists.
Big Idea 2: Compare science with engineering. Both are part of
the STEM cycle, which stands for science, technology,
engineering, and math. They are connected and interact with
one another, but they are also different. For example:
o Ask a student to compare science and engineering,
providing concrete details for how they are different.
(Engineers apply scientific knowledge to create new
technologies that solve problems. Math is a tool that both
scientists and engineers use to capture results and
communicate those results to others.)
2. Display Scientific Process Visual.
Continue the dialogue with students
about how scientists follow a
scientific process that provides a
systematic, logical framework for
investigating the answers to their
questions.
Big Idea 3: Assess student
understanding of the importance
of using a process in science and
engineering. A process is any
series of steps designed to meet
a goal. For example:
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o Ask one student what would happen if scientists tried to
conduct an experiment without first asking a question. (The
scientific process provides scientists with a logical
framework to work from a question to a data-based
conclusion. Without a question, scientists wouldn’t know
how to set up the experiment because they wouldn’t be able
to form a hypothesis.)
o Ask another student why data are important in an
experiment. (Data are the measurements and observations
gathered from an experiment. Data will be used as evidence
in the conclusion to determine whether a hypothesis is true,
false, or inconclusive. Quantitative results are evidence that
reveal information about the hypothesis. This evidence is
necessary to support a claim in a conclusion, which is more
reliable than forming a conclusion based on opinion or
subjective observation.)
Big Idea 4: Continue the dialogue about the role of data in
experiments. Coach students toward thinking about how data
can reveal patterns that suggest relationships between
variables in the experiment, including a cause-and-effect
relationship. For example:
o Ask one student to describe a cause-and-effect relationship,
using his or her own experiences as support in the answer.
(A cause-and-effect relationship occurs when one event or
thing is the result of the other. There are numerous
examples of this in everyday life. For example, if you’re
riding a bike and you apply the brakes, the bike will stop.
The brakes cause the bike to stop (the effect).)
o Ask another student how patterns in the data can indicate
a cause-and-effect relationship. (A pattern is something
that happens in a regular and repeated way. A pattern in
the data can indicate that the independent variable caused
the dependent variable.)
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Laboratory Notebook Set-Up:
NOTE: This lesson is the only lesson in which students should be
directed step by step because they are setting up their lab notebooks.
In all future labs, student teams should use the scientific process to
guide them from a question to a data-based conclusion in their lab
notebooks.
1. Each student collects 1 laboratory notebook. Students write their
name, class, grade, and subject on the cover and on the first page of
their notebooks. Students should also number each right-hand page
up to 10. Page numbers are written in the top right corner, and
writing is only done on right-hand pages.
2. Students title page 2: “The Scientific Process.” Use the Scientific
Process Visual to discuss how scientists use a process to help them
answer their questions, while students list each step with brief
descriptions in their lab notebooks:
• question – a statement that requires an answer; ends in a
question mark; does not include words such as “I” or “because”
• research – the search for existing knowledge using books,
experts, websites, and/or personal observations; includes a
minimum of three facts relevant to the question
• hypothesis – a clear and concise statement that answers the
question; can be proved true or false
• experiment summary – one or two sentences describing an
experiment that tests if the hypothesis is true or false; lists the
independent and dependent variables, constants, and controls
o The independent variable is the variable changed by the
scientist.
o The dependent variable is what happens as a result of the
independent variable
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• list materials and procedure – a vertical list of all materials
with quantities needed for the experiment; a vertical list of the
numbered steps of the procedure; includes safety precautions
• scientific diagram – a diagram of the experiment set-up that is
at least the size of your hand and titled; labels all materials on
the materials list
• data – the measurements and observations gathered from the
experiment; evidence that proves if the hypothesis is true or
false; titled; taped into lab notebooks; uses proper units
• conclusion – a summary of what a scientist learned about the
hypothesis using data from the experiment as evidence; uses
the data collected in the experiment to explain why the
hypothesis is true, false, or inconclusive; must contain a
minimum of three elements:
o Restate the hypothesis.
o Make a claim (true, false, or inconclusive).
o Use key points of data as evidence to support and explain
the claim.
3. Students title page 3: “The Engineering Design Process.” Students
will record the steps of the engineering design process on this page
later in the year.
4. Students title page 4: “Table of Contents.” When students fill this
in, each entry will include the lab number, title, date, and first page
number (example shown below). Leave pages 5-9 blank for the
Table of Contents.
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5. For each new lab entry, students write (under the page number)
the title of the experiment, date, and partner's name (if applicable).
Explain that the lab title, date, and page number of each lab are also
entered in the table of contents chronologically. Remind students
that lab notebooks should be neat, written in pen, and that all errors
must be crossed out, never erased or scribbled. See pages 50-52 for
a sample lab notebook entry.
Socratic Dialogue:
Block 1-2: Introduction to Forces
1. Display Gravity Visual. Continue the
conversation from the previous block,
beginning a dialogue with students about
how gravity is an attractive force that
acts on all matter (anything that has
mass and takes up space).
Big Idea 5: Coach students toward
the idea that gravity is an attractive
force because it pulls objects
together, rather than pushing them
away, which is what opposing
forces do. For example:
o Ask one student what evidence there is that Earth’s
gravitational force is pulling on everything on Earth’s
surface. (Any object within Earth’s gravitational field (the
area around an object where another object will feel the
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gravitational force of the first object) will be pulled toward
Earth’s center. This is why objects that are thrown up in the
air fall back to the ground.)
o Ask another student how the force of gravity changes the
direction of a ball that is thrown up in the air. (Gravity
changes the upward motion of the ball by pulling it back
toward Earth’s surface. This is an example of cause and
effect. The force of gravity causes the ball to fall back to the
ground (the effect).)
o Contradict student’s evidence to probe more deeply. For
example, ask the same student why, given that gravity is an
attractive force and all matter has gravity, other objects
don’t attract us with their gravity. (Here on Earth, we
always experience the pull of Earth’s gravity because Earth
is so much more massive than any other object on its
surface.)
o Ask the first student whether or not they agree with what
the second student said, using their own observations
and/or examples from the reading to support their
analysis. Give the second student a chance to respond, so
that both are evaluating each other’s answers as they
explore the concept of Earth’s gravitational pull.
Block 1-3: Introduction to Energy
1. Display Energy and Roller Coasters Visual. Have a dialogue with
students about how energy is the ability to do work. Work is any
change in position, speed, or state of matter due to force.
Big Idea 6: Once students have described the attractive force
of Earth’s gravity, coach students toward the idea that as
objects move within another object’s gravitational field, the
energy within the field changes. For example:
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o Ask one student to compare
kinetic energy and potential
energy. (Kinetic and potential
energy are the two categories of
energy. Kinetic energy is
energy in motion. Potential
energy is energy that is stored.
Energy of one kind can
transform (change) into energy
of another kind.)
o Ask another student how a roller
coaster causes energy to change
from potential to kinetic and
back again. (The roller coaster is a system made up of
Earth, the track, and the roller coaster cars. A system is a
set of connected, interacting parts that form a more
complex whole, and energy of one kind can transform into
energy of another form in an energy system. Energy
changes from gravitational energy to mechanical energy
and back to gravitational energy depending on where the
roller coaster cars are on the track.)
o Ask the first student how the height of the roller coaster
cars is related to their energy. (The higher the roller
coaster cars are, the more energy they have because as they
move up the hill, they gain more energy.)
o Challenge student understanding by asking the same
student to explain how riders at the top of a hill on a roller
coaster can have energy even though they aren’t moving.
(At the top of the hill, roller coaster cars and the riders in
them have gravitational energy, which is a kind of potential
energy. They aren’t in motion, but they have stored energy,
so they have the ability to do work.)
o Ask another student where the potential energy at the top
of the hill comes from. (That energy is a form of potential
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energy called gravitational energy, which is the energy
stored in an object as a result of its vertical position or
height. The higher an object is above ground, the more
gravitational energy it has. As the roller coaster cars move
up the first hill, they store increasing amounts of
gravitational energy.)
o Ask the first student what happens to the gravitational
energy once the roller coaster cars start to move down the
hill. (The moment the roller coaster cars begin to move
downhill, their gravitational potential energy transforms
into mechanical energy, which is the energy of a
substance or system due to its motion.)
2. Display Energy Systems Visual.
Continue the dialogue with
students about roller coaster
energy systems, focusing on why
roller coaster systems are not
perfect systems.
Big Idea 7: Assess student
understanding of the
difference between perfect
energy systems and real-world energy systems, in which
energy is transferred out of the system. For example:
o Ask one student how energy changes as it transforms from
one form to another in a perfect system. (In a perfect
system, the total amount of energy remains the same as it
transforms from one form to another.)
o Ask another student why a roller coaster isn’t a perfect
system. (As the roller coaster cars move over the tracks,
some of the energy is transferred out of the system, so not
all of the energy is conserved.)
o Assess student understanding of the difference between
energy transformation and energy transfer, asking the first
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student to explain the difference. (When energy transforms,
it changes from one form to another. For example,
gravitational energy transforms to mechanical energy.
