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Teacher’s Guide

Skydiving

RollerCoasters

Table ofContents

Introduction________________________________________ 3How to use the CD-ROM _______________________________ 4

Roller CoastersUnit Overview and Bibliography ___________________________ 7Background ___________________________________________ 8Video Segments ________________________________________ 9Multimedia Resources ___________________________________ 9Unit Assessment Answer Key ____________________________ 9Unit Assessment ______________________________________ 10Activity One — The Ups and Downs ______________________ 11

Lesson Plan ______________________________________ 12Activity Sheet ____________________________________ 14

Activity Two — Around and Around ______________________ 15Lesson Plan ______________________________________ 16Activity Sheet ____________________________________ 18

Activity Three — Fun Energy ____________________________ 19Lesson Plan ______________________________________ 20Activity Sheet _____________________________________ 22

SkydivingUnit Overview and Bibliography __________________________ 23Background __________________________________________ 24Video Segments _______________________________________ 25Multimedia Resources __________________________________ 25Unit Assessment Answer Key ___________________________ 25Unit Assessment ______________________________________ 26Activity One — Catching Air _____________________________ 27

Lesson Plan ______________________________________ 28Activity Sheet ____________________________________ 30

Activity Two — How Fast is Falling? _______________________ 31Lesson Plan ______________________________________ 32Activity Sheet ____________________________________ 34

Activity Three — This is a Hold Up ________________________ 35Lesson Plan ______________________________________ 36Activity Sheet _____________________________________ 38

Educational materials developed under a grant from the National Science Foundation — 3

IntroductionWelcome to the Newton’s AppleMultimedia Collection™!

The Newton’s Apple MultimediaCollection is designed to be used by ateacher guiding a class of students.Because the videos on the CD-ROM are intended to be integratedwith your instruction, you may findit helpful to connect your computerto a projection system or a monitorthat is large enough to be viewed bythe entire class. We have included avideotape of the segments so thatyou can use a VCR if it is moreconvenient. Although the CD-ROM was designed for teachers, itcan also be used by individuals orcooperative groups.

With the help of many classroomscience teachers, the staff at Newton’s

Apple has developed a set of lessons,activities, and assessments for eachvideo segment. The content andpedagogy conform with the Na-tional Science Education Standardsand most state and local curriculumframeworks. This Teacher’s Guidepresents lessons using an inquiry-based approach.

If you are an experienced teacher,you will find material that will helpyou expand your instructionalprogram. If you are new to inquiry-based instruction, you will findinformation that will help youdevelop successful instructionalstrategies, consistent with theNational Science Education Stan-dards. Whether you are new toinquiry-based instruction or havebeen using inquiry for years, thisguide will help your studentssucceed in science.

WE SUPPORT THEWE SUPPORT THEWE SUPPORT THEWE SUPPORT THEWE SUPPORT THENANANANANATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STTION STTION STTION STTION STANDANDANDANDANDARDSARDSARDSARDSARDS

The National Science Education Standards published by theNational Research Council in 1996 help us look at science

education in a new light. Students are no longer merely passivereceivers of information recorded on a textbook page or

handed down by a teacher. The Standards call for students tobecome active participants in their own learning process, with

teachers working as facilitators and coaches.

Newton’s Apple’s goal is to provide you with sound activities

that will supplement your curriculum and help you integratetechnology into your classroom. The activities have been field

tested by a cross section of teachers from around the country.Some of the activities are more basic; other activities are more

challenging. We don’t expect that every teacher will use everyactivity. You choose the ones you need for your educational

objectives.

Drawing from material shown onpublic television’s Emmy-award-winning science series, the multimediacollection covers a wide variety oftopics in earth and space science,physical science, life science, andhealth. Each module of the Newton’sApple Multimedia Collection contains aCD-ROM, a printed Teacher’sGuide, a video with two Newton’sApple ® segments and a scientist profile,and a tutorial video.

The Teacher’s Guide provides threeinquiry-based activities for each of thetopics, background information,assessment, and a bibliography ofadditional resources.

The CD-ROM holds a wealth ofinformation that you and yourstudents can use to enhance sciencelearning. Here’s what you’ll find onthe CD-ROM:

● two full video segments fromNewton’s Apple

● additional visual resources for eachof the Newton’s Apple topics

● background information on eachtopic

● a video profile of a living scientistworking in a field related to theNewton’s Apple segments

● an Adobe Acrobat ® file containingthe teacher’s manual along withstudent reproducibles

● UGather ® and UPresent ® soft-ware that allows you and yourstudents to create multimediapresentations

● QuickTime ® 3.0, QuickTime ® 3Pro, and Adobe Acrobat® Reader3.0 installers in case you need toupdate your current software

4 — Introduction

Teacher’sGuideWe suggest you take a few minutes to lookthrough this Teacher’s Guide to familiarizeyourself with its features.

Each lesson follows the same format. The firstpage provides an overview of the activity,learning objectives, a list of materials, and aglossary of important terms. The next twopages present a lesson plan in three parts:ENGAGE, EXPLORE, and EVALUATE.

● ENGAGE presents discussion questions to getthe students involved in the topic. Videoclips from the Newton’s Apple segment areintegrated into this section of the lesson.

● EXPLORE gives you the information youneed to facilitate the student activity.

● EVALUATE provides questions for the stu-dents to think about following the activity.Many of the activities in the collection areopen-ended and provide excellent opportu-nities for performance assessment.

GUIDE ON THE SIDE and TRY THIS are featuresthat provide classroom management tips forthe activity and extension activities.

Using the CD-ROMUsing the CD-ROMUsing the CD-ROMUsing the CD-ROMUsing the CD-ROMWhen you run the Newton’s Apple CD-ROM,you will find a main menu screen that allowsyou to choose either of the two Newton’s Appletopics or the scientist profile. Simply click onone of the pictures to bring up the menu forthat topic.

Once you have chosen your topic, use thenavigation buttons down the left side of thescreen to choose the information you want todisplay.

The Background button brings up a shortessay that reviews the basic science conceptsof the topic. This is the same essay that is in theTeacher’s Guide.

Main Menu

Topic Menu


PlaPlaPlaPlaPlaying the Videoying the Videoying the Videoying the Videoying the VideoThe Video button allows you to chooseseveral different clips from the video seg-ment. We have selected short video clips tocomplement active classroom discussionsand promote independent thinking andinquiry. Each video begins with a shortintroduction to the subject that asks severalquestions. These introductory clips canspark discussion at the beginning of thelesson. The Teacher’s Guide for eachactivity presents specific strategies that willhelp you engage your students beforeshowing the video. Each of the individualclips are used with the lesson plans for theactivities. The lesson plan identifies whichclip to play with each activity.

Once you select a video and it loads, you’llsee the first frame of the video segment.The video must be started with the arrow atthe left end of the scroll bar. As you playthe video, you can pause, reverse, oradvance to any part of the video with thescroll bar. You can return to the Clips Menuby clicking on the Video button.

MultimediaToolsThe Newton’s Apple staff has designed aproduct that is flexible, so that you canuse it in many different ways. All ofthe video clips used in the program areavailable for you to use outside theprogram. You may combine them withother resources to create your ownmultimedia presentations. You willfind all the video clips in folders on theCD-ROM. You may use these clips forclassroom use only. They may not berepackaged and sold in any form.

You will also find a folder forUGather™ and UPresent™. These twopieces of software were developed bythe University of Minnesota. Theyallow you to create and store multime-dia presentations. All of the informa-tion for installing and using the soft-ware can be found in the folder. Thereis an Adobe Acrobat® file that allowsyou to read or print the entire user’smanual for the software. We hope youwill use these valuable tools to enhanceyour teaching. Students may also wishto use the software to create presenta-tions or other projects for the class.

Video Menu

IntegraIntegraIntegraIntegraIntegratingtingtingtingting

MultimediaMultimediaMultimediaMultimediaMultimedia

We suggest that you have the CD-ROMloaded and the program running beforeclass. Select the video and allow it to load.The video usually loads within a couple ofseconds, but we recommend pre-loadingit to save time.

All of the video segments are captioned inEnglish. The captions appear in a box atthe bottom of the video window. You canchoose to play the clips in either Englishor Spanish by clicking one of the buttonsat the bottom right of the screen. (You canalso choose Spanish or Englishsoundtracks for the scientist profile.)

The Resources button provides you withfour additional resources. There areadditional video clips, charts, graphs, slideshows, and graphics to help you teachthe science content of the unit.

The other navigation buttons on the leftside of the window allow you to go backto the Main Menu or to exit the program.

TechnicalInformationRefer to the notes on the CD-ROM casefor information concerning system re-quirements. Directions for installing andrunning the program are also providedthere.

Make sure you have the most currentversions of QuickTime® and AdobeAcrobat® Reader installed on your harddrive. The installation programs forQuickTime 3, QuickTime Pro, andAcrobat Reader 3.0 can be found on theCD-ROM. Double-click on the iconsand follow the instructions for installa-tion. We recommend installing theseapplications before running the Newton’sApple Multimedia program.

TroubleShootingThere are several Read-Me files on theCD-ROM. The information found therecovers most of the problems that youmight encounter while using the pro-gram.

6 — Introduction

Resources Menu


Roller CoastersTeacher’s Guide

More InformationThemes and Concepts! centripetal force! gravity! models! potential and kinetic energy! systems and interactions

National Science Education StandardsContent Standard A: Students should develop abilities necessary to doscientific inquiry.Content Standard B: Students should develop an understanding oftransfer of energy.Content Standard B: Students should develop an understanding ofmotions and forcesContent Standard E: Students should develop an understanding oftechnological design.

Activities1. The Ups and Downs—approx. 10 min. prep; 40 min. class time.What causes the “weightless” feeling on roller coasters? Discover theanswer by experimenting with falling objects.

2. Around and Around—approx. 15 min. prep; 50 min. class time.How can you measure the forces that push you into the sides of a rollercoaster car when it turns? Find out about the effects of centripetal force inthis activity.

3. Fun Energy! —approx. 15 min. prep; 50 min. class time.Why is the first hill of a roller coaster always so high? Test a car on aminiature track and find out.

