Rolling cars
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Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about explaining why a toy car rolled down a ramp will stop moving after a while.
Task administration:
This task was designed to supplement Question d) of Ideas about forces and energy. Consider which task is most appropriate to use, or, if using both, the best order.
Concept Cartoons
Concept cartoons are useful for encouraging students to formulate explanations. The different ideas presented in this concept cartoon are indicative of responses students made in
the trials of Ideas about forces and energy. If there is a common response in your class that you want to explore, either add it or replace one of the others. It is best not to have too many viewpoints to discuss – keep to five or less.
Concept cartoons are useful for encouraging students to formulate explanations. The different ideas presented in this concept cartoon are indicative of responses students made in
the trials of Ideas about forces and energy. If there is a common response in your class that you want to explore, either add it or replace one of the others. It is best not to have too many viewpoints to discuss – keep to five or less.
NOTE: In this concept cartoon none of the explanations are scientifically adequate. If you want students to choose the best explanation, either add another statement or replace one of the others. (You could choose one from the student examples. Make sure the explanation is not too technical, as students will select it for the wrong reasons.)
What to do
- Present the concept cartoon to small groups or the class.
- Ask students to comment on each statement. This is particularly important for accessing their thinking processes, and for giving them practice in developing explanations.
- Encourage debate between students with different opinions.
- Get each group to then come up with their own explanation. These could then be shared and further refined by the whole class.
- Follow up discussions with students setting up investigations to explore their ideas. This could lead to further refinements of explanations.
Copyright:
Image NZCER, Crown copyright
Levels:
3, 4, 5
Curriculum info:
Keywords:
Description of task:
Task: Discuss opinions, presented as a concept cartoon, about why a toy car rolled down a slope eventually stops and develop group explanation. Assessment focus: explanations
Curriculum Links:
Answers/responses:
What to look for
- explanations that make sense in terms of the evidence available
- explanations that are justified with evidence
- explanations that attempt to make sense of abstract science concepts of forces and/or energy
- explanations that show evidence of understanding and using relevant science knowledge
- evidence that students are adjusting their explanations as new evidence/others' explanations are taken into account.
Science ideas that might be included in explanations are:
Something rolling will eventually stop because of forces that act on it. These forces could include friction (including air resistance), gravity, or hitting a barrier. Students may not necessarily use this vocabulary but still communicate the ideas.
For ARB resources that explore explanations within the context of rolling objects:
For suggestions for focusing students on developing explanations go to Science capability 2: Use evidence
Building science concepts booklets
- Ministry of Education (2003). Building Science Concepts Booklet 42. Marbles: Exploring Motion and Forces. Wellington: Learning Media Limited.
- Ministry of Education (2004). Building Science Concepts Booklet 59. Bikes: Levers, Friction and Motion. Wellington: Learning Media Limited.