When energy transfers, it moves into or out of an object or
system.)
o A common misconception is that energy can be
transformed into a force. In reality, forces transfer energy,
but one form of energy can only change into another form
of energy, never into a force. Challenge this misconception
by asking another student how force causes energy to
transfer out of the roller coaster system. (Friction and drag
are two forces that transfer energy out of systems. For
example, friction is a force that slows motion whenever two
objects rub against each other by turning mechanical
energy into heat. That heat is energy that has transferred
out of the system. Drag, also called air resistance, is
another force that transfers energy out of a system. Drag is
similar to friction, but it occurs between a solid substance
and a fluid such as air.)
Big Idea 8: Use the visual to assess student understanding of
how energy transforms and is transferred in the roller coaster
energy system. For example:
o Ask one student where the potential energy at the top of
the second hill comes from. (That potential energy can be
traced back through the roller coaster energy system.
When the roller coaster cars reached the top of the first hill,
they had the most gravitational potential energy. That
energy transformed to mechanical energy as the roller
coaster cars moved down the hill, and then transformed
back to gravitational energy as the roller coaster cars
moved up the second hill.)
o Ask another student why the first hill in a roller coaster is
the tallest. (At the top of the first hill, the roller coaster cars
have the most gravitational energy. As that gravitational
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energy transforms to mechanical energy as the cars begin
to move down the hill, some of the energy transfers out of
the system because of friction and drag. As a result, there is
less energy within the roller coaster system to move the
cars up the next hill.)
o Ask the first student what would happen if the tallest hill of
a roller coaster came at the end of the ride instead of the
beginning. (The roller coaster wouldn’t have enough
energy to climb up the hill.)
o Ask another student why the roller coaster cars eventually
slow down and stop. (By the end of the ride, all of the
energy has transferred out of the system. This causes the
roller coaster to slow down and eventually stop.)
o Ask the first student what evidence would support the
argument that some energy transferred out of the system.
(Heat and sound would provide evidence that some energy
transferred out of the roller coaster energy system.)
3. Display Energy
Transformation Visual. Assess
student understanding of
energy transfer and energy
conservation by applying these
concepts to a bouncy ball
hitting the ground.
Big Idea 9: Coach
students toward the idea
that the same concepts of
energy transformation and energy transfer within an energy
system can be applied to a bouncy ball hitting the ground. For
example:
o Ask one student what parts make up the bouncy ball system
in the visual. (The bouncy ball, the ground, and the air
make up interacting parts of the bouncy ball system.)
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o Ask another student where the bouncy ball system’s energy
comes from. (The energy comes from the height of the
bouncy ball above the ground. It has gravitational
potential energy from this height.)
o Ask the first student how that gravitational potential
energy changes when the ball is released. (The ball’s stored
gravitational energy transforms into mechanical energy as
it falls to the ground.)
o Ask another student why the ground pushes back on the
ball when the ball hits the ground. (The ground pushes
back because for every action, there is an equal and
opposite reaction, according to the action-reaction law.
Action-reaction pairs occur whenever two objects come
into contact.)
o Ask the first student how the force of the ball hitting the
ground and the ground pushing back causes the ball’s
energy to change. (Once the ball hits the ground, the
mechanical energy transforms again to a form of potential
energy called elastic energy, which is energy stored in
objects when stretched. When the ball bounces back up,
some of that potential energy transforms back into
mechanical energy.)
o Ask another student why the bouncy ball doesn’t bounce as
high on the second bounce. (In a perfect system, the ball
would bounce back to its original drop height above the
ground. However, in the real world, the ball won’t bounce
as high on the second bounce because some of the energy
has transferred out of the system.)
o Ask the first student what causes energy to transfer out of
the bouncy ball system. (As the ball moves through the air,
drag causes some of the gravitational energy to transfer
out of the bouncy ball system. When the ball hits the floor,
friction transfers some more energy out of the system.
Finally, at the moment the ball hits the ground, some of the
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energy is transferred out of the ball as it transforms to
sound energy, which is energy produced by sound
vibrations moving through a substance in waves.)
o One at a time, give multiple students a chance to respond to
this question, evaluating each other’s answers as they
explore the concept of energy transfer and transformation
within an energy system. Redirect if student misconceptions
arise by asking students to analyze specific parts of the
misconception.
Experiment: Lab 1 – Bounce Height
SAFETY: Students should wear goggles during this activity.
1. Divide students into teams of two. Use Socratic dialogue and some
materials for the lesson (bouncy balls and measuring tapes) to guide
students toward asking a question about the relationship between a
ball’s height above the ground (gravitational potential energy) and
its resulting rebound motion (kinetic energy). For example: “How
does the drop height (gravitational potential energy) of a bouncy
ball above the ground affect its bounce height (kinetic energy)?”
Question
As a class, discuss the possible questions for the experiment and
decide which question to explore for the lab. For example: “How
does the drop height (gravitational potential energy) of a bouncy
ball above the ground affect its bounce height (kinetic energy)?”
Once the experiment question is established for the lab, students
should record it in their lab notebooks. Students create a title for the
new lab entry that is relevant to the question. In this example, a
relevant lab title would be “Bounce Height.”
NOTE: Use the Who is a Scientist poster and the Scientific Process
Visual to help students work through the scientific process.
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Research
For research, students list up to three facts relevant to the
experiment question, using information from the student lab manual
and/or discussion. For example:
• Potential energy is energy that is stored. Gravitational potential
energy is the energy stored in an object as a result of its vertical
position or height.
• Kinetic energy is energy of motion.
• The bouncy ball has gravitational potential energy when it is
elevated above the ground. This energy transforms into kinetic
energy when the bouncy ball is released and falls to the ground.
When the bouncy ball hits the ground, the impact causes its shape
to change because it is made of flexible rubber; as a result, the
bouncy ball’s kinetic energy transforms to elastic potential energy.
As the bouncy ball’s shape is restored, the elastic potential energy
transforms back to kinetic energy, and the ball bounces back into
the air.
Hypothesis
Students form their own hypothesis and record it in their lab
notebooks. For example:
• “Increasing the drop height (gravitational potential energy) of
a bouncy ball increases its bounce height (kinetic energy).”
• “Increasing the drop height (gravitational potential energy) of
a bouncy ball decreases its bounce height (kinetic energy).”
• “Increasing the drop height (gravitational potential energy) of
a bouncy ball has no effect on its bounce height (kinetic
energy).”
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Checkpoint #1: After Question, Research, and Hypothesis
As teams are ready, they should check in with the teacher to
review their question, research, and hypothesis. Do the lab
notebooks of both team members match and meet expectations?
Can both students within the team explain their reasoning? If
not, ask for areas of clarification or correction before they
advance further. Not all teams will arrive at the lab check-points
at the same time, so teams independently receive the go-ahead
to move on in their lab after they have made the necessary
modifications. At this point in the year, student lab notebook
entries within the class will most likely have the same question,
but variations from team to team in the remaining steps of the
process are expected and encouraged.
Summarize Experiment
Stand by the materials stations and explain how the materials
function (measuring tape) and the general amounts each team can
use. Facilitate a discussion that will help students arrive at a testable
experiment. Students summarize the experiment in their lab
notebooks. Summaries should note the independent and dependent
variables, constants, and a control (when applicable) in the
experiment. For example: “Our experiment will measure the bounce
height of a bouncy ball for five separate trails when dropped from
three different heights above the ground. The constant in the
experiment is the ball type. The independent variable in the
experiment is the bouncy ball drop height and the dependent
variable is the bounce height. There is no control in this
experiment.”
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 42
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Checkpoint #2: After Experiment Summary
As teams are ready, they should check in with the teacher to
review the experiment summary of their lab. Do the lab
notebooks of each team member match and meet expectations?
Can students explain their reasoning? The summary should not
include a detailed procedure or materials quantities.
 Students describe what data will be collected to serve as
evidence to address the lab question. The summary should
include the basics of the data to be collected, the number of
trials students will conduct, the independent and
dependent variables, and the parts of the experiment they
will keep constant in each test or trial.
List Materials and Procedures
Students list materials and all relevant safety precautions in their
lab notebooks.
Safety:
• 1 bouncy ball
• goggles
• 1 measuring tape
• masking tape (shared)
Teams develop a standardized list of steps for their procedure. The
procedure may vary from team to team depending on approach.
Student procedures should include a level of detail comparable to
this example procedure:
Step 1: Mark three different drop heights (100 cm, 150 cm, and
200 cm) on a wall with masking tape.
Step 2: Hold the bouncy ball 100 centimeters above the ground.
Drop the ball and measure the height of the first bounce with the
measuring tape.
Step 3: Repeat Step 2 for four more trials.
Step 4: Repeat Steps 2-3 for two more tests, first dropping the
bouncy ball from 150 centimeters above the ground, and then
200 centimeters above the ground.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 43
©2016 KnowAtomTM
NOTE: Teams will need to determine the role of each team
member when dropping and recording bounce height
measurements. The masking tape can be used to mark the drop
height distances above the ground. It can also be used to mark
centimeter increments as a reference for determining bounce
height. Teams may wish to practice measuring the bouncy ball
bounce heights for several trials before collecting data.