It’s All Downhillfrom Here

InternetNewton’s Applehttp://www.ktca.org/newtons(The official Newton’s Apple web sitewith information on the television showa searchable database of scienceactivities.)

RollerCoaster.comhttp://www.rollercoaster.com(The one stop source on anything to dowith roller coasters.)

Roller Coaster Pictures and Videos -European Coaster Club.http://www.dialspace.dial.pipes.com/ecc/pictures(Nice site with videos that let you “ride”a coaster on the web.)

Roller Coaster Database.http://www.rcdb.com(Look up any question you have aboutroller coasters.)

Ultimate Roller Coasterhttp://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com(A good place to go for information onyour favorite roller coasters.)

Internet Search Wordsroller coasteramusement park ridespotential energykinetic energycentripetal forcecentrifugal force

Why do your insides feel strange when you ride ona roller coaster? Why do you slam into the side ofthe roller coaster car during turns? How do rollercoaster cars stay on the track during the ride? Whydo roller coaster rides always start with a big hill?

Roller Coasters

8 — Roller Coasters

BackgroundBooks and ArticlesGonick, L., and A. Huffman. The CartoonGuide to Physics. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1991.

Reynolds, Robert. Are You Chicken? ACoward’s Guide to Roller Coasters.Jupiter, FL: Northern Lights Publishing,1997.

Schafer, Mike, and Scott Rutherford.Roller Coasters. Osceola, WI:Motorbooks International, 1998.

Urbanowitz, Steven J. The RollerCoaster Lover’s Companion. New York,NY: Citadel Press, 1997.

Community Resourceslocal college or university physics

departmentlocal amusement park

OrganizationAmerican Coaster Enthusiasts5800 Foxridge Drive - Suite 115Mission, KS 66202-2333(913) 262-4512

Ever ride on a roller coaster? Remember that initial steep ascent, the bigplunge, a sudden 90-degree turn, and clacking down the tracks atbreakneck speeds? Why the big hill, the dips, the turns? Physics. Rollercoasters take advantage of many principles of physics in that thrilling ride.

How does it work? To move a roller coaster to the top of the first hill, themechanical energy of the lift chain is converted into gravitational potentialenergy of the roller coaster. This stored energy is then converted to kineticenergy (energy of motion) as the roller coaster screams down the track.Each time the roller coaster rises, kinetic energy is converted into potentialenergy. Because of the loss of energy due to friction and air resistance, theroller coaster can never again reach the same height as it did on the first hill.

During the course of the ride, passengers are pummeled in all directions,caused by the interaction with different forces. The force of gravity isalways directed downward. In addition, whenever roller coasters move in acircle, there must be an inwardly directed force that constantly changes itsdirection. We call this center-seeking force “centripetal force.” Many peopleincorrectly call centripetal force “centrifugal force,” which means “centerfleeing.” This fleeing feeling results when a person in a moving system turns.The mass of the person wants to move in a straight line. This tendencyfeels like a force pushing the person out.

The interaction of gravity and centripetal force cause the organs in your ribcage to feel strange. These organs are attached to the rib cage withsupporting tissues that behave much like springs as they stretch and contractin response to changes in motion. These forces, added together, produce azero net force, and you experience apparent weightlessness. This unnaturalfeeling of being temporarily “weightless” is the cause of the upset-stomachfeeling.

Part of the fear in riding a roller coaster is our concern for safety. Most ofus ask, if only to ourselves, “Is this contraption safe?” Industry standardsstate that all amusement park rides must be checked at least once a day forsafety defects. Some parks complete two inspections per day. During thesedaily inspections, engineers walk the entire track looking for defects in thestructure of the ride. Periodically, the welded joints of steel roller coastersare X-rayed to check for weakened or cracked joints. These welds mustmeet strict national welding standards. Inspectors also perform non-destructive tests on the wheels and axles that hold and guide the cars on thetrack.

Roller coaster science may be interesting, but the real fun is riding them.


Video Segments

Video & Stills

Multimedia Resources

Introduction00:00 to 00:30— The Newton’s Apple kids visit a rollercoaster and wonder why some people get sick riding it.(30 sec.)

Video Clip 100:42 to 02:05— Peggy Knapp learns from physicsteacher Don Rathjen how a change in momentum canmake you feel sick. (1 min. 23 sec.)

Video Clip 303:04 to 03:42— Peggy Knapp finds out that the feelingshe experiences as the coaster takes a turn is caused bycentripetal force. (38 sec.)

Video Clip 202:06 to 03:03— Peggy Knapp learns why peopleriding a roller coaster experience different sensations ofweight at the top and at the bottom of a hill. (57 sec.)

Video Clip 403:57 to 06:02— Peggy Knapp learns how rollercoaster designers apply the ups and downs of potentialand kinetic energy. (2 min. 4 sec.)

Button AIllustration: Forces at work in a loop.

Button BSlide Show: What keeps a roller coaster from fallingbackwards on the first hill?

Button CAnimation: Energy transfer during a roller coaster rideon a frictionless track.

Button DVideo: Newton’s Apple host Dave Huddleston findsout how coaster designers test their creations.

Unit Assessment Answer KeyThe Unit assessment on the following page covers the basic concepts presented in the Newton’s Apple video segmentand the Background section in this guide. The Unit Assessment may be used as a pre- or post-test. The assessmentdoes not require completing all of the activities. However, students should view the complete Newton’s Apple videobefore doing this assessment. There is additional assessment at the end of each activity.Think about it1. No. At the top of the first hill the roller coastercontains the total amount of gravitational potentialenergy available to it. The roller coaster then works onthe law of conservation of energy which does notallow for the coaster to gain extra energy to get up alarger hill.

2. Gravity gives the roller coaster its potential energy atthe top of every hill. Gravity pulls the roller coasterdownward, providing kinetic energy. The exchangesbetween potential and kinetic energy keep the carsmoving. Gravity, air resistance, and friction eventuallyslow the roller coaster down.

3. Inertia. Your body wants to keep moving down in astraight line. As the roller coaster pulls up, your bodystill wants to go down, so you’ll feel pressed into theseat.

4. Unless additional mechanical energy is applied to thesystem, the first hill must be the highest.

5. A g-force is the measure of Earth’s gravitational pullon an object. Too much pull could seriously injure apassenger.

What would you say?6. b 7. d 8. a 9. b 10. c

Unit Assessment


What do you know aboutRoller Coasters?

Write the answers to these questions in your journal or on a separate piece of paper.

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Think about it1. Will a roller coaster be able to make it up a second hillthat’s higher than the first? Explain.

2. What force keeps a roller coaster moving along thetrack after the it climbs the first hill? What will slow itdown?

3. Why do you feel “pressed down” just as a rollercoaster starts to move up the next hill?

4. If you were to build your own roller coaster wherewould you place your tallest hill? Explain.

5. Why do you think it’s important to measure the g-forces on a roller coaster ride?

What would you say?What would you say?6. As a roller coaster travels down the first hill there is atransfer of energy from___a. mechanical energy to potential energy.b. potential energy to kinetic energy.c. kinetic energy to potential energy.d. potential energy to mechanical.

7. When going through a turn, what is the inwardlydirected force that directs you and the roller coaster intothe turn?a. centrifugal forceb. g-forcec. gravitational forced. centripetal force

8. As you go through a turn in a roller coaster the carturns to the right and your body moves to the left, this isan example of___a. inertia.b. gravity.c. air resistance.d. rotation.

9. When experiencing three Gs on a roller coaster, yourbody is feeling ____a. weightlessness.b. three times the Earth’s gravitational pull.c. the speed of sound.d. centripetal force.

10. While the roller coaster is in motion, the total energyof the system will___a. increase.b. stay the same.c. decrease.d. none of the above


Activity 1

Getting Ready Important Terms

The Ups and DownsWhy do your insides feel strange when you’re riding on a roller coaster? Why doyou feel as though you weigh more at the bottom of the hill than you do at the top?What is happening to give you that sensation? What does it really mean to haveweight?

OverviewStudents learn about some of the forces at work on a roller coaster,then explore the concept of weightlessness by observing a cup filledwith water dropping through the air.

ObjectivesAfter completing this activity, students will be able to—! describe why passengers on roller coasters feel weightless during

parts of a roller coaster ride! build devices to study apparent weightlessness! explain the difference between weightlessness and apparent

weightlessness

Time NeededPreparation: Approx. 10 min.Classroom: Approx. 40 min.

MaterialsEach team of students:!!!!! 2 paper or Styrofoam cups!!!!! 2 long rubber bands!!!!! 2 washers or coins!!!!! large container in which to catch water (e.g., a bucket or a sink)!!!!! masking tape!!!!! water!!!!! pencil!!!!! large paper clip!!!!! paper towels or sponges for cleaning up

apparent weightlessness—The feelingof weightlessness when falling towardor around the earth.

free fall—The motion of an object whenacted upon by gravitational forces only.

newton—The international standardunit of force; 1 newton (N) is the forcethat will give an object of mass (1kilogram) an acceleration of 1 meter persecond squared.

weightlessness—A condition whereinapparent gravitational pull is lacking.

Roller CoastersHere’s How

Preparation! Set up the computer to play the CD-ROM (or set up the VCR and

cue the tape).! Gather the necessary materials for the student experiments.! Make copies of Activity Sheet 1 for each student.! Review the Background information on page 8.

Guide on the Side


Video Clip 100:42 to 02:05—Peggy Knapp learns

from physics teacher Don Rathjen howa change in momentum can make you

feel sick. (1 min. 20 sec.)

Video Clip 202:06 to 03:03—Peggy Knapp learns

why people riding a roller coasterexperience different sensations of

weight at the top and at the bottom of ahill. (57 sec.)

Engage (Approx. 10 min.)Have students recall the physical sensations of swinging in a swing orplaying on a teeter totter. What do they remember? If possible, go to aplayground and experience these simple motions. Compare this experiencewith the physical sensations of sitting in a chair, without motion. Play VideoClip 1 [00:42 to 02:05] and discuss the clip with the class.

