Lesson Plans Using the Advanced Physics Calculator

Lesson 1 - Identifying Variables.

Appropriate grade levels: 6th - 12th

Objectives: Students traditionally have a very difficult time identifying the given values in a word problem. This activity is designed to help students gain an understanding of what information is being given to them in word problems.

Students will be able to:

2. identify the unit of measure (label) for mass, velocity, displacement, time, force and acceleration.
3. identify a quantity as mass, velocity, displacement, time, force or acceleration when given its unit of measure (label).
4. identify quantities as mass, velocity, displacement, time, force or acceleration when the quantities are given in a word problem.

Activities :

1. Have students list as many units of mass as they can (gram, kilogram, milligram, etc.). Repeat for velocity (meters per second, kilometers per hour, centimeters per second, etc.) Repeat for displacement, time, force and acceleration.
2. Have each student create a list containing various quantities with unit labels. Have students exchange lists, identify the quantities as mass, velocity, displacement, time, force or acceleration and then check each others work. Examples : 4 Newtons - force, 85 kg - mass
3. Hand out a work sheet with several force problems on it. Have students highlight or underline all quantities. Have students list all of the quantities with unit labels given in the problem. Have student identify each quantity as mass, velocity, force or acceleration. Example: A man pushes on a 15 kg chair with 10 N. 15 kg - mass, 10 N - force

Lesson 2 - Calculations Involving Mass, Velocity, Displacement, Time, Acceleration and Force.

Appropriate grade levels: 6th - 12th

Objective: Students need to practice new skills in order to master them. Unfortunately, practicing the skill incorrectly only reinforces the mistake. To avoid this, students should get immediate feedback about their work. Having them first solve the problem on their own and then use to calculator to check their answer accomplishes this.

Students will be able to:

1. when given various quantities, will be able to solve for the unknown quantity.
2. be able to use the calculator to check answers.

Activities :

1. Give students values for mass, velocity initial, velocity final, displacement, time, acceleration and force that go together. Have students determine acceleration four ways : using mass and force, using the velocities and time, using velocities and displacement, and using velocity initial, displacement and time. Have them do the calculations both ways, by themselves and with the calculator.
2. Give students values for some of the quantities and have them calculate the the others. Have them check their answers using calculator.
3. Give students word problems involving mass, velocity initial, velocity final, displacement, time, force and acceleration to solve. Have students list all of the quantities with unit labels given in the problem. Have them check their answers using the calculator.