Bounce height

Bounce height

Pencil and paper
Overview
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses

Ropeti and Tina were investigating how high a ball would bounce when it was dropped from different heights. Here are their results:

Height ball dropped from (metres) 0 1 2 3 4 5
Height ball bounced (centimetres) 0 45 90 135 180 225

a)
Complete the line graph below to show their results.
 

b)
Write a label for the bottom axis.   ___________________________________ (         )

c)
What pattern do you notice between how high the ball bounced and the height it was dropped from?

 
 
 
 
Level:
5
Curriculum info: 
Science, Communicating in science, Physical World
Keywords: 
physics concepts, forces, graph construction, graph interpretation
Description of task: 
Task: Transfer information from a table to a graph, label the bottom axis and describe the pattern of the data. Assessment focus: graph construction; graph interpretation.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capability: Interpret representations
This resource provides opportunities to discuss:
  • the importance of the vertical y-axis in understanding what a graph is showing.
  • the relative benefits of using tables or graphs to convey the same set of data
  • reading/interpreting a graph.
 
 
 
Science capabilities: 
Interpret representations
Answers/responses: 
   

Y6 (6/98)
a) Graph points plotted accurately. easy
b)
  • Appropriate label such as drop height
  • Unit specified = metres/m.
 difficult

difficult
c) Statement such as:
The higher the ball was dropped from the higher it bounces/each metre of drop gives 45 centimetres of bounce.		 difficult