Checkpoint #3: After Materials and Procedure
As teams are ready, they should check in with the teacher to
review the material and procedure steps of their lab. Are the
materials and procedure in vertical lists and quantities included
with all materials? Can you follow each team’s procedure? Are
the materials and quantities under “materials” all required by
the procedure? Is it clear, concise, and specific? If not, clarify
expectations. Students make corrections or any modifications
and return to the checkpoint for the go-ahead.
Scientific Diagram
Students draw a titled scientific diagram of their experiment
system-in-progress. All materials should be labeled. For example:
Bounce Height Experiment Diagram
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 44
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Checkpoint #4: After Scientific Diagram
As teams are ready, they should check in with the teacher to
review their lab scientific diagram. Are the diagrams complete?
Diagrams should be titled and materials labeled. If complete,
students pick up blank data tables and graphs to tape inside
their lab notebooks and then proceed to collect the materials
needed to conduct their experiment after meeting at this
checkpoint.
Data
Teams collect the materials from the pick-up stations to carry out
their experiment. Students record data in their data tables as the
experiment progresses. Students then create a line graph to
compare the average bounce height of the bouncy ball (dependent
variable on the y-axis) at different drop heights (independent
variable on the x-axis). Due to the imprecision of measuring bouncy
ball bounce height, students can round the data to the nearest whole
number (optional). Photocopy and distribute blank data tables and
graphs to save time (optional).
Table 1: Testing Bouncy Ball Bounce Height vs. Drop Height
Bouncy Ball Bounce Height
Drop
Height
Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial
Average
(cm)
1
2
3
4
5
Test 1:
58
50
53
58
58
55
______100_____ cm
Test 2:
88
93
83
88
91
89
______150_____ cm
Test 3:
119 117 116 110 115
115
______200_____ cm
NOTE: Example data table represents one possible outcome.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 45
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Bounce Height (cm)
Graph 1: Average Bounce Height vs. Drop Height
120
115
110
105
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
50
100
150
200
250
Drop Height (cm)
Conclusion
Each student writes a conclusion that summarizes his or her
findings and tells how the data did or did not support the
hypothesis. For example: “Our hypothesis that increasing the drop
height (gravitational potential energy) of a ball increases its bounce
height (kinetic energy) is true. Our data show that as the drop height
increased, the bounce height of the ball also increased. The average
bounce height of the ball dropped from 200 centimeters above the
ground was between 26 and 60 centimeters greater than when the
ball was dropped from 100 and 150 centimeters above the ground.
We can conclude that the kinetic energy (bounce height) of the ball
increases when the drop height increases because more
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 46
©2016 KnowAtomTM
gravitational potential energy transforms to mechanical kinetic
energy.”
Final Checkpoint: After Data and Conclusion
As teams are ready, they should check in with the teacher to
review the data and conclusion steps of their lab. One team
member reads the team’s conclusion aloud to you while you
review the other team member’s lab notebook. Do they restate
the hypothesis? Have they made a true/false/inconclusive claim?
Look for key data points that students used to form their
conclusion. Is it clear? Is it persuasive? Do the data support the
claim? If the results are contrary to their research, what might be
responsible? How could they test for that in the future?
Wrap-Up:
1. Have a dialogue with students to share team results from the
experiment. For example:
• Ask students from one team to present their data. Ask the class
whether the data were consistent with all teams in the class. If
not, ask students from the first team what may have caused
some teams to have different data. [Answers will vary. Ask
students to compare their results and analyze possibilities for
any differences.]
• Ask students from another team whether they experienced any
challenges in conducting this experiment, and if so, what they
were. [Answers will vary. Challenges are a part of conducting
experiments, and discussing them can help students think
through their process, comparing their method with other
student teams. For example, a common challenge for this
experiment is measuring the bounce height. It helps for teams to
practice a couple of times to work out the timing.]
• Ask students from the first team to describe any patterns they
noticed in the data about the relationship between the drop
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 47
©2016 KnowAtomTM
height and the bounce height, and what causes this
relationship. [The higher the drop height was, the higher the
bounce height. This is because the ball has more gravitational
energy when it is dropped from a greater height. That
gravitational energy transforms to mechanical energy, which is
reflected in bounce height.]
• Ask students from another team why the bounce height was
always less than the initial drop height. [Some of the energy
transferred out of the system as the ball moved through the air
because of air resistance. In addition, some of the energy
transferred out of the ball and transformed to sound energy
when the ball hit the ground.]
2. Continue the dialogue with students about the experiment,
focusing on how the experiment provided evidence for how energy
is transferred when the kinetic energy of an object changes. For
example:
• Ask one student how energy changed throughout the
experiment. [At the beginning, the ball had gravitational energy
due to its height. When the ball was dropped, that energy
transformed to mechanical energy as the ball fell to the ground.
As the ball hit the ground and then bounced back up, that
mechanical energy was transformed back into gravitational
energy.]
• Ask another student how they knew the kinetic energy of the
ball changed. [The kinetic (mechanical) energy of the ball
changed because its motion changed. It changed direction and
speed.]
• Ask the first student how they knew that energy transferred
out of the system. [The fact that the bounce height was always
less than the drop height is evidence that some energy
transferred out of the system because there was less energy to
move the ball upward. We know that energy cannot be lost, so it
had to go somewhere.]
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 48
©2016 KnowAtomTM
• Ask another student why the dropped ball was an example of
an energy system. [It was an energy system made up of
connected, interacting parts—the ball, the air, and the ground.
Energy transformed from gravitational potential energy to
mechanical kinetic energy to elastic potential energy to
mechanical kinetic energy to gravitational potential energy. As
the ball moved, some of the energy transferred out of the system,
due to drag and friction.]
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 49
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Lesson 1 – Example Laboratory Notebook
This complete lab notebook entry is intended to be used as an exemplar only.
It is not intended for student use.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 50
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Lesson 1 – Example Laboratory Notebook (continued)
This complete lab notebook entry is intended to be used as an exemplar only.
It is not intended for student use.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 51
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Lesson 1 – Example Laboratory Notebook (continued)
This complete lab notebook entry is intended to be used as an exemplar only.
It is not intended for student use.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 52
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Lesson 1 – Blank Data Table and Graph
Table 1: Testing Bouncy Ball Bounce Height vs. Drop Height
Bouncy Ball Bounce Height
Drop Height
Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial
Average
(cm)
1
2
3
4
5
Test 1:
___________________
Test 2:
___________________
Test 3:
____________________
Bounce Height (cm)
Graph 1: Average Bounce Height vs. Drop Height
120
115
110
105
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
50
100
150
200
250
Drop Height (cm)
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 53
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Lesson 2: Mass and Energy Transfer
Objective: Students use the scientific process to investigate how the
kinetic energy a marble transfers to a plastic cup at the base of an
inclined plane is affected by its mass.
Materials:
Consumable
A. Goggles – 1 per student
B. Laboratory notebooks
– 1 per student
C. Pipe insulation
– 1 section per team
D. Plastic cups
– 2 per team
A
Non-Consumable
E. Digital scales
– 1 per team
F. Small marbles – 1 per team
G. Medium marbles – 1 per team
H. Large marbles – 1 per team
I. Energy Transfer in Billiards Visual
– (not shown)
J. Mass and Energy Transfer Visual
– (not shown)
Teacher Tool Kit:
K. Measuring tape – 1 per team
L. Masking tape – shared
K
M. Scissors – 1 per team
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
B
C
E
D
F
Unit 1 – Page 54
G
L
H
M
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Teacher Preparation:
• Download the visuals from the KnowAtom Interactive website.
• To save time, prepare photocopies of the Blank Data Table and
Blank Graph for each student using the copy master on page
72.
• Arrange pick-up stations for teams to collect materials to use at
their desks. For example:
o Pick-Up Station 1: laboratory notebooks and goggles
o Pick-up Station 2: pipe insulation and plastic cups
o Pick-Up Station 3: marbles and digital scales
o Pick-Up Station 4: measuring tapes, scissors, and masking
tape
NOTE: To operate the digital scale, first remove
the black cover and place the scale on a smooth,
level surface. Press the ON button. Use the mode
button to select the units you wish to use for
your experiment (grams [g]).
Press the Tare button to calibrate the scale
before using (it will reset to 0). To automatically
exclude the mass of the container holding a
liquid or solid, press the Tare button with the
empty container on the scale. Any readings on
the scale after will only measure the mass of the
solid or liquid added to the container. Keep the
scale clear of debris and do not exceed 1,000 g.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 55
scale with cover
scale without
cover (in use)
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Student Reading Preparation:
• Students read Section 3 of the student lab manual. In 6th grade,
students are expected to come to class having already read the
lab manual so they can actively participate in the Socratic
dialogue before the lab portion of the lesson. At the beginning
of the school year (September-October), the lab manual can be
read in class.
• If class time is used to read the lab manual together, model
how to read closely for understanding. For example:
o Emphasize connections between examples in the reading
and broader concepts. For example, ask why a certain
example was used to support the reading’s main point.
o Use “why” and “how” questions to connect ideas in the
reading to student experiences.