Ask students if they have ever been on a roller coaster. What differences infeelings were experienced on a roller coaster compared to sitting in theirchairs at school or on a swing at a playground? Discuss student responses.

Ask students if there was any part of the ride on the roller coaster in whichthey felt weightless. Can they explain why they might have felt this way?(Accept all answers.)

Watch Video Clip 2 [02:06 to 03:03] that deals with weightless or weightedfeelings. Encourage students to identify parts of the roller coaster ridewhere they might feel weightless. After watching the video, as a class discussthe effects produced by different parts of the ride.

! You may wish to begin the lessonby viewing the Introduction from theVideo Menu on the CD-ROM [00:00 to00:30]. Find out what studentsalready know about roller coasters.

!!!!! If you have access to a camcorder,you may wish to videotape thedropping experiments and play themback in slow motion so students canmore closely observe what happens.

!!!!! Try this activity several times onyour own before you do it with theclass. You may have to experimentuntil you find the right size of rubberbands to balance the coins.

!!!!! Students should perform eachsection of the activity several times inorder to accurately observe theresults.

!!!!! If it is appropriate, you may wish toview the entire Newton’s Applesegment on roller coasters aftercompleting the activity.


Activity 1

Visit an amusement park or aplayground. Design and conductexperiments using the rides or theplayground equipment. (Note: Whatexperiments was Peggy conducting?What equipment did she need toconduct them? Which rides or pieces ofplayground equipment would be goodfor conducting similar tests?)

When and where was the first rollercoaster made? Who made it? Where isthe largest roller coaster in the world?The fastest? Design a roller coastermap of the United States and of theworld. Display the map on the bulletinboard.

Try ThisExplore (Approx. 30 min.)Show students a cup that has water in it. What will happen if you punchholes in the cup? What if you punch holes in the sides of the cup and let itfree fall into a bucket? Will the water come out of the holes? Why or whynot? Have students predict what will happen and why. Tell students theywill find out for themselves by conducting a couple of experiments.

Organize students into small teams and distribute Activity Sheet 1. Showstudents examples of what they will build (see illustrations on the ActivitySheet). Explain that in the coin-and-rubber-band activity, the rubber bandssupply the upward support force, just as the chair or floor does when aperson is sitting or standing. The force of gravity supplies the downwardforce. When the cup is held stationary, the two forces cancel out. (Duringthe experiment students will discover that when the cup falls, the forces areno longer balanced, and the coins are pulled into the cup by the rubberbands.)

Have students complete the experiments by following the directions on theActivity Sheet. Point out that they must follow directions carefully in orderto observe the effects of falling objects. Also, make sure they do thesecond part of the investigation over a bucket or even outdoors, ifpossible. They should observe that when the cup is falling, no water comesout. The same is true for the cup with the holes punched in the sides.

After finishing the activity, discuss students’ findings.

Evaluate1. Poke a hole the size of a dime in the bottom of a paper cup. Cover thehole with your finger and fill the cup with sand. Since the sand is heavierthan the water used in the activity, do you expect a different outcome whenyou drop it? Explain what you expect and why. Drop the cup full of sand.If your prediction was not correct, explain why.

2. You are standing on a bathroom scale on a platform 30 meters abovethe ground. Suddenly, a trap-door opens beneath you. You and thebathroom scale begin to fall. As you fall, does the reading on the scaleshow a change in weight? If so, what? Explain your answer. (It appearsthat you are weightless because the scale is falling as fast as you are and istherefore unable to register your weight.)

3. As astronauts orbit the earth, they float freely in their spacecraft. Is thisbecause they are weightless? (No, they still weigh nearly what they do on thesurface of the earth. However, the centripetal force of the orbit balancesthe force of gravity, so the astronauts feel weightless.)

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14 —Roller Coasters Copyright © Twin Cities Public Television & GPN. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

HoHoHoHoHow to do itw to do itw to do itw to do itw to do it

Part 1

Tie two rubber bands together to make one long rubber band. Tape each endto a washer or coin. Bore a hole the diameter of a pencil through the bottomof the paper cup. Pull the center knot of the rubber bands through the holeand attach a paper clip. Hang the washers or coins over the cup as in theillustration. Drop the cup from a height of 2 meters (about 6 feet).

Part 2

Remove the rubber bands. Place your finger over the hole and fill the cup 3/4 fullof water. Hold the cup over a bucket or sink. Drop the cup.

Part 3

Take a second cup and poke two holes on opposite sidesnear the bottom. Place a finger and thumb over the holes

and fill the cup with water. Drop the cup. Watch thewater near the holes very carefully.

Activity Sheet 1

WhaWhaWhaWhaWhat you’re going to dot you’re going to dot you’re going to dot you’re going to dot you’re going to do

You’re going to explore the effects of “weightlessness” on falling objects.

Name ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Class Period _______________________________________________________

RecorRecorRecorRecorRecording your dading your dading your dading your dading your datatatatata

In your journal, record your observations foreach part of the activity. Include informationabout how far the object fell and exactly whatyou observed with each trial.

WhaWhaWhaWhaWhat did you find out?t did you find out?t did you find out?t did you find out?t did you find out?

Part 1What happens to the washers?How can this be explained?

Part 2What happens to the water as the cup falls?How can this be explained?

Part 3What happens to the water as the cup falls?How can this be explained?


Activity 2Around and Around

Getting Ready

On a roller coaster, why do passengers get pushed into the sides of the cars duringturns? How are roller coaster cars kept on the track? During a washing machine’sspin cycle, clothes are pushed into the sides of the drum, just as during a turn on aroller coaster ride, passengers are pushed into the sides of the cars. The reason?Centripetal force, the focus of this activity.

OverviewStudents will learn the differences between centripetal (center-seeking)and centrifugal (center fleeing) forces. They then apply this knowledge asthey explore how centripetal force can make time fly!

ObjectivesAfter completing this activity, students will be able to—! describe how the concept of centripetal force can be used to explain

the motion of roller coasters! coasters and riders moving through loops and turns! compare the rate of rotation and centripetal forces exerted on turning

objects! explain the difference between centripetal and centrifugal force

Time NeededPreparation: Approx. 15 min.Classroom: Approx 50 min.

MaterialsFor the teacher :!!!!! marble!!!!! embroidery hoop or the lid from a plastic tub of ice cream!!!!! embroidery hoop cut in half or an ice-cream-tub lid cut in half!!!!! overhead projector

Each team of students:!!!!! 3-minute, hour-glass-shaped egg timer filled with sand!!!!! stopwatch!!!!! plastic cup half filled with water!!!!! piece of string 50 cm (20”) long

axis—An imaginary straight line aroundwhich rotation takes place.

centrifugal force—A force experiencedby objects moving in a circle(Centrifugal means “center-fleeing.” It isdue to the tendency of matter to move ina straight line.)

centripetal force—An inwardlydirected force that causes an object tomove in a circle; measured in newtons.

inertia—An object’s tendency to remainin its condition of rest or motion

Important Terms

16 —Roller Coasters


Guide on the Side



Video Clip 303:04 to 03:42— Peggy Knapp finds

out that the feeling she experiences asthe coaster takes a turn is caused by

centripetal force. (38 sec.)

Engage (Approx. 15 min)Ask students what it might feel like to be a piece of clothing in a washingmachine during the spin cycle. Explain that similar sensations areexperienced when you are in a car that is going around a sharp turn. Thefeeling of being pushed outward is the body’s mass attempting to continuemoving in a straight line (centrifugal force). As the car turns, it pushes/pullsthe passenger around the turn. This center-seeking push is “centripetalforce.”

Explain to students that centripetal force is one of the most misunderstoodconcepts of physics. Most people incorrectly call this “centrifugal force,”which means “center-fleeing.” A body moving in a straight line wants tocontinue in a straight line and not turn, even when the vehicle its riding indoes turn. Centrifugal force is the feeling of being pushed out that is feltwhen you are forced to turn. Because of inertia, your body mass wants tomove in a straight line so your body feels like it is being pushed out when itis actually being pushed in.

Play Video Clip 3 [03:04 to 03:42]. Discuss the clip briefly with students.

Place the full embroidery hoop on the overhead projector and roll themarble on the inside of the hoop. Ask, “What causes the marble to movein a circle?” (the rim of the hoop) Then ask, “What is the direction of thisforce?”(towards the center)

Then, place the half ring and marble on the overhead projector. Havestudents predict what direction the marble will move when it reaches theend of the ring. Roll the marble on the inside of the half ring. Discuss theresults with the students. (The full hoop supplies the inwardly directed forceto turn the marble in the circle. Once the force is removed, as with the halfring, the marble rolls in a straight line because of its inertia. If the mass ofthe roller coaster car were not pushed in the direction of the turn, it toowould move in a straight line.) Tell students that they are going to explorethis concept further.

! You may wish to begin the lessonby viewing the Introduction from theVideo Menu on the CD-ROM [00:00to 00:30]. Find out what studentsalready know about roller coasters.

! SAFETY NOTE: Conduct theseexperiments under safe conditions.Students should stand back whentheir classmates are swinging theitems. Wear safety goggles.

! Make sure students try to controlthe variables when they are measur-ing the time it takes for the egg timerto empty when spinning.

! Suggest that the egg timerexperiment be run several times toverify the data. Students may want toaverage the results of three or fourtrials.



Activity 2Try ThisExplore (Approx. 35 min.)

Part 1Organize students into teams and distribute Activity Sheet 2.

Have students observe their egg timers as the sand flows from one end tothe other. How long does it take to drain the timer?

Discuss the forces acting on the timer when it is swung around in circles.How are they similar to the forces acting on passengers as they go throughthe turns on a roller coaster ride? (two to three times the force of gravity)

Part 2Ask students what happens if you turn a bucket of water over. (Theanswer is likely to be something like, “You get wet feet.”) Students knowthat gravity will make sure the water falls out. But what if the bucket isbeing swirled at the end of a rope? What happens to the water then?

Have students prepare for the activity by filling the plastic cup half full ofwater. Tie the string through the two holes like a handle on a bucket. Havestudents conduct the experiments.

After the students have conducted their experiments, as a class, discuss theactivity. How can the students explain their findings?