Socratic Dialogue:
Block 2-1: Relationship Between Energy and Forces
1. Display Energy Transfer in
Billiards Visual. Continue the
dialogue with students about
energy transfer and energy
conservation, focusing on how
energy is transferred whenever
two objects come into contact
with one another.
Big Idea 10: Coach
students toward the idea that whenever two objects come into
contact with one another, they exert a force on each other that
transfers energy. For example:
o Ask one student what causes the balls in a game of billiards
to begin to move. (The balls begin to move when energy is
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 56
©2016 KnowAtomTM
transferred from a person hitting the cue ball. The force of
this contact causes energy to transfer from the cue stick to
the cue ball and then to the other balls.)
o Ask another student how the amount of force applied by
the cue stick relates to how much energy is transferred. (If
the white cue ball is hit with a smaller force, it will have less
energy to transfer to the other balls. If it is hit with a
greater force, it will have more energy to transfer to the
other balls.)
o Ask the first student why the other balls start to move when
the cue ball hits them. (The force transferred by the white
cue ball changes the objects’ motion. This is why the solid
and striped balls begin to move. The white cue ball exerts a
force on another ball that transfers some of the cue ball’s
mechanical energy to the other ball, causing the other ball
to move.)
o Ask another student how the cue ball moves if it travels in a
straight line and hits another ball exactly in the middle.
(The cue ball will stop moving because of energy
conservation: all of the energy from the white cue ball is
transferred to the other ball.)
o Ask the first student what might cause the cue ball to keep
moving after it hits another ball. (If the cue ball did not hit
the other ball exactly in its middle, not all of the cue ball’s
energy will be transferred to the other ball, so the cue ball
will keep moving before friction eventually causes it to
stop.)
Big Idea 11: Assess student understanding of the conservation
of energy, focusing on why the billiard balls move with less
energy than the initial amount of energy transferred to them.
For example:
o Ask one student how the amount of force applied to the cue
stick is related to the amount of energy that moves the balls
on the table in a perfect system. (In a perfect system, the
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 57
©2016 KnowAtomTM
same amount of energy put into the cue ball is going to be
conserved and transferred to the other balls because of the
conservation of energy.)
o Ask another student why a game of billiards isn’t an
example of a perfect system. (In a real-world game of pool,
some energy transfers out of the system because of friction
caused by the white cue ball moving across the table, and
drag as it moves through the air.)
o Ask the first student why sound is produced when a cue ball
hits another ball. (Sound is another form of energy. When
the cue ball hits another ball, the force of the collision
transfers some of the mechanical energy into the second
object, and into other forms of energy, such as sound. This is
why collisions often make loud noises.)
2. Display Mass and Energy
Transfer Visual. Have a dialogue
with students about how another
factor that influences movement
is mass.
Big Idea 12: Coach
students toward the idea
that more massive objects
have more kinetic energy
when moving at a certain
speed than less massive
objects moving at the same
speed, and therefore
transfer more energy
during a collision. For
example:
o Ask one student why a more massive ball transfers more
energy in a collision than a less massive ball when both
balls are moving at the same speed (the rate at which an
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 58
©2016 KnowAtomTM
object covers distance in a period of time). (A more massive
ball in motion has more kinetic energy than a less massive
ball moving at the same speed. This is why it transfers more
energy in a collision than a less massive ball.)
o Ask another student to predict how the movement of the
second ball would change after it collides with a more
massive ball compared to a less massive ball. (Because a
more massive ball in motion has more kinetic energy than a
less massive ball moving at the same speed, we can expect
the second ball to move a greater distance after it collides
with a more massive ball compared to a less massive ball.)
o Ask the first student whether or not they agree with what
the second student said, using their own observations
and/or examples from the reading to support their
analysis. Give the second student a chance to respond, so
that both are evaluating each other’s answers as they
explore the relationship between an object’s mass and the
amount of energy it transfers during a collision.
Experiment: Lab 2 – Marble Mass
SAFETY: Students should wear goggles during this activity.
1. Divide students into teams of two. To help students visualize the
inclined plane model for the lab, use the materials to show a basic
inclined plane set-up. Prop one end of the pipe insulation up on a
plastic cup to create an inclined plane. Position a second plastic cup
upside down against the lowest end of the pipe insulation (students
will need to cut an opening in the cup for the marble to roll into).
Use Socratic dialogue, the inclined plane model, and the marbles to
guide students toward asking a question about the effect of a
marble’s mass on the amount of kinetic energy a marble can transfer
to the plastic cup at the base of the inclined plane when it rolls into
it. For example: “If a marble rolls down an inclined plane and into a
cup, how does the mass of the marble affect how far the cup moves?”
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 59
©2016 KnowAtomTM
example inclined plane system with “target” cup diagram on far right
Question
As a class, discuss the possible questions for the experiment and
decide which question to explore for the lab. For example: “If a
marble rolls down an inclined plane and into a cup, how does the
mass of the marble affect how far the cup moves?” Once the
experiment question is established for the lab, students record it in
their lab notebooks. Students create a title for the new lab entry that
is relevant to the question. In this example, a relevant lab title would
be “Marble Mass.”
NOTE: Use the Who is a Scientist poster and the Scientific Process
Visual to help students work through the scientific process.
Research
For research, students list up to three facts relevant to the
experiment question, using information from the student lab manual
and/or discussion. For example:
• Mass is a measure of the amount of matter that make up an object
or substance. It is measured in grams (g).
• An inclined plane is a surface inclined at an angle to the ground.
• The marble has gravitational potential energy at the top of the
inclined plane due to its elevation above the ground. The
gravitational potential energy transforms to kinetic
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 60
©2016 KnowAtomTM
(mechanical) energy when the marble rolls down the inclined
plane. When the marble hits the cup, some of the marble’s kinetic
energy is transferred to the cup, causing the cup to slide across
the ground. Some of the kinetic energy of the cup transfers out of
the system, transforming into sound energy and heat due to
friction between the cup and the ground. This causes the cup to
slow down and eventually stop.
Hypothesis
Students form their own hypothesis and record it in their lab
notebooks. For example:
• “Increasing the mass of a marble increases the distance a cup
moves when the marble rolls into it.”
• “Increasing the mass of a marble decreases the distance a cup
moves when the marble rolls into it.”
• “The mass of the marble has no effect on the distance a cup
moves when a marble rolls into it.”
Checkpoint #1: After Question, Research, and Hypothesis
As teams are ready, they should check in with the teacher to
review their question, research, and hypothesis. Do the lab
notebooks of both team members match and meet expectations?
Can both students within the team explain their reasoning? If
not, ask for areas of clarification or correction before they
advance further. Not all teams will arrive at the lab check-points
at the same time, so teams independently receive the go-ahead
to move on in their lab after they have made the necessary
modifications. At this point in the year, student lab notebook
entries within the class will most likely have the same question,
but variations from team to team in the remaining steps of the
process are expected and encouraged.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 61
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Summarize Experiment
Stand by the materials stations and explain how the materials
function (digital scales, pipe insulation, etc.) and the general
amounts each team can use. Facilitate a discussion that will help
students arrive at a testable experiment. Students summarize the
experiment in their lab notebooks. Summaries should detail the
independent and dependent variables, constants, and a control
(when applicable) in the experiment. For example: “Our experiment
will test how increasing the mass of a marble affects the average
distance a target cup moves when a marble rolls down an inclined
plane and into the cup for five separate trials. The constants in the
experiment are the height of the inclined plane and the size of the
plastic “target” cup. The independent variable in the experiment is
the mass of the marble and the dependent variable is the distance
the “target” cup moves. There is no control in this experiment
because all objects need an unbalanced force to move.”
Checkpoint #2: After Experiment Summary
As teams are ready, they should check in with the teacher to
review the experiment summary of their lab. Do the lab
notebooks of each team member match and meet expectations?
Can students explain their reasoning? The summary should not
include a detailed procedure or materials quantities.
 Students describe what data will be collected to serve as
evidence to address the lab question. The summary should
include the basics of the data to be collected, the number of
trials students will conduct, the independent and
dependent variables, and the parts of the experiment they
will keep constant in each test or trial.
List Materials and Procedures
Students list materials and all relevant safety precautions in their
lab notebooks.
Safety:
• 2 plastic cups
• goggles
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 62
©2016 KnowAtomTM
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 large marble
1 medium marble
1 small marble
1 section of pipe insulation
1 pair of scissors
1 digital scale
1 measuring tape
masking tape (shared)
Teams develop a standardized list of steps for their procedure. The
procedures may vary from team to team depending on approach.
Student procedures should include a level of detail comparable to
the example procedure below:
Inclined Plane and Target Cup Set-Up
Step 1: Cut out a large, 5-cm x 4-cm section from the rim of one
plastic cup for the marble to roll into. This will be the “target”
cup.
Step 2: Tape the second plastic cup upside down on a flat, level
surface. Lean one end of the pipe insulation against the top edge
of the plastic cup to create an inclined plane. Secure the pipe
insulation to the cup with tape.
Step 3: Position the “target” cup upside down against the lowest
end of the inclined plane. The hole in the cup should line up with
the channel in the pipe insulation.
Testing Procedure:
Step 1: Mass the large marble.
Step 2: Release the large marble from the highest point of the
inclined plane so it rolls down the channel and into the cup.
Record the distance the target cup moved. Return the target cup
to its starting position.
Step 3: Repeat Step 2 for four more trials.
Step 4: Repeat steps 1-3 for two more tests, first with the
medium marble, then the small marble.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 63
©2016 KnowAtomTM
NOTE: Students may need to set up their inclined planes on the
floor to allow enough room for the target cup to move. Students
may need to trim the edges of the pipe insulation so the large
marble has enough clearance to roll down the channel without
getting stuck.
Checkpoint #3: After Materials and Procedure
As teams are ready, they should check in with the teacher to
review the material and procedure steps of their lab. Are the
materials and procedure in vertical lists and quantities included
with all materials? Can you follow each team’s procedure? Are
the materials and quantities under “materials” all required by
the procedure? Is it clear, concise, and specific? If not, clarify
expectations. Students make corrections or any modifications
and return to the checkpoint for the go-ahead.
Scientific Diagram
Students draw a titled scientific diagram of their experimental
system-in-progress. All materials and the predicted motion of the
marbles and cup should be labeled. For example:
Marble Mass Experiment Diagram
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 64
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Checkpoint #4: After Scientific Diagram
As teams are ready, they should check in with the teacher to
review their lab scientific diagram. Are the diagrams complete?
Diagrams should be titled and materials labeled. If complete,
students pick up blank data tables and graphs to tape inside
their lab notebooks and then proceed to collect the materials
needed to conduct their experiment after meeting at this
checkpoint.
Data
Teams collect the materials from the pick-up stations to carry out
their experiment. Students record data in their data tables as the
experiment progresses. Students then create a line graph to
compare the average distance the target cup moved (dependent
variable on the y-axis) vs. the mass of the marble (independent
variable on the x-axis). Photocopy and distribute blank data tables
and graphs to save time.
Table 1: Comparing Distance Target Cup Moved vs. Marble Mass
Distance Target Cup Moved
Marble
(cm)
Mass
Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial
(g)
Average
1
2
3
4
5
Large Marble
37.1
42.2
34.3
39.2 37.6
38.1
________20.7_______
Medium Marble
11.7
10.5
11.8
9.6
12.1
11.1
________3.5________
Small Marble
3.1
3.2
2.5
3.2
3.0
3.0
________1.5________
NOTE: Example data table represents one possible outcome.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 65
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Distnace cup moved (cm)
Graph
1: Distance
Target
CupMoved
Moved vs.
Graph
1: Distance
Target
Cup
vs.Marble
MarbleMass
Mass
40
38
36
34
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Marble Mass (g)
Conclusion
Each student writes a conclusion that summarizes his or her
findings and tells how the data did or did not support the
hypothesis. For example: “Our hypothesis that the mass of a marble
has no effect on the distance a cup moves when a marble rolls into it
is false. We found that as the mass of the marble increased, the
distance the target cup moved when the marble rolled into it also
increased. Our data show that the average distance the plastic cup
moved was between 27 and 35.1 centimeters farther with the 20.7gram marble compared to the 3.5- and 1.5-gram marbles. We can
conclude that marbles with more mass transfer more kinetic energy
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 66
©2016 KnowAtomTM
when they collide with an object compared to marbles with less
mass.”
Final Checkpoint: After Data and Conclusion
As teams are ready, they should check in with the teacher to
review the data and conclusion steps of their lab. One team
member reads the team’s conclusion aloud to you while you
review the other team member’s lab notebook. Do they restate
the hypothesis? Have they made a true/false/inconclusive claim?
Look for key data points that students used to form their
conclusion. Is it clear? Is it persuasive? Do the data support the
claim? If the results are contrary to their research, what might be
responsible? How could they test for that in the future?
Wrap-Up:
1. Have a dialogue with students to review the concepts of energy
transfer and motion covered in the experiment. For example:
• Ask one student what kind of energy transformation took place
during this experiment. [Gravitational potential energy
transformed to mechanical energy as the marble moved down
the ramp.]
• Ask another student what energy transfer took place in the
experiment. [When the marble collided with the plastic cup,
mechanical energy from the marble transferred to the cup,
which is what caused the cup to move.]
• Ask the first student how the marble was able to transfer
energy to the cup. [Whenever two objects come into contact
with each other, both objects exert a force on each other. When
the marble collided with the cup, both the marble and the cup
exerted a force on each other. This force caused the energy
transfer from the marble to the cup.]
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 67
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• Ask another student why the experiment provided evidence
for the relationship between the mass of an object and its
kinetic energy. [The movement of the plastic cup after the
marble collides with it is an indication of the amount of energy
transferred by the moving marble. When it travelled a greater
distance, it is because the marble with the largest mass
transferred the most kinetic energy.]
• Ask the first student to predict how the motion of the marble
down the ramp would likely change if the ramp were raised
higher. [If the ramp were raised higher, it would cause the
amount of gravitational potential energy stored in all three
marbles to increase. This would increase the amount of energy
transformed into mechanical energy as the marble moves down
the ramp and then transferred to the cup. The conclusion would
still be the same, however, because the most massive marble
would still have the greatest amount of potential energy.]
2. Continue the dialogue with students about the experiment’s
results, asking student teams to assess their results compared to
other teams. For example:
• Were the data consistent with all teams in the class? If not,
what may have caused some teams to have different data?
[Answers will vary. Ask students to compare their results and
analyze possibilities for any differences.]
• Ask students from one team whether they experienced any
challenges in conducting this experiment, and if they did, what
they were. [Answers will vary. Challenges are a part of
conducting experiments, and discussing them can help students
think through their process, comparing their method with other
student teams. One challenge might be setting up the
procedure—for example, it is important that the height of the
ramp remain the same for every trial so the only variable being
tested is the different masses of the marbles.]
• Ask students from another team how they overcame those
challenges, and why they chose the approach they did.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 68
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Lesson 2 – Example Laboratory Notebook
This complete lab notebook entry is intended to be used as an exemplar only.
It is not intended for student use.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 69
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Lesson 2 – Example Laboratory Notebook (continued)
This complete lab notebook entry is intended to be used as an exemplar only.
It is not intended for student use.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 70
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Lesson 2 – Example Laboratory Notebook (continued)
This complete lab notebook entry is intended to be used as an exemplar only.
It is not intended for student use.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 71
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Lesson 2 – Blank Data Table and Graph
Table 1: Comparing Distance Target Cup Moved vs. Marble Mass
Distance Target Cup Moved
Marble
(cm)
Mass
Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial
(g)
Average
1
2
3
4
5
Large Marble
____________________
Medium Marble
____________________
Small Marble
____________________
Distnace cup moved (cm)
Graph 1: Distance Target Cup Moved vs
40
38
36
34
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Marble Mass (g)
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 72
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Name:________________________________________________ Date:________________
Unit 1: Gravity and Motion
Vocabulary Check
Part I: Circle the best answer for questions 1-5 below.
1. The ______
______ of an object refers to the gravitational force
exerted on an object by a planet or moon.
A. mass
B. weight
C. independent variable
D. force
2. Mechanical energy is a form of ______
____ because it is the
energy of motion, specifically the energy of an object or substance
due to its motion.
A. potential energy
B. gravitational energy
C. kinetic energy
D. chemical energy
3. Science as we know it today involves ____
____.
A. experimenting
B. questioning
C. observing
D. all of the above
4. ___
________is the force that holds us all on Earth’s surface
because it is a force of attraction between all matter.
A. Gravity
B. Energy
C. Acceleration
D. Speed
5. A roller coaster is an example of a(n)_____
__ because it is a
set of connected, interacting parts that form a more complex whole.
A. experiment
B. system
C. pattern
D. hypothesis
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 73
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Part II: Write the answers to questions 6-8 below.
6. Why do scientists follow a scientific process?
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
7. Why is gravity an attractive force? Give an example of this
attraction.
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
8. How does potential energy relate to kinetic energy?
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 74
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Name:________________________________________________ Date:________________
Unit 1: Gravity and Motion
Concept Check
Part I: Circle the best answer to each question.
1. Louisa has two rubber bands that she stretches as far as they can
go. What kind of energy do the rubber bands have when stretched?
A. kinetic energy
B. mechanical energy
C. gravitational potential energy
D. elastic potential energy
2. Why is all matter on Earth’s surface affected by Earth’s gravity
and not the gravity of other matter?
A. Most matter does not have gravity.
B. Earth is more massive than any other matter on Earth’s
surface.
C. Earth is less massive than any other matter on Earth’s surface.
D. Matter on Earth’s surface is not affected by Earth’s gravity.
3. There is a book on the ground and a book on a shelf. Which of the
following statements must be true?
A. The book on a shelf has gravitational potential energy because
of its height above the ground.
B. The book on the ground has gravitational potential energy
because of its position on the ground.
C. The book on the ground is more massive than the book on the
shelf.
D. The book on the ground is less massive than the book on the
shelf.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 75
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Part II: Read the Splash Height scenario, and then answer the
questions that follow.