Evaluate1. Assume you are sitting on the edge of a fast-moving merry-go-round.All of a sudden, you fall off. What happened? Which direction did you go?Explain your reasoning. Use models or illustrations to help you explainyour reasoning.

2. Skateboards and cyclists often ride up nearly vertical walls using “peoplepower” to propel themselves. How is it possible for these athletes do this?Refer to the Video Index and watch the Skateboarders clip and describethe relationship between the skateboarder, the skateboard and the wall.(The wall supplies the inwardly directed force to turn the vehicle. Theathlete feels as though he or she is moving in a straight line.)

3. When a roller coaster makes a turn, does the seat harness provide youwith a centripetal force or a centrifugal force? (centripetal force) What forcedo you exert on the seat? (centrifugal force)

Create a bulletin-board display ofobjects that move in circles (wheels,toys, equipment, rides). Add illustrationsto show the direction of the forces atwork.

Design and build a toy, a tool, or a workof art that incorporates centripetal-forcedesign. Share your creation with othersand explain how it works.

Copyright © Twin Cities Public Television & GPN. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.18 —Roller Coasters

Name ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Class Period _______________________________________________________

Activity Sheet 2

AAAAArrrrround and Aound and Aound and Aound and Aound and Arrrrroundoundoundoundound


You are going to explore centripetal force and how it affects objects that are revolving around an axis.You find out if time really flies!


SAFETY NOTE: Conduct these experiments under safe conditions. Standback when your classmates are swinging the items. Wear safety goggles.

Part 1Part 1Part 1Part 1Part 1

1.1.1.1.1. Place the egg timer on a table and use a stopwatch to time the flow ofsand from one end of the timer to the other. Time it three or four times tomake sure your timings are accurate. You may want to average the differenttrials. How long does it take for all of the sand to empty into the other half?

2.2.2.2.2. Tie the string to the end of the egg timer that contains the sand. Predict howlong it will take for the timer to empty when it is twirled at the end of the string.Record your predictions.

3.3.3.3.3. Twirl the timer around in circles above your head or in front of you at a rate ofabout 20 revolutions per minute. Find out how long it takes to empty the timer. Youshould perform several trials to make sure your timings are accurate. You may wantto average the results of several trials.

Part 2Part 2Part 2Part 2Part 2

1.1.1.1.1. What will happen if you swing a cup of water in a circle from your feet to above your head?

2.2.2.2.2. Predict what will happen to the water if you twirl it above your head.

3.3.3.3.3. Try it! Twirl the cup. Record your observations.

RecorRecorRecorRecorRecording Yding Yding Yding Yding Your Daour Daour Daour Daour Datatatatata

In your journal, record the results of each trial for each experiment. Record your predictions and thetimes of each trial in part one and write down any observations you may have.


Is there a difference in sand flow between a stationary timer and a twirling timer? Explain.

What happened when the cup of water was twirled? How do you account for what you observed?

Compare your results with other groups. What might account for any differences?


Activity 3

Important Terms

Fun Energy!

Getting Ready

Where do roller coasters get the energy to make it up that first hill? Why is the firsthill so high? Why can’t the second or third hills be any higher than the first?

OverviewIn this activity, students learn how roller coasters take advantage ofconservation of energy, gravity, and mechanical, potential and kineticenergy. Students explore how friction and the various forms of energycome into play by experimenting with a toy car on a miniature track.

ObjectivesAfter completing this activity, students will be able to—!!!!! explain how roller coasters use various forms of energy and

conservation of energy to move along the track!!!!! measure the gravitational potential energy supplied to a miniature car

as it moves along a track!!!!! give examples of mechanical, potential and kinetic energy.

Time NeededPreparation: Approx. 15 min.Classroom: Approx. 50 min.

MaterialsFor the teacher :!!!!! heavy book!!!!! meter stick!!!!! pencil!!!!! board eraser!!!!! table top

Each team of students:!!!!! miniature car and track!!!!! meter stick!!!!! boards!!!!! C-clamps!!!!! tape

energy—the capacity of an object or asystem to do work (e.g., wind turning awindmill creates electricity)

gravitational potential energy—thestored energy of an object due to theposition of the object relative to thesurface of the earth

kinetic energy—energy of motion

law of conservation of energy—energycannot be created or destroyed; it maybe transformed from one form intoanother, but the total amount of energynever changes

potential energy—energy stored in anobject as a result of a change in itsposition; energy of position

20 — Roller Coaster




Guide on the Side

Video Clip 403:57 to 06:02— Peggy Knapp learnshow roller coaster designers apply theups and downs of potential and kinetic

energy. (2 min. 4 sec.)

Engage (Approx. 15 min.)Discuss the different forms of energy that are defined and described in theImportant Terms section of the lesson. Encourage students to define themin their own words and give examples. Ask them to watch for the differentforms of energy when you replay the video segment.

Show Video Clip 4 [03:57 to 06:02]. After watching the clip discuss whatthey saw. Roller coasters are great examples of conservation of energy.Initially, an external source of energy pulls the cars up the first hill, but asthe cars rise, this energy is converted into gravitational potential energy. Atthe top of this first hill, the maximum gravitational potential energy isreached and the chain that pulled the roller coaster to the top is released. Asthe cars go over the top and down the hill, this potential energy isconverted into kinetic energy. During the rest of the ride, conservation ofenergy allows the roller coaster to move up and down the track. Frictionand wind drag help slow the roller coaster, and mechanical brakeseventually bring it to a stop.

Write these questions on the board. Tell students that you are going to showthe video clip again and then discuss their answers to the questions.

1. What type of energy change takes place as the roller coaster is lifted upthe first hill? (mechanical energy)

2. Why can the roller coaster not go any higher than the first hill? (becausethe first hill supplies the maximum initial potential energy to the coaster)

3. What factors affecting the total energy must be balanced when designinga roller coaster ride? (friction, air resistance, gravity, safety)

Discuss students’ answers as a class.

Next perform the following demonstration for the class. (See illustration.)Place a heavy book on a table top, and place a meter stick on the floor infront of the table, so that when the book is pushed off the table, the bookwill land on the end of the ruler. Place a pencil under the meter stick one-third the distance from the end of the meter stick where the book willland. Place an eraser on the other end of the meter stick. Push the bookoff the table and let it fall on the stick.

! You may wish to begin the lessonby viewing the Introduction from theVideo Menu on the CD-ROM [00:00 to00:30]. Find out what studentsalready know about roller coasters.

!!!!! Remind students the track shouldbe taped down to the table to ensurethat there is no loss of energybecause of track movement.

!!!!! Many of your students may haveHot Wheels™ cars and track that theycould bring to use in this activity.

!!!!! You may need to help somegroups with the calculations. Reviewhow to calculate an average (mean)and how to use formulas.



Activity 3Try This

Ask students to explain what happened, using the terms potential andkinetic energy. Break the events up into parts. Have students decide whichform of energy is affecting each part of the event. (When the book is onthe table top, it has potential energy. As the book falls, its potential energy isconverted to kinetic energy of motion. When the book strikes the stick,some of the book’s kinetic energy is given to the stick and then the stickgives kinetic energy to the eraser.)

Explore (Approx. 35 min.)Tell students that they will get a chance to experiment with potential andkinetic energy by playing with a toy.

Organize students into teams and distribute Activity Sheet 3. Beforestudents begin, explain that the gravitational potential energy of the cardepends on both the height of the track and the mass of the car. Show,with an example, the calculation of the percent of energy loss due to thefriction of the car on the track. For example: 100 cm (beginning height)minus 90 cm (ending height) equals 10 cm. 10 cm. divided by 100 cm.equals 10% loss due to friction.

After all groups have completed the activity discuss their results.

Evaluate1. On the earth, roller coasters rely on gravity to power the cars from thetop of the first hill to the end of the ride. How would a roller coaster bepowered if gravity were not available? Design a roller-coaster-like ride thatwould not rely on gravity. Explain how the ride would work and describethe sensations the riders would experience.

2. Roller coasters make use of many different types of energy. Explain theroles of mechanical, potential and kinetic energy in the workings of a rollercoaster. (Mechanical energy is used to pull the coaster up a high hill. Thiscreates potential energy. As the coaster begins down the hill, the potentialenergy is converted to kinetic energy. As the coaster moves up the next hill,kinetic energy is converted back to potential energy so the process can berepeated.)

3. Roller coasters provide their riders with thrills by going up and down hillafter hill. What kind of thrill would riders get if the third hill on the trackwere higher then the second one? (The coaster train would climb part ofthe way up the hill but would not have enough energy to reach the top.Eventually, the train would begin to roll backwards down the hill.)

Build a twin pendulum to show energytransfer from one pendulum to the next.Place two ring stands about 30 cmapart from each other and tie a piece ofstring horizontally from one stand to theother. Tie two pendulum bobs to thehorizontal swing. Make sure they arethe same height. Carefully pull out thefirst bob and let go. Observe andexplain what happens.


Make a table in your journal similar to the oneshown here. Record your measurements andcalculations.

Trial # ____________

Starting height of the car _______________

Ending height of the car _______________

Calculate the average ending height, by findingthe sum of the trials and dividing by the numberof trials.

Calculate the efficiency of the car and track usingthis formula:

Average ending height ÷ Initial height = Efficiency

5. Calculate the percent of energy loss using thisformula:

(1-Efficiency) x 100 = Percent of energy loss

22 — Roller Coasters Copyright © Twin Cities Public Television & GPN. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

NameNameNameNameName ______________________________________Cl______________________________________Cl______________________________________Cl______________________________________Cl______________________________________ClassPeriodassPeriodassPeriodassPeriodassPeriod _______________________________________________________

Activity Sheet 3

Fun EnerFun EnerFun EnerFun EnerFun Energggggy!y!y!y!y!


You are going to use a toy car and track to explore energy loss on a roller coaster.


Part A

1.1.1.1.1. Set up the toy-car track as shown, making surethat both ends of the track are at the same height.Tape the track to the table or floor to prevent thetrack from moving.

2. Mark the starting point for the car with apiece of tape and record this height. Release thecar and measure the height to which the car riseson the other end of the track.

3. Release the car from the same starting pointthree more times. Record the ending height eachtime.


What would happen to the energy loss of thecar and track system if the track were not tapeddown?

Would the energy loss of the car-and-tracksystem change if you changed the release pointof the track? Try it.

Discuss your results with other groups. Whatmight account for any differences in results?


Teacher’s Guide

More Information

Skydiving

Taking the PlungeHow fast does a skydiver fall? Is there a limit to thevelocity of a skydiver’s freefall? What parts dogravity and air resistance play in skydiving? Howdoes a parachute work to slow a falling object?

Themes and Concepts!!!!! aerodynamics!!!!! air resistance!!!!! gravity!!!!! models!!!!! patterns of change!!!!! technology!!!!! systems and interactions

National Science Education StandardsContent Standard A: Students should develop abilities necessary to doscientific inquiry.Content Standard B: Students should develop an understanding ofmotions and forces.Content Standard E: Students should develop an understanding oftechnological design.

Activities1. Catching Air—approx. 20 min. prep; 2 class periodsHave you ever wondered how a parachute works? Design and test avariety of parachutes to find out.

2. How Fast is Falling?— approx. 15 min. prep; 60 min. class timeDo all objects fall at the same speed? Using a collection of classroomobjects, test the forces of gravity and air resistance to discover the answer.

3. This is a Hold Up— approx. 20 min. prep; 2 class periodsThe cords of a parachute play an important role in parachute safety. Makeyour own cordline system to discover how parachutes work and howskydivers keep all those cords from getting tangled.

InternetNewton’s Applehttp://www.ktca.org/newtons(The official Newton’s Apple web site,with information about the show and asearchable database containinghundreds of science activities.)

United States Parachute Associationhttp://www.uspa.org(Good place to start to learn aboutskydiving with many links to relatedsites.)

SSI Protourhttp://www.ssiprotour.com/fr.html(Contains rules, contests, photos, andvideo covering the world ofprofessional skysurfing and freeflying.)

Article Archive - Skydive!http://www.afn.org/skydive/(Great page that covers nearly alltopics on skydiving.)

Internet Search Wordsskydivingfreefallparachutes

24 — Skydiving

SkydivingBooks and ArticlesArdley, N. The Science Book of Gravity.San Diego, CA: Harcourt BraceJovanovich, 1992.

Bates, J. Parachuting: From Student toSkydiver. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Tab,1990.

FitzSimons, B. Skydiving: A Dictionaryfor the Sport Parachutist. Flint Hill, VA:Fodderstack, 1988.

Community Resourceslocal skydiving clubs

local university physics department

Additional InformationU.S. Parachute Association1440 Duke St.Alexandria, VA 22314

Experimental Aircraft AssociationEAA Aviation CenterOshkosh, WI 54903-3086

BackgroundAlmost everyone has dreamed of flying effortlessly through the air.Skydiving is that dream come true for some people. Skydivinginvolves not only jumping out of a plane thousands of feet abovethe ground, but also “flying” to a desired landing site. Before theirparachutes are deployed, skydivers control their descent speed anddirection by changing their own shapes, falling in a spread-eagleposition or diving head-first. When they open their parachutes, theycontrol their speed and direction by changing the shape of theparachute by pulling on the control lines.

Several factors play important roles in skydiving. Gravity isobviously one of those factors; air resistance is another. Because ofgravity, skydivers with their chutes sealed fall at very high speedstoward the earth. Air resistance pushes against the falling skydiverand opposes the force of gravity. When these two opposing forcescome into balance, the skydiver will not fall any faster. Thismaximum speed of descent is known as the “terminal velocity”; fora skydiver, this is about 200 kilometers per hour (120 mph).

The shape of a falling object is the most important determinant ofvelocity. When a skydiver’s parachute opens, the dramatic increasein the “shape” of the falling skydiver immediately slows the speedof descent to about 8 kilometers per hour (5 mph).

In recent years, the technology of skydiving has changed a greatdeal. The most dramatic changes have been alterations in the designof parachutes, making them safer and easier to use. Old mushroom-shaped parachutes have been replaced by more aerodynamicallyshaped parachutes that allow skydivers to control their directionsand rates of descent. These new designs help prevent accidents byenabling skydivers to steer toward the desired landing sitesthroughout their descents.

The principles involved in skydiving can also be seen in otheractivities. Some race cars, for example, use parachutes to slow theirspeeds at the end of runs. In this case, the canopy creates increasedair resistance to quickly reduce the speed of the car.

Let’s face it, skydiving is something you can really “fall” for!


Video & Stills

Additional Resources

Video SegmentsIntroduction

00:00 to 00:36— The Newton’s Apple kids drop a few waterbombs and pose some questions about falling objects andparachutes. (36 sec.)

Video Clip 100:47 to 01:38— Jumpmaster Sandy Mathewson landsjust in time to teach David Heil the ropes aboutskydiving. (51 sec.)

Video Clip 205:46 to 06:13— David Heil shows the differencebetween old-style round parachutes and today’s modernrectangular canopies. (27 sec.)

Video Clip 302:23 to 03:50— David Heil goes up on the roof withphysicist Jan Dabrowski to get the “drop” on gravity, airresistance, and terminal velocity. (1 min. 27 sec.)

Video Clip 404:07 to 05:46— Sandy Mathewson helps David Heildisassemble a parachute and find out how each partworks. (1 min. 39 sec.)

Button AAnimation: See the force at work during a parachutist’sdescent to the ground.

Button CImage: Skysurfing board

Unit Assessment Answer KeyThe Unit assessment on the following page covers the basic concepts presented in the Newton’s Apple videosegment and the Background section in this guide. The Unit Assessment may be used as a pre- or post-test. Theassessment does not require completing all of the activities. However, students should view the complete Newton’sApple video before doing this assessment. There is additional assessment at the end of each activity.

Think about it1. Answers will vary. Anything a skydiver can do tocreate more air resistance will slow her rate of fall, (i.e.spreading out her body, wearing baggy clothes, etc.)

2. The two people together have more mass and theextra chute helps to keep them more stable in the air.

3. The wing design allows a skydiver to controldirection. The wing design helps to create some liftand also gives the skydiver greater control over thespeed of descent.

4. No. When falling head first the skydiver creates lessair resistance and will therefore achieve a higherterminal velocity.

5. Answers will vary. Skydivers always have twochutes, a main canopy and a reserve chute. Skydiversare trained so that they know what to do inemergencies. They wear protective clothing. Chutes arepacked by registered jump masters. Some chutes areequipped with devices that cause them to openautomatically at a certain altitude.

What would you say?6. d 7. d 8. b 9. c 10. c

Button BSlide Show: Various kinds of parachutes

Button DVideo: See how skydivers control their movement.

26 — Skydiving

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Unit Assessment

What do you know aboutSkydiving?

Write the answers to these questions in your journal or on a separate piece of paper.

Think about it1. What are some things a skydiver can do to slow theirrate of descent?

2. Why do tandem skydivers use an extra chute just afterthey jump from the plane?

3. Why do you think parachutes are now designed like awing of an airplane?

4. Will the terminal velocity be the same between askydiver positioned vertically (head first) to positionedhorizontally (spread eagle)? Explain.

5. What safety precautions do skydivers take to helpensure a safe landing?

What would you say?6. Which object would have the highest terminalvelocity?a. beach ballb. basketballc. baseballd. cannonball

7. How could a skydiver help increase the velocity ofher fall?a. add massb. wear a streamlined suitc. fall feet firstd. all of the above

8. Which part connects the skydiver to the parachute?a. rip cordb. suspension linesc. reserve chuted. canopy

9. If you were skydiving on a planet without anatmosphere what would happen during freefall?a. You would eventually fall at your terminal velocity.b. You would drift slowly to the ground.c. You would continue to accelerate until you hit the

ground.d. You would remain weightless and float, not fall.

10. Which two things are in balance when a skydiverreaches terminal velocity?a. gravity and pressureb. magnetism and weightc. gravity and air resistanced. weight and air pressure


Important Terms

Activity 1Catching Air

What is air resistance? How can air resistance be increased or decreased? Whatare the effects of changes in air resistance on falling objects?

OverviewStudents examine two common parachute designs and brainstorm ideasfor some new ones. Selected designs are refined and constructed byteams of students. Finally, the designs are tested and the results areanalyzed through comparison and discussion.

ObjectivesAfter completing this activity, students will be able to—!!!!! demonstrate a knowledge of the effects of air resistance on falling

objects of various shapes and masses!!!!! construct objects that generate high and low levels of air resistance!!!!! safely land cargo by designing and building a parachute generates a

high level of air resistance

Time NeededPreparation: Approx. 20 min.Classroom: Approx.2 class periods

MaterialsFor each team of students:!!!!! variety of materials for making parachutes (e.g., plastic trash bags,

small paper bags, balloons, tissue paper, string, rope, ribbons, rubberbands, elastic, drinking straws, pencils, wire hangers, etc.)

!!!!! scissors!!!!! tape!!!!! “cargo” (all cargo should be the same size or weight, e.g., a bag of

candy, a chalkboard eraser, or a rubber ball)!!!!! stopwatch or a watch with a second hand

Getting Readyair resistance—the friction that acts onsomething moving through the air

canopy––the cloth portion of aparachute designed to create airresistance

gravity—the force that tends to pull allobjects toward the center of the earth

velocity—the speed and direction of amoving object

Here’s How

28 —Skydiving

Skydiving

Preparation● Set up the computer to play the CD-ROM (or set up the VCR and

cue the tape).● Gather the necessary materials for the student experiments.● Make copies of Activity Sheet 1 for each student.● Review the Background information on page 24.

Video Clip 100:47 to 01:38—Jumpmaster Sandy

Mathewson lands just in time to teachDavid Heil the ropes about skydiving.

(51 sec.)

Video Clip 205:46 to 06:13—David Heil shows the

difference between old-style roundparachutes and today’s modernrectangular canopies. (27 sec.)

Engage (Approx. 15 minutes)Show Video Clip 1 [00:47 to 01:38]. Ask students if they have everwatched skydivers. What did they think? Were they surprised by how slowlythe skydivers glided to the ground after their parachutes opened?