Splash Height
Every summer, Kyle visits the outdoor
pool in his neighborhood. One of the
pools has a diving platform. A diving
platform is a structure with platforms of
various heights that extend out over the
edge of a pool. Swimmers dive off the
platforms into the pool.
One day, some of the kids at the pool
were doing “cannon ball” dives off the
diving platform, creating giant splashes
in the pool. Kyle noticed that when the
diving platform
kids dove off the highest platform, the
water in the pool splashed much higher than when they dove from
the lower platforms. Kyle wondered if the heights of the diving
platforms had anything to do with how high the water splashed in
the pool when the kids dove from them.
Kyle returned to school and told his science class about his
observations at the pool over the summer. Some of the students
thought that the heights of the diving platforms were connected to
the splash height of the water. Other students thought the diving
platform had no effect on the splash height of the water.
Kyle’s science teacher suggested the class work in teams to carry out
an experiment like scientists to answer their question. Since the
class didn’t have access to a real pool, Kyle’s science teacher
suggested they use a model to represent the pool and divers instead.
Models are useful when studying something that is too big or too
small to investigate in the classroom.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 76
©2016 KnowAtomTM
For the model, Kyle’s teacher gave each team a measuring tape, a
ball (to represent a diver), and a bucket filled with water (to
represent the pool).
Materials:
measuring tape
bucket filled with water
ball
Kyle and his class decided to carry out their experiment using the
materials and the following question:
If a ball is dropped into a bucket of water, how does the drop
height of the ball above the water affect the splash height of the
water?
Making a Prediction
1. Write a prediction for the question in the spaces below. Hint: This
question is most similar to the hypothesis in the scientific process.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Explain your prediction using information from the story and
what you know about forms of energy and energy transfer.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 77
©2016 KnowAtomTM
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Testing the Prediction
Kyle and his team took the materials and designed an experiment to
compare the splash height of the water in the bucket when a ball is
dropped into it from three different heights. The constants in their
experiment are the ball type and the amount of water in the bucket.
The independent variable in the experiment is the ball drop heights
above the water and the dependent variable is the splash height of
the water.
Here is Kyle’s experiment procedure:
Step 1: Hold the ball 100 centimeters above the water-filled
bucket. Drop the ball into the water-filled bucket and measure the
height the water splashes with the measuring tape.
Step 2: Repeat Step 1 for four more trials.
Step 3: Repeat Steps 1-2 for two more tests, first dropping the ball
into the water from 150 centimeters above the bucket, and then
from 200 centimeters above the bucket.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
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Kyle and his team drew a scientific diagram of their ball and bucket
system in-progress.
Testing Splash Height Diagram
Analyze Data
Here is the data Kyle and his team collected from the investigation:
Table 1: Testing Water Splash Height vs. Ball Drop Height
Water Splash Height
Ball Drop
(cm)
Height
Trial Trial Trial Trial Trial
(cm)
Average
1
2
3
4
5
Test 1: 100
12
14
16
13
12
13
Test 2: 150
21
20
25
22
23
22
Test 3: 200
30
35
31
29
34
32
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 79
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Graph Data
3. Use the data from Table 1 to create a line graph to compare the
average height the water splashed when the drop height of the ball
changes in the blank graph below. Title the graph, create a scale for
the graph, and label the x- and y-axis.
Water Splash Height (cm)
Graph 1: Average Water Splash Height vs. Ball
36
34
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
50
100
150
200
250
Ball drop Height (cm)
4. Describe any patterns you notice in Kyle’s data.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 80
©2016 KnowAtomTM
5. Look at the prediction and explanation you wrote for Questions 1
and 2. Now look at the data in Table 1 and Graph 1.
Does Kyle’s data support your prediction and explanation?
Yes
No
6. Explain how the data did or did not support your prediction and
explanation. Hint: This question is most similar to the conclusion in
the scientific process.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 81
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7. During the experiment, one team lost their ball in the middle of
collecting splash height data. The team found a larger ball and
decided to continue collecting data using the large ball in place of
the original ball. One of the team members thought using the large
ball will affect the experiment. Why?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 82
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Unit 1: Appendix 1
Answer Keys
Vocabulary Check
Part I
1. B. weight [The weight of an object refers to the gravitational force exerted
on an object by a planet or moon. Mass is a measure of the amount of matter
that makes up an object or substance. Mass and weight are related because
an object’s weight depends on its mass, but they are different, although the
distinction between mass and weight is typically ignored by non-scientists
because acceleration due to gravity is nearly identical everywhere on Earth
(9.8 m/s2). A force is a push or pull that acts on an object, changing its
speed, direction, or shape. An independent variable is something you
change in an experiment.]
2. C. kinetic energy [Mechanical energy is a form of kinetic energy because it is
energy of motion. Mechanical energy is the energy of a substance or system
due to its motion. Both gravitational and chemical energy are forms of
potential energy, which is stored energy. Gravitational energy is the energy
stored in an object as a result of its vertical position or height, and chemical
energy is energy stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules.]
3. D. All of the above [Science involves experimenting, questioning, and
observing. Scientists begin all investigations with a question they want to
answer. They conduct an experiment—a specific procedure that tests if a
hypothesis is true or false—to generate data, which can be observations
and/or measurements.]
4. A. Gravity [Gravity is the force that holds us all on Earth’s surface because it
is a force of attraction between all matter. Earth’s gravity pulls downward
on us toward Earth’s center, which holds us on the surface. Acceleration is
an increase in speed over time. Speed is the rate at which an object covers
distance in a period of time. Energy is the ability to do work.]
5. B. system [A roller coaster is an example of a system because it is a set of
connected, interacting parts that form a more complex whole. It includes
the cars and track, and energy transfers out of it due to drag and friction as
the cars move over the track. An experiment is a specific procedure that
tests if a hypothesis is true or false. A hypothesis is a statement that can be
proved true or false. A pattern is something that happens in a regular and
repeated way.]
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 83
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Part II
6. [Scientists follow the scientific process because it provides scientists with a
framework for answering questions, and leads them through a logical
progression of steps to follow on that path. Each step is important because
it allows the experiment to be clearly followed and replicated by other
scientists.]
7. [Gravity is an attractive force because attractive forces pull objects between
them, rather than pushing them away (which is what opposing forces do).
Gravity pulls objects rather than pushes them away. An example of this
attractive force is a ball thrown up in the air that falls back to the surface.
Earth’s gravity is attracting the ball, pulling it toward Earth’s center rather
than away from Earth.]
8. [Potential energy is energy that is stored. Kinetic energy is energy of
motion. The two categories of energy are related because they are
constantly transforming from one to the other. Potential energy transforms
to other kinds of potential energy or kinetic energy, and kinetic energy
transforms into other forms of kinetic energy or potential energy.]
Concept Check
Part I
1. D. elastic potential energy [When Louisa stretches a rubber band as far as it
can go, it has elastic potential energy. Elastic energy is energy stored in
objects when stretched. It is a form of potential energy because it is stored
energy. Gravitational potential energy is another form of potential energy,
but it is stored energy related to an object’s height above the ground.
Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and mechanical energy is a form of
kinetic energy that is the energy of a substance or system due to its motion.]
2. B. Earth is more massive than any other matter on Earth’s surface. [All
matter on Earth’s surface is affected by Earth’s gravity and not the gravity of
other kinds of matter because Earth is more massive than any other matter
on Earth. The strength of gravitational interactions depends on the masses
of the interacting objects.]
3. A. The book on a shelf has gravitational potential energy because of its
height above the ground. [If there is a book on the ground and a book on a
shelf, it must be true that the book on a shelf has gravitational potential
energy because of its height above the ground. Gravitational energy is
stored energy related to an object’s height above the ground. The book on
the ground cannot have gravitational energy because it is on the ground.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 84
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Therefore, it does not have gravitational energy. The statement in the
question does not reveal anything about the mass of either book.]
Part II
This assessment asks students to analyze an investigation into how the drop
height of a ball above water affects the splash height of the water. These
questions assess the NGSS standards MS-PS3-2 and MS-PS3-5. They also
partially assess the NGSS standard MS-PS3-1.
1. In this question, students are asked to make a prediction about how the
drop height of a ball above water affects the splash height of the water.
Students are partially assessed on the science and engineering practice of
Asking Questions and Defining Problems, as well as the disciplinary core
ideas of Definitions of Energy and Relationship Between Energy and
Forces. They are also partially assessed on the crosscutting concept of
Energy and Matter.
o Student answer should demonstrate an understanding of the
relationship between a ball’s height above the water and the height of
the splash after the ball is dropped into the water.
 For example: “Increasing the drop height of the ball above the
water increases the splash height of the water when the ball is
dropped into the water.”
 “Increasing the drop height of the ball above the water
decreases the splash height of the water when the ball is
dropped into the water.”
 “There is no way to predict the splash height of the water based
on the drop height of the ball.”
2. In Question 2, students are asked to explain their prediction using
information in the story about diving platforms at a pool, as well as their
own knowledge about forms of energy and energy transfer. By explaining
their prediction, students are partially assessed on the science and
engineering practice of Constructing Explanations and Designing
Solutions. They are also partially assessed on the disciplinary core idea of
Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer, as well as the
crosscutting concepts of Energy and Matter and Systems and System
Models.
o Student answer should connect the ball and water in a bucket with
what they know about energy transfer.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 85
©2016 KnowAtomTM
 For example: “When a ball is released from a position above the
ground and into a bucket of water, gravitational energy is
transformed into mechanical energy as the ball falls. The force of
the ball hitting the water produces a force that transfers the
mechanical energy of the ball to the water, which results in
water splashing up. The higher the drop height is, the more
gravitational energy is put into this system of the ball and bucket
of water, which will result in an increased splash height.”
3. By creating a line graph that compares the average height the water
splashed when the drop height of the ball changes, students are partially
assessed on the science and engineering practice of Using Mathematics
and Computational Thinking.
Water Splash Height (cm)
Graph 1: Average Water Splash Height vs. Ball
Drop Height
36
34
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
50
100
150
200
250
Ball Drop Height (cm)
4. In this question, students are asked to describe any patterns they notice in
the data. Students are partially assessed on the science and engineering
practice of Analyzing and Interpreting Data, as well as the disciplinary
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 86
©2016 KnowAtomTM
core idea of Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer. They are also
partially assessed on the crosscutting concept of Patterns.
o Student answer should demonstrate an understanding of how to
analyze the graph for patterns.
 For example: As the ball drop height increased, the water splash
height also increased. When the ball was dropped from 200
centimeters above the bucket, the water splashed 32
centimeters, compared to 13 centimeters when the ball was
dropped from 100 centimeters above the bucket.
5. By using the data to analyze their prediction in Question 1, students are
partially assessed on the science and engineering practice of Analyzing and
Interpreting Data.
o Student answer should reflect that student analyzed the prediction
based on the data provided.
6. By explaining why the data did or did not support the explanation of how
the drop height of a ball above water affects the splash height of the water,
students are partially assessed on the science and engineering practices of
Engaging in Argument from Evidence and Obtaining, Evaluating, and
Communicating Information, as well as the disciplinary core ideas of
Relationship Between Energy and Forces and Conservation of Energy
and Energy Transfer. Students are also partially assessed on the
crosscutting concept of Systems and System Models.
o Student answer should reflect that the student evaluated Table 1
and/or Graph 1 to determine how the splash height of the water is
affected by the ball drop height.
 For example: Our prediction that increasing the drop height of the
ball above the water increases the splash height of the water
when the ball is dropped into the water is true. The data show
that as the ball drop height increased, the water splash height also
increased. The average splash height of the water when the ball
dropped from 200 centimeters above the bucket was between 10
and 19 centimeters greater than when the ball was dropped from
100 and 150 centimeters above the bucket. We can conclude that
the kinetic energy of the ball increases when dropped from a
higher point because it had more gravitational potential energy.
Increasing the gravitational potential energy of the ball allowed it
to transfer more kinetic energy to the water, causing the water to
splash higher than it would if the ball was released from a lower
point above the bucket.”
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 87
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7. By analyzing the effect of replacing the original ball in the experiment with
a larger ball during the experiment, students are partially assessed on the
science and engineering practice of Engaging in Argument from Evidence,
the disciplinary core idea of Relationship Between Energy and Forces,
and the crosscutting concept of Cause and Effect.
o Student answer should reflect an understanding of how changing the
mass of the ball in the middle of the experiment adds another variable
to the experiment that will confuse the results.
 For example: More massive objects have more kinetic energy
than less massive objects. When a larger ball is used during part
of the data collecting, it changes the results. Because of this, it
would be impossible to tell whether the data gathered result
from the changing height of the dropped ball or the mass of the
ball used.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 88
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Lab Manual Answer Key
Section 1 Review
MC1. A. what you change in an experiment [An independent variable is the
variable changed by the scientist. It can be a factor, trait, or condition that
can exist in differing amounts or types. There are independent and
dependent variables. The dependent variable in the experiment is what
changes as a result of the independent variable. A constant is something
that remains the same in an experiment. A hypothesis is a clear and
concise statement that can be proved true or false, why data are the
numbers you come up with to support your hypothesis—the
observations or measurements gathered from an experiment.]
MC2. B. I think fish are delicious. [The sentence I think fish are delicious is not
a hypothesis because hypotheses should not include opinions. They
should be able to be proved true or false. The statements: all birds fly
south in the winter, corn is heavier than rice, and metals always sink are
examples of hypotheses because they are clear and concise statements
that can be proved true or false.]
CT1. [The answer should explain that the hypothesis or claim is a step in the
scientific process. Scientists use hypotheses to test possible answers to
scientific questions.]
CT2. [It is important to leave opinions out of hypotheses because opinions
cannot be proved true or false; therefore, it is impossible to set up an
experiment to test them.]
CT3. [Scientists are careful in how they set up experiments, making sure to
write down everything clearly and specifically in their laboratory
notebook because results are not scientifically valid unless someone can
replicate the experiment. This is why scientists follow a process and are
very clear and specific.]
CT4. [Scientists don’t conduct experiments that intentionally don’t produce
data because the point of conducting an experiment is to generate data
that can be used as evidence to support or refute the hypothesis. Data
can be quantitative (numerical) and/or qualitative (observational).
Sometimes experiments don’t produce data because of how they are set
up, but when that happens, scientists need to design a new experiment
to try to get data.]
CT5. [The sentence I think candy tastes delicious is not a conclusion because a
conclusion should not include any first person personal pronouns such
as I think. Conclusions also need to include specific data from the
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 89
©2016 KnowAtomTM
experiment to either support or reject the hypothesis. The sentence
above is a personal opinion that cannot be proved true or false in an
experiment.]
Section 2 Review
MC3. C. gravity [When you throw a ball up into the air, gravity is the force that
causes it to fall back to the ground. Gravity is the force of attraction
between all matter, and Earth’s gravity pulls all objects near Earth’s
surface downward. A variable is the part of an experiment that you
change. It can be a factor, trait, or condition that can exist in differing
amounts or types. Acceleration is an increase in speed over time. Weight
is the gravitational force exerted on an object by a planet or moon.]
MC4. A. More massive objects have more gravity. [The relationship between
mass and gravity can best be explained by the statement more massive
objects have more gravity. The force of attraction depends on the mass of
the two objects. This is why Earth’s gravity is the dominant gravitational
force here on Earth, because Earth is so much more massive than
anything else on Earth.]
MC5. B. Energy is transferred out of the roller coaster system. [Roller coaster
cars lose energy as they move over the track because energy is
transferred out of the roller coaster system. Energy is never created or
destroyed, but it does transfer into and out of objects and systems. For
example, friction and drag are two forces that cause energy to transfer
out of the roller coaster system.]
CT6. [The answer should explain how to respond to Mary, who doesn’t believe
that all objects have gravity because there isn’t a force of attraction
between objects such as pencils, cars, and people. Everything that has
mass has gravity. We don’t feel the force of attraction between objects
such as pencils, cars, and people because Earth is so much more massive
than any of these things that Earth’s gravity is the dominant force.]
CT7. [Answers will vary. A system is a set of connected, interacting parts that
form a more complex whole. For example, a light bulb is a simple
energy system. Electrical energy generated from a power plant
transforms into light energy and heat. Another example is an animal,
which eats food and then moves.]
CT8. [The answer should explain how friction is a force that slows motion
whenever two objects rub against each other by turning mechanical
energy into heat. The heat felt is evidence that some of the mechanical
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 90
©2016 KnowAtomTM
energy has transferred out of the system, making the surrounding
environment warmer.]
Section 3 Review
MC6. C. both A and B [When Pedro hits the tennis ball with his racquet,
Pedro’s racquet transfers mechanical energy to the ball, causing the ball
to move forward. At the same time, the ball transfers energy to Pedro’s
racquet, causing the racquet to move backward. This is because
whenever two objects come into contact with one another, they exert a
force on each other that can transfer energy.]
MC7. A. Object 1 has more kinetic energy than Object 2. [If Object 1 and Object
2 are moving at the same speed but Object 1 is more massive than
Object 2, then Object 1 has more kinetic energy than Object 2 because
mass is proportional to kinetic energy.]
CT9. [The answer should explain that a baseball player generally wants to hit
the ball with a lot of force because the greater the force applied to the
ball, the more energy will be transferred and the farther the ball will
travel.]
CT10. [The answer should explain that when a baseball player’s bat makes
contact with the baseball, there is a loud noise because some of the
mechanical energy of the player’s swing is transferred out of the
system, transforming into sound energy.]
CT11. [The answer should explain that the ball eventually falls back to the
ground or another player’s glove because of gravity’s attractive pull.
Everything on Earth’s surface is pulled toward Earth’s center by the
force of Earth’s gravity. This gravitational pull acts on the baseball,
pulling it back to the ground.]
CT12. [The answer should explain that if a baseball hitter gently taps the ball
rather than swinging with a lot of force, causing the ball to roll forward
on the ground, the ball eventually stops rolling because of the force of
friction. Friction slows motion by turning mechanical energy into
heat.]