Ask students how parachutes are shaped. Have a couple volunteers drawthe shapes on the board. Show Video Clip 2 [05:46 to 06:13] aboutmodern and old-style parachutes. Discuss the video, replaying it as needed.In what direction were each of the skydivers moving? Were they travelingat the same speed? How was the equipment of each skydiver the same?How was it different?

Brainstorm different parachute designs. Have students draw or sketch theirdesigns on the board and discuss the designs. After brainstorming, organizestudents into teams and distribute Activity Sheet 1. Have each student comeup with a parachute design to construct and test in class.

Explore (Approx. 2 class periods)Using the Activity Sheet, each student should illustrate and refine his or herown parachute design. Team members will then choose one parachutedesign to construct as a team.

After designing and constructing their parachutes, have each team test theparachute’s ability to reduce the effect of gravity on a falling object. Dropeach parachute, complete with attached cargo, from a height such as asecond-story window, the top of a set of bleachers, or a piece ofplayground equipment.

Students should test-drop their parachutes at least four times from thesame height, recording the time it takes from release to contact with theground.

Provide discussion time for students to compare data and explore thecreative construction techniques used by each team. Encourage them todiscuss the design and construction of the different prototypes withmembers of the other teams.

!!!!! You may wish to begin the lessonby viewing the Introduction from theVideo Menu on the CD-ROM [00:00to 00:36]. Find out what studentsalready know about skydiving.

!!!!! SAFETY NOTE: Make sure thetesting environment and testingconditions are safe, and that there isadult supervision.

!!!!! Some groups may have problemsdeciding on which design to choose.Circulate during the activity to helpgroups problem-solve by askingquestions to move them in theappropriate direction.

!!!!! If you are testing the designsoutside, wait for a calm day.

!!!!! You may wish to have students trysome variations such as “whathappens when a parachute does notopen?” Students can wrap theparachute and cargo into a tight ball.They should drop it from the sameheight as the parachute test-drop,and record the time it takes to hit theground. Compare the times with andwithout the parachute open.

!!!!! If it is appropriate, you may wishto view the entire Newton’s Applesegment on skydiving aftercompleting the activity. Students canwatch David Heil complete his firstparachute jump.

Guide on the Side


Activity 1Try ThisEvaluate

1. Design a parachute that will slow the descent of its cargo and deliver itsafely to the ground from a height of 5 meters (15 feet). Before you begindraw a picture of your design and describe how you think it will work.Using available materials, construct your parachute and test it. Explain whathappened and why. Would you change your design?

2. Does changing the shape of a falling object affect its speed? Explainyour answer. Be sure that you discuss the effects of changes in bothhorizontal and vertical shape. (Changes in shape can affect the rate ofdescent. A change in vertical shape, i.e.,streamlining to make it taller, will not affect the rate of descent; however, achange in horizontal shape, i.e., making it wider, will slow the descent. Byincreasing the horizontal surface, air resistance against the falling objectincreases. This causes the falling object to slow down.)

3. Explain how the canopy of the parachute slows the skydiver’s descent.(The canopy slows the skydiver’s descent by providing a large area to catchair and create air resistance.)

Organize an egg-drop competition. Thegoal is to design and construct a cargocarrier and parachute system suitablefor dropping a hard-boiled egg from agiven height without having the eggbreak upon impact. Contact the localnews media for the test drop finals!

Many sources trace the sport ofskydiving back to Chinese cliff jumpers.Through the centuries, a variety oftechnological changes have takenplace. For example, Leonardo da Vincidesigned a pyramid-shaped parachutethat was held open by four woodenpoles. Research the history andevolution of parachutes and skydiving.When were they used? Why were theyused? Create and illustrate a timeline toreport your findings.

NameNameNameNameName Class Period Class Period Class Period Class Period Class Period

Copyright © Twin Cities Public Television & GPN. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.30 — Skydiving

Activity Sheet 1

CaCaCaCaCatching Airtching Airtching Airtching Airtching Air


You and your team are going to choose a parachute design, construct it, and test it.


1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Draw a parachute design of your own. Add notes to explain thedetails of the design, the materials needed and how the features will work.

2. As a team, choose the design you like best. Using the materialsprovided by your teacher, construct an actual model parachute based onthe design. Then test it.

3. Drop your parachute four times from the same height. Time eachdrop for your design. Record and share your data with the other teams tocompare drop-times.


In your journal, record the time from release to touch-down for each trial.Calculate the average drop-time.


What was the most difficult thing about creating your parachute?

What might account for any differences between the different drop timesyou recorded?

Compare your design and average drop time with other groups. Discussthe similarities and differences.


Activity 2

Important Terms

How Fast is Falling?

Getting Ready

What factors influence the effects of gravity? Do all objects fall at the same speed?What is terminal velocity?

OverviewIn this activity, students test-drop a variety of objects that differ in size,shape and mass to explore the forces at work on falling objects. Theyrecord their observations and develop hypotheses. Students test theirunderstanding of these forces by selecting objects and predicting theoutcomes of additional test-drops.

ObjectivesAfter completing this activity, students will be able to—!!!!! accurately predict whether two objects will fall at the same speed

when dropped!!!!! explain the relationship between the mass of an object and the effect

of gravity on that object when it falls!!!!! illustrate the effects of terminal velocity by selecting and dropping

two objects with different masses and aerodynamic shapes

Time NeededPreparation: Approx. 15 minutesClassroom: Approx. 60 minutes

MaterialsFor each team of students:!!!!! collection of non-breakable objects, some that are similar in mass and

shape, some that are different in mass and shape (e.g., golf balls, Ping-Pong balls, feathers, wooden thread spools, plastic thread spools, corkballs, marbles, books, rulers, chalkboard erasers, pipe cleaners,drinking straws, pencils, plastic bags, pieces of paper, etc.)

!!!!! pencil or pen

aerodynamic—the relationship of anobject’s shape to its ability to movethrough the air

air resistance—the friction that acts onsomething moving through the air

terminal velocity—the maximum rate atwhich an object (with a certain shape)can fall; this rate is determined by thefriction created as the object fallsthrough the air

velocity—the speed and direction of amoving object

Here’s How

32 — Skydiving

Skydiving

Preparation! Set up the computer to play the CD-ROM (or set up the VCR andcue the tape).! Gather the necessary materials for the student experiments.! Make copies of Activity Sheet 2 for each student.! Review the Background information on page 24.

Video Clip 302:23 to 03:50—David Heil goes up onthe roof with physicist Jan Dabrowski toget the “drop” on gravity, air resistance,

and terminal velocity. (1 min. 27 sec.)

Engage (Approx. 15 minutes)Begin by telling students that you want to take them on a trip. Tell them toimagine they are standing on the surface of the Moon. Have studentsimagine that they are holding a baseball in their hand and are about to letgo of it. Ask students what will happen to the ball—will it A) pretty muchhang there, floating where it was released; B) fall to the surface; or C)slowly drift upward out into space. Have students write “A,” “B,” or “C”on a slip of paper. Before you share the correct answer, ask for someonewho chose answer A to explain their reasoning. Ask for someone whochose answer C to explain their reasoning. Then ask for someone whochose answer B to give their reason. Answer B is correct, of course,because the Moon has gravity, otherwise how could you stand on thesurface? Gravity is the force that pulls things to the surface of the Earthand the Moon. Tell the students who chose A or C that they aren’t alone.Many people believe that just because you are on the Moon that objectswill be weightless.

Display a collection of objects such as a golf ball, a feather, a Ping-Pongball, a piece of paper, a wooden thread spool, a foam thread spool, a corkball, a marble, or a book and have students predict whether or not theobjects will fall at the same speed.

Ask the students to explain the reasoning behind their predictions. Whichobjects do they think will fall most slowly? Why? Is there one object theythink will fall faster than all the others? Why? Are there certain characteristicsor attributes that determine the speed at which objects will fall?

Explain that a scientist named Galileo proved that except for the effects ofair resistance, all objects, regardless of whether they are heavy or light, fallat the same speed. This is difficult to observe on the Earth because of airresistance, but in special chambers where the air has been pumped out.

Tell students they are going to explore gravity, falling, and air resistance.

! You may wish to begin the lessonby viewing the Introduction from theVideo Menu on the CD-ROM [00:00to 00:36]. Find out what studentsalready know about skydiving.

!!!!! The height from which the objectsare dropped will influence theresults. Use as great a height as ispractical in your situation. Considerdropping the objects from a second-story window, the top of a set ofbleachers or high on a piece ofplayground equipment.

!!!!! Conduct these drop-tests undersafe conditions, and with adultsupervision.

!!!!! If you conduct the test outdoors,try to do in on a day when there islittle or no wind, as wind can greatlyinfluence the results.

!!!!! If it is appropriate, you may wishto view the entire Newton’s Applesegment on skydiving aftercompleting the activity. Students canwatch David Heil complete his firstparachute jump.

Guide on the Side


Try This

Activity 2Explore (Approx. 45 minutes)Organize students into teams to share the responsibilities of selecting itemsfor test-dropping, judging impact times and recording the results on theActivity Sheet.

Encourage students to randomly select a pair of items for each of the firstsix tests. Before dropping the selected items, each team should predict theoutcome of the test-drop.

After students finish the first six test-drops in Part 1, they should completePart 2 on the Activity Sheet, discuss their findings and explain why theythink their predictions were correct or incorrect.

After students have completed the Activity Sheet, encourage teams to shareinformation with the entire class about the items they tested and the resultsthey recorded. How many teams predicted correctly each time? Can theyexplain their successes?

Show Video Clip 3 [02:23 to 03:50] on gravity, air resistance, and terminalvelocity and discuss how the demonstration David saw relates to the teams’findings.

Evaluate1. Pick two non-breakable objects in the classroom that you believe havedifferent terminal velocities. Explain the reasoning behind your choices. Tellwhich one will fall more slowly and why. Drop the objects to test yourprediction. If your prediction was not correct, explain why you think yourprediction was wrong.

2. Demonstrate terminal velocity. Explain how it is different for differentobjects. Include a discussion of the roles of gravity and resistance in yourexplanation. (Demonstrations will vary. Terminal velocity is the maximumspeed at which an object will fall. Gravity is the force that pulls the fallingobject down. Air resistance is the friction generated as the object fallsthrough the air. When the two forces balance each other, terminal velocity isreached and the speed of the moving object does not increase.)

3. The terminal velocity of a skydiver in freefall is approximately 200kilometers per hour. What could you do to increase this speed? Explainyour answer. (To increase that speed, the skydiver would have to increasemass or decrease air resistance. Air resistance could be decreased by achange in the skydiver’s aerodynamic shape, i.e.,., by diving head-firsttoward the ground.)

How does changing aerodynamicshape affect the speed at which objectsfall? Test this question with two lumps ofclay that have the same mass. Do theyfall at the same rate when they have thesame shape? Does changing the shapeof one lump change its rate of descent?What types of changes result in adecreased speed of descent?

Encourage students to investigate therelationship of the individual attributesof the objects being used in the tests.For example, students may want toconsider the mass, surface area andaerodynamics of the objects beingdropped. Which attribute is the mostcritical? Compare how a piece ofcardboard falls when held in a verticalposition (perpendicular to the ground)to when it is dropped from a horizontalposition (parallel to the ground).

Activity Sheet 2

Name __________________________________Name __________________________________Name __________________________________Name __________________________________Name __________________________________ Class Period ____________Class Period ____________Class Period ____________Class Period ____________Class Period ____________

Copyright © Twin Cities Public Television & GPN. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.34 —Skydiving

HoHoHoHoHow Fast is Falling?w Fast is Falling?w Fast is Falling?w Fast is Falling?w Fast is Falling?


Part 1Select pairs of test objects from the class collection. For eachpair predict whether the objects will hit the ground at the sametime or at different times. Check the appropriate box in thechart. Drop the objects from the same height, releasing them atexactly the same time. Record the results of your test in thechart. Repeat the process with a new pair of objects.


What qualities in an object determine its rate of descent?

Test # Object 1 Object 2 Predictionsame time / different time

Part 2Look at the results of your trials. Can you identify a pair of objects that you are certain will hit the groundat the same time? Can you identify a pair of objects that you are certain will hit the ground at differenttimes? Test your predictions.

Test Resultsame time / different time

Object 1 Object 2Prediction

Will hit thefloor at thesame time

Will hit thefloor atdifferent times


Activity 3This is a Hold Up

OverviewIn this activity students construct and test a mechanism for keepingsuspension lines from tangling. After completing their tests, studentsexplore other applications of this technology and consider changes intheir designs.

ObjectivesAfter completing this activity, students will be able to—!!!!! identify the main parts of a parachute and explain their functions!!!!! explain the system of reserve chutes that ensure skydivers’ safety!!!!! demonstrate how suspension lines are packed and deployed to

prevent tangling Time NeededPreparation: Approx. 20 minutesClassroom: Approx. 2 class periods

MaterialsEach pair of students:! variety of materials for making a parachute suspension system (e.g.

plastic trash bags, lightweight string, ribbons, rubber bands, elastic,cardboard, drinking straw, tape, etc.)

!!!!! scissors!!!!! “cargo” (all cargo should be the same size or weight, e.g., a

bag of candy, a chalkboard eraser, or a rubber ball)

Getting Readycanopy—the cloth portion of aparachute designed to create air

resistance deployment—the inflatingor opening of the canopy

reserve chute—spare parachute usedif the main chute does not deployproperly

rip cord—a device that, when pulled,activates the parachute

suspension lines—cords connectingthe canopy to the skydiver

Important Terms

How do parachutes operate? What are the main parts of a parachute? Do skydivershave any control over where they are going to land? What keeps a parachute’ssuspension lines from tangling?

Here’s How

36 —Skydiving


cue the tape.)! Gather the necessary materials for the student experiments.! Make copies of Activity Sheet 3 for each student.! Review the Background information on page 24.

Video Clip 404:07 to 05:46 – Sandy Mathewson

helps David Heil disassemble aparachute and find out how each part

works. (1min. 39 sec.)

Engage (Approx. 10 minutes)As a class, discuss parachutes and parachute construction. Students shouldshare what they know, or what they think they know, about how parachutesare made and how they work. Some questions they might consider are:What is a canopy? What type of cloth is used in the canopy? How is aparachute deployed? What are suspension lines? How do skydivers keepsuspension lines from getting tangled?

Show Video Clip 4 [04:07 to 05:46] and discuss the different parachuteparts: rip cord, pilot chute, suspension lines, canopy, reserve chute andsteering.

Explore (Approx. 40 minutes)Distribute Activity Sheet 3 and have students gather the necessary materials.

Using the Activity Sheets as guides, have pairs of students construct aparachute with a system for keeping and deploying the suspension linestangle-free. There is additional construction information in the Guide onthe Side that some students may need to complete the activity.

Have students test their completed devices by deploying the parachutefrom as high a location as is practical (such as a second-story window, thetop of a set of bleachers or up on a piece of playground equipment).

As a class, discuss what the students learned about parachute technology.Discussion should include problems encountered, discoveries made andsuccesses enjoyed. Also, encourage students to suggest what they might dodifferently next time.

Step 6. Test the release of the suspension lines by deploying the parachute.

!!!!! You may wish to begin the lessonby viewing the Introduction from theVideo Menu on the CD-ROM [00:00 to00:36]. Find out what studentsalready know about skydiving.

!!!!! SAFETY NOTE: Make sure thestudents test their parachutes undersafe conditions and that an adultsupervises this part of the activity.

!!!!! Construction Hints: Step 1:Connect the six suspension lines(string) to the canopy (plastic trashbag) with tape. Step 2: Cut four smallnotches on two opposite sides of thecardboard square. Step 3: Slide alooped end of one of the rubberbands into one of the notches. Pullthe other looped end of that samerubber band into the notch directlyacross from the first notch (seeillustration). Repeat for the rest of therubber bands. Step 4: Poke a holethrough the center of the cardboardsquare and slide the suspensionlines through. Tie the lines to thecargo. Step 5: Bundle the suspensionlines and carefully feed them into therubber band loops. (Watch Video Clip4 again for ideas about packingsuspension lines.)

!!!!! If it is appropriate, you may wish toview the entire Newton’s Applesegment on skydiving aftercompleting the activity. Students canwatch David Heil complete his firstparachute jump.

Guide on the Side

Skydiving


Activity 3Try This

Evaluate1. You are about to open your own parachute-manufacturing company.Draw a picture of your top-of-the-line model. Describe the features thatmake it your best parachute. Explain how each feature works and why youhave included it in your design.

2. Modern parachute designs allow skydivers to have much more controlover the direction in which they travel and the rate at which they descend.Describe these design features. Explain how they work. (Modernparachutes have an airfoil design that allows them to maneuver through theair by steering. To steer, the skydiver pulls on cords attached to the right orleft side of the canopy. Pulling both cords at descent)

3. Many parachutes include reserve chutes. Some even have reserve chutesthat open automatically. When does the automatic reserve chute deploy?Explain why is it important to have one. (When the skydiver has reached apredetermined elevation and his or her rate of descent has not slowed, theautomatic reserve chute deploys. This type of a system is particularlyvaluable for times when a skydiver might be injured or disabled.)

Invite a skydiver or instructor from alocal skydiving club to come to classand talk about the sport. Ask thespeaker to bring along some of theequipment and demonstrate how aparachute is packed.

Fail-safe systems, like an automaticallyreleased safety chute for skydivers, aredesigned to protect people. Similarsystems exist in our homes, schools,cars, buses and elsewhere. Identify oneor two examples of fail-safe systems.Describe how each system works andconsider how that system might beimproved.

Activity Sheet 3

Name_________________________________ Class Period ____________Name_________________________________ Class Period ____________Name_________________________________ Class Period ____________Name_________________________________ Class Period ____________Name_________________________________ Class Period ____________

38 —Skydiving

TTTTThis is a Hold Uphis is a Hold Uphis is a Hold Uphis is a Hold Uphis is a Hold Up


Build a parachute that includes a system for keeping the suspension lines from becoming entangled.


Gather your materials and create your own design!

To help you get started:1. Connect the six suspension lines (string) to the canopy (plastic trash bag) withtape. )

2. Cut four small notches on opposite sides of the cardboard square.

3. Use rubber bands to hold the suspension lines to the cardboard. Remember,the lines have to be held so they don’t tangle but also can be released so theparachute can open. If not . . . splat!

Now, you’re on your own!

RecorRecorRecorRecorRecord your dad your dad your dad your dad your datatatatata

Test your system. Record your observations and results. Make changes as necessary and test it again.Here’s one idea for recording your tests and the changing variables. Use the other side of this sheet foradditional tests.

Test # Height of drop Weight of Cargo Tension of Resultsrubber bands


How did your method compare to the method for packing parachutes in the video?

Compare your results to other groups. Discuss how they were similar and how they were different.


PROJECT DIRECTORSDr. Richard C. HudsonDirector of Science Unit, KTCA-TV, St. Paul, MN

David R. HeilAssociate Director, Oregon Museum of Science andIndustry, Portland, OR

Gregory C. Sales, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, Universityof Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

KTCA-TV PROJECT TEAMLee CareyProject Manager

Paddy FaustinoProject Coordinator

David YankoProduction Manager

NEWTON’S APPLE MULTIMEDIAMichael WatkinsSenior Project Manager

David HeathCurriculum Development Manager

Kay LaFleurCori PauletCurriculum Development Coordinators

Mike PaddockProduction Manager

Jeffrey NielsenProducer/Scientist Profile Coordinator

Ben LangAdditional Resources Coordinator

Janet RaugustCD Graphics Designer

J. Michael GatlinJay MillerLawrence SahulkaVideo Graphics Designers

J. Michael GatlinIllustrator

NEBRASKA EDUCATIONALTELECOMMUNICATIONS

John AnsorgeInteractive Media Project Manager

Andy FrederickInteractive Media Designer

Christian NoelInteractive Media Project Designer

Kate AnsorgeIntern

GREAT PLAINS NATIONALTom HendersonJackie ThoelkeNikki NaeveGuide Design and Production

NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARDM. George Allen3M Research and Development

Rodger BybeeBiological Sciences Curriculum Study

Richard C. ClarkMinnesota Department of Education, RetiredHelenmarie HofmanGettysburg College

Dave IversonImation Enterprises Corporation

Dr. Roger T. JohnsonUniversity of Minnesota

Dr. Mary MaleSan Jose State University

Dr. Carolyn NelsonSan Jose State University

Lori OrumEdison Language Academy

Yolanda M. RodriguezMartin Luther King, Jr. School

Talbert B. SpenceAmerican Museum of Natural History

Janet WalkerB.E.T.A. School

Michael WebbNew Visions for Public Schools

SENIOR ADVISORSDavid BeacomNational Geographic Society

Dr. Judy DiamondUniversity Of Nebraska State Museum

Dr. Fred FinleyUniversity Of Minnesota

Greg SalesSeward Learning Systems, Inc.