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 91
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Appendix 2
Common Core Connections
KnowAtom lessons cover many Common Core ELA and math standards in the
lab manual, discussion, and hands-on activities. The lab manual is designed to
further connect science content to other disciplines with assignments that can
be used as homework or in-class. The lab manual highlights one math and ELA
standard:
ELA (page 17 of lab manual)
Reading Informational Text: Grade 6
Key Ideas and Details
• ELA-Literacy.RI.6.2 - Determine a central
idea of a text and how it is conveyed
through particular ideas; provide a
summary of the text distinct from
personal opinions or judgments.
The article gives a brief overview of how roller
coasters transfer energy, as well as an
introduction to why the rides feel so
exhilarating for riders.
Example Answer Key:
1. [The central idea of this article is that the
design of roller coasters creates an energy system that uses the downward pull
of gravity to move people around the track, and it is the interactions of forces
that cause the exhilaration that people often experience when they ride a roller
coaster.]
2. [The author lays out the energy transfer that takes place on a roller coaster,
and then uses the well-known motions of a roller coaster (sharp curves, loopthe-loops, etc.) to describe the forces that cause the sensations people experience
on a roller coaster (gravity, acceleration, and inertia (the principle that an
object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force)).]
3. [Roller coasters harness the forces of gravity and acceleration to create a ride
that push riders in different directions, causing the feeling of exhilaration
and/or fear. They do this by transferring gravitational energy to mechanical
energy and back throughout the ride.]
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 92
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Math (page 23 of lab manual)
Ratios and Proportional
Relationships: Understand ratio
concepts and use ratio reasoning
to solve problems.
• 6.RP.A.1 Understand the
concept of a ratio and use
ratio language to describe a
ratio relationship between
two quantities.
• 6.RP.A.3.D Use ratio
reasoning to convert
measurement units.
The metric system is the system
of measurement used in almost
every country in the world. All
science labs and activities require
the use of metric units when
collecting data. This sometimes requires students to convert between units of
measurement. To prepare students to use these math skills, this activity
allows students to practice solving conversion problems using ratios
(conversion factors).
Answer key:
2.54 centimeters
= 568 x 2.54 centimeters
1. 568 inches x
1 inch
= 1,442.72 centimeters
2. 50 liters x
1,000 milliliters
3. .5 kilograms x
1 liters
1,000 grams
1 kilogram
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
= 50 x 1,000 milliliters = 50,000 milliliters
= .5 x 1,000 grams = 500 grams
Unit 1 – Page 93
©2016 KnowAtomTM
The following Common Core ELA standards are covered in this unit as
students work through the reading, class dialogue, and hands-on portion of
the lessons.
ELA Standards
Applying ELA Connections to the Unit
Writing
W.6.1. Write arguments
to support claims with
clear reasons and
relevant evidence.
• In Lessons 1 and 2, students write a conclusion to
summarize their findings to the bounce height and
marble mass experiments, using their data to support
their conclusion.
W.6.2. Write
• In Lessons 1 and 2, students develop and write out the
informative/explanatory
process they follow to conduct the bounce height and
texts to examine a topic
marble mass experiments in their lab notebooks,
and convey ideas,
including the question, research, hypothesis, experiment
concepts, and
summary, materials, procedure, scientific diagram, data
information through the
charts, graphs, and conclusion.
selection, organization,
and analysis of relevant
content.
W.6.4. Produce clear and • In Lessons 1 and 2, students produce clear and coherent
coherent writing in
writing as they use their lab notebooks to work through
which the development,
the bounce height and marble mass experiments. The lab
organization, and style
notebooks must be clear, concise, and specific enough
are appropriate to task,
that someone else could replicate the experiment.
purpose, and audience.
W.6.9. Draw evidence
• In Lessons 1 and 2, students use the nonfiction reading
from literary or
from their lab manuals to support their analysis,
informational texts to
reflection, and research during the lesson.
support analysis,
reflection, and research.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 94
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Speaking and Listening
SL.6.1. Engage effectively • In Lessons 1 and 2, students engage in Socratic dialogue
in a range of
before beginning the experiments. Students apply what
collaborative discussions
they have read in their nonfiction reading, as well as any
(one-on-one, in groups,
personal experiences or observations, to the dialogue.
and teacher-led) with
During the experiments, students work collaboratively in
diverse partners on
teams, discussing how they will carry out the
grade 6 topics, texts, and
experiments. At the end of the experiments, students
issues, building on
come back to analyze each team’s results as a class.
others' ideas and
expressing their own
clearly.
SL.6.4. Present claims
and findings,
emphasizing salient
points in a focused,
coherent manner with
pertinent descriptions,
facts, details, and
examples; use
appropriate eye contact,
adequate volume, and
clear pronunciation.
• In Lessons 1 and 2, students analyze what they have
learned in the lesson in the wrap-up portion of class,
coming together as a class to discuss their experiment
results. Student teams compare results, using their data
and background knowledge to support their claims and
evaluate other teams’ claims.
Science and Technical Subjects
RST.6-8.1. Cite specific
• In Lessons 1 and 2, students use the information from
textual evidence to
their lab manuals to support their understanding of the
support analysis of
bounce height and marble mass experiments.
science and technical
texts.
RST.6-8.2. Determine the • In Lessons 1 and 2, students read their lab manuals,
central ideas or
determining the main ideas and conclusions of the text.
conclusions of a text;
They use this reading to inform and support the Socratic
provide an accurate
dialogue portion of the lesson.
summary of the text
distinct from prior
knowledge or opinions.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 95
©2016 KnowAtomTM
RST.6-8.3. Follow
precisely a multistep
procedure when
carrying out
experiments, taking
measurements, or
performing technical
tasks.
• In Lesson 1, students develop and follow a multistep
procedure to determine the relationship between a ball’s
height above the ground (gravitational potential energy)
and its resulting rebound motion (kinetic energy).
• In Lesson 2, students develop and then follow a
procedure for testing how the mass of the marble affects
the distance a target cup moves when a marble rolls
down an inclined plane and into the cup.
RST.6-8.10. By the end of • In Lessons 1 and 2, students work on developing their
grade 6, read and
understanding of science/technical texts, using the unit
comprehend
vocabulary, context from the lab manual, and Socratic
science/technical texts
dialogue to support their comprehension of the
in the grades 6-8 text
nonfiction reading.
complexity band
independently and
proficiently.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 96
©2016 KnowAtomTM
pattern
can indicate
cause and
effect
system
Unit 1: Appendix 3
Sample Concept Map
looks at
data for
scientist
includes
behaviors of
can be traced
through a
follows a
process that
includes
science
includes the
study of
energy
hypothesis
experiment
produces
data
can indicate
relationship in
proportion
categories of
potential energy
a type of
gravitational energy
work
caused by
change in matter
caused by
force
a type of
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
kinetic energy
a type of
mechanical energy
gravity
Unit 1 – Page 97
weight
difference
between
mass
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Appendix 4
Support for Differentiated Instruction
Core Expectation
Assessment Strategies
MS-PS3-5.
Construct, use, and
present arguments
to support the
claim that when
the kinetic energy
of an object
changes, energy is
transferred to or
from the object.
Low Entry Point
• Identify different forms of energy.
• Recognize that energy is never
created or destroyed.
• Give examples of evidence of an
energy transfer (e.g., a change in
motion or temperature).
At Grade-Level Entry Point
• Describe the relationship between
force and energy transfer.
• Explain how energy can be
transferred into and out of an
energy system.
• Use the conservation of energy to
support the claim that energy is
transferred into and out of energy
systems.
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 98
Possible Primary
Evidence
• bounce height lab
notebook entry
completed by
student
• marble mass lab
notebook entry
completed by
student
• student diagram
tracing the
transfer of energy
in an energy
system when an
object’s kinetic
energy changes
©2016 KnowAtomTM
Unit 1: Appendix 5
Materials Chart
Unit Kit Consumable
Goggles
Pipe insulation
Plastic cups
Non-Consumable
Bouncy balls
Large marbles
Medium marbles
Small marbles
Digital scales
Teacher Tool Kit
Measuring tape
Masking tape
Scissors
Hand-outs
Laboratory notebooks
Gravity and Motion lab
manuals
Visuals
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson
Quantity
Notes
all
2
2
1 per student
1 section per
team of 2
2 per team of 2
safety equipment
for creating inclined
planes
for inclined plane model
1
1 per team of 2
2
1 per team of 2
for bouncy ball height
experiment
for mass experiment
for mass experiment
for mass experiment
2
2
2
1 per team of 2
1 per team of 2
1 per team of 2
1, 2
1 per team of 2
2
1 per team of 2
2
1, 2
1, 2
shared
1 per student
1 per student
Used Again

for measuring marble
mass

for measuring height and
distance
for marking measurement
intervals and securing
inclined plane
for cutting plastic cups
and pipe insulation

for Labs 1 and 2



Download
Scientific Process Visual, Who is a Scientist Poster, Gravity Visual,
Energy and Roller Coasters Visual, Energy Systems Visual, Energy
Transformation Visual, STEM Cycle Visual
Energy Transfer in Billiards Visual, Mass and Energy Transfer Visual
M6 NGSS Curriculum v. 3.1
Unit 1 – Page 99
©2016 KnowAtomTM