LESSON EDITORSBonnie B. GravesRichard GraberElizabeth FrickBetty Flannigan

LESSON WRITERSJules BeckMichael DamyanovichKaren DeYoungElizabeth FrickKatherine HooperTim KocheryChristopher LeeSue MattsonMichael MazyckLuther RottoAli SimsekJohn Shepard

RESOURCE SPCIALISTSteve Bryan

SCIENCE ACTIVITY SPECIALISTSteve Tomecek

INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN ASSISTANTAnnette Mittlemark

OFFICE ASSISTANTRebecca Johnson

SCIENCE CONTENT REVIEWERSFred N. Finley, Ph.D.University of Minnesota

Steve Fifield, M.A.University of MinnesotaGeorge Freier, Ph.D.University of Minnesota

Clayton F. Giese, Ph.D.University of Minnesota

Patricia Heller, Ph.D.University of Minnesota

Mark Hollabaugh, Ph.D.Normandale Community College (MN)

Murray S. Jensen, Ph.D.University of Minnesota

Ron Keith, Ph.D.Emporia State University (KS)

FORMATIVE AND SUMMATIVEEVALUATIONS

Karen Hoelscher, Multimedia ResearchAssistant Poressor, Educational Curriculum and InstructionWestern Washington University, Bellingham, WA

Ralph Adler, RMC Research CorporationPortsmouth, NH

FIELD TESTERS/EVALUATORSMr. Michael AhrenPortola Valley School DistrictPortola Valley, CA

Mr. Robert AnibaWeyauwega-Fremont Middle SchoolWeyauwega, WI

Ms. Barb BannisterPortland, OR

Mr. James BellTrendyffrin/Easttown Middle SchoolBerwyn, PA

Ms. Beryl BellBradenton Middle SchoolBradenton, FL

Ms. Claudia Berryman-ShaferFernley, NV

Ms. Teresa BettacWillis Intermediate SchoolDelaware, OH

Mrs. Noyce BischoffSanta Catalina Lower & Middle SchoolMonterey, CA 93940

Ms. Darleen BrabecMalone SchoolPrescott, WIMr. Stephen BurkeWoonsocket Junior High SchoolWoonsocket, RI

Mr. David BydlowskiStevenson Junior High SchoolLivonia, MI

Ms. Skip CaddooLesher Jr. High SchoolFt. Collins, CO

Ms. Sarah CarlsonHeppner Middle SchoolHeppner, OR

Ms. Maryanna ClaxtonScience Resource TeacherBrainerd, MN

Credits

Credits

40 — Credits

Mr. Anthony CodyBret Harte Jr. HighOakland, CA

Mr. David Kendall CookOceanside High SchoolOceanside, CA

Ms. Kristine CraddockMexico Public SchoolsMexico, MO

Ms. Maureen CunninghamP.S. 219Flushing, NY

Ms. Mary Jane DavisRed Bank Catholic High SchoolRed Bank, NJ

Ms. Karen DoerrterHarper’s Choice Middle SchoolColumbia, MD

Ms. Evie DonaldHopkins West Junior High SchoolMinnetonka, MN

Ms. Barbara FosterRobinson Middle SchoolRobinson, KS

Ms. Susan FourneiaCleveland Quality Middle SchoolSt. Paul, MN

Mr. David GalliherCarmichael Junior High SchoolRichland, WA

Ms. Kathleen GlennWashington Jr. High SchoolChicago Heights, IL

Ms. Becky GoodwinKansas State School for the DeafOlathe, KS

Mr. Mark GugisbergChamplin Park High SchoolChamplin, MN

Ms. Dorothy HattanHammond Middle ScholLaurel, MD

Mr. J. Steve JoyceNorth Quincy High SchoolQuincy, MA

Mr. Paul JutrzonkaMorse Middle SchoolMilwaukee, WI

Ms. Kathy Kay KincaidSalem, OR

Ms. Harriet KmetIndian Trail Junior HighAddison, IL

Mr. John LarabeeThomas Ewing Junior High SchoolLancaster, OH

Ms. Franceline LearyTroy High SchoolTroy, NY

Ms. Mary LoomerHoover Intermediate SchoolWaterloo, IA

Mrs. Jane LuskStarkville High SchoolStarkville, MS

Ms. Jeanne LuttschynMaltby Middle SchoolBrighton, MI

Ms. Jayne MeyerElmonica Elementary Schoo;Beaverton, OR

Mr. Greg MorrisonGoddard Middle SchoolGlendora, CA

Mr. Kenneth MurphyMedford Public SchoolsMedford, MA

Mr. Robert NelsonWalkersville Middle SchoolWalkersville, MD

Mr. Kevin NoackWatson Jr. HighMuleshoe, TX

Ms. Laura NorsworthyMandeville Middle SchoolMandeville, LA

Mr. Peter O’NeilWaunakee Middle SchoolWaunakee, WI

Mr. John OlsonMurray Magnet Junior High SchoolSt. Paul, MN

Mr. Todd PiersonPillsbury Math Science Technology MagnetMinneapolis, MN

Mr. Gary PinkallGreat Bend Middle SchoolGreat Bend, KS

Ms. Cathie PlaehnTiffany Creek ElementaryBoyceville, WI

Ms. Kathy RackleyBuist Academy for Advanced StudiesCharleston, SC

Mr. C.R. RogersRancho San Justo Middle SchoolHollister, CA

Ms. Barb RomanoDeforest Area Middle SchoolDeForest, WI

Ms. Ninfa Ruiz-DiazJohnston High SchoolAustin, TX

Ms. Ruth RuudWalnut Creek Middle SchoolFairview, PA

Ms. Robin, RybarczykSacred Heart SchoolSaratoga, CA

Mr. Steve SampleSandburg Junior High SchoolElmhurst, IL

Ms. Julie ScheuermannVineyard Junior HighAlta Loma, CA

Mr. Jim SchranklerComo Elementary SchoolSt. Paul, MN

Ms. Meredith SchweighartWynne Jr. High SchoolWynne, AR

Ms. Sally ShafferIndiana Area Junior High SchoolIndiana, PA

Ms. Maria ShieldJames Bowie High SchoolAustin, TX

Mrs. Jean SiesenerLadue Junior High SchoolSt. Louis, MO

Ms. Mitzi SmithThurmont Middle SchoolThurmont, MD

Mr. James StearnsBristol High SchoolBristol, SD

Mr. Jim SternWestwood Middle SchoolBlaine, MN

Mr. Larry StrandSimle Junior High SchoolBismarck, ND

Ms. Marjorie StueckemannTwin Groves Jr. High SchoolBuffalo Grove, IL

Mr. Bob TalbitzerKearney High SchoolKearney, NE

Mr. James ValenteDreyfus Intermediate School 49, RStaten Island, NY

Ms. Laura WalshThompson Junior High SchoolBakersfield, CA

Mr. Donna WestBay Trial Middle SchoolPenfield, NY

Mr. Lanny WhittenKennebunk High SchoolKennebunk, ME

SPECIAL THANKSLarry BachmanThomas CarrJim CasparKris DokmoEvelyn DonaldTrich Flock-JohnsonAletha HalcombDick HinrichsEmily HooverKen MeyerPaul MusegadesPaul NeffArnold NelsonJack NetlandTodd PiersonSheldon RamnaineBrad RandallLawrence RudnickHank RyanVince SmithDianne StrandbergDave TuckerJudy TuckerMark Zuzek

NOTES

NOTES

Order today!

AT LAST, a supplemental middle school science curriculum that helps you meet the challengesof today’s science classroom. The program engages students by incorporating segments fromthe award-winning Newton’s Apple television show into hands-on/minds-on activities. Eachlesson plan helps you integrate the technology using an inquiry-based approach. A variety ofassessment options allow you to gauge student performance. And the entire program is corre-lated to the National Science Education Standards.

EACH CURRICULUM MODULE CONTAINS:● a CD-ROM with two Newton’s Apple segments, a video profile of a working scientist,

and additional audio/visual resources● a teacher’s guide with lesson plans for six inquiry-based activities

● a Newton’s Apple videotape

38 topics in 19 modules!! Choose the curriculum modules that benefit your needs.Physical Science Life Science and Health Earth and Space ScienceAir Pressure/Domed Stadiums Antibiotics/Cancer Clouds/WeatheringElectric Guitars/Electricity Blood Typing/Bones Dinosaur Extinction/EarthquakesGravity/Rockets DNA/DNA Fingerprinting Everglades/SewersInfrared/Reflection Hearing/Human Eye Geothermal Energy/Glaciers

Nicotine/Smiles Greenhouse Effect/OzoneSports Physics Meteors/Solar EclipsesHang Gliders/Surfing Phases of the Moon/The SunHigh Wire/SkateboardsSpinning/Water-skiing

Individual Packages: $49.95 To order by mail: To order by phone, call toll-free:Three-CD collection: $119.45 1-800-228-4630Four-CD collection: $159.95 Fax your order to:

1-800-306-2330E-mail your order to:

P.O. Box 80669 [email protected], NE 68501-0669

Box 80669, Lincoln, Nebraska 68501 — 800-228-4630

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