Students will relate Newton’s First Law of Motion (An object at rest tends to stay at rest; an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force) to everyday events. Activity Description: Using internet sites and text references, students will gather information about inertia. Students will design a cartoon or project to convey comprehension of this topic. This project may be accomplished by using computer graphics software or poster board and markers.

Physical Science Content Standard B: As a result of activities, students should develop an understanding of motions and forces.

Internet access skills, reference skills, computer graphic skills.

Procedure with Teaching Strategies: 1. Students will research Newton’s First Law of Motion—inertia 2. Students will use this information to design a cartoon or project that depicts an everyday situation in which inertia is present 3. Students will use computer graphics software to develop this cartoon or project Classroom Management: Students may work individually or in pairs, as computer availability allows. Students may be required to complete this assignment with computer generated software or may be allowed the option of using paper and colored pencils. A comic strip may be substituted for a cartoon.

Evaluation of this project should use a 1-5 rubric, in categories for neatness, accuracy of concept, expression of this concept, and creativity.

Activity Description: Using internet sites and text references, students will gather information about inertia. Students will design a cartoon or project to convey comprehension of this topic. This project may be accomplished by using computer graphics software or poster board and markers. Materials: 1. Student computer with internet access 2. additional physics references 3. computer graphics software 4. poster board, markers Vocabulary: 1. Mechanics 2. Inertia 3. Motion 4. Friction 5. Force 6. Air resistance 7. Rest 8. Law (scientific) Resources: 1. Inertia http://master.ph.utexas.edu/CTC/ZTucker/inertiaIntro.html 2. Newton’s First Law of Motion http://oldsci.eiu.edu/physics/DDavis/3050/Ch4Nwtn/Inertia.html 3. Inertia http://jasmine.esu10.k12.ne.us/~lexingto/LexSchools/buildings/High/Science/Physics/inertia.html 4. The Law of Inertia http://fermi.bgsu.edu/~stoner/p201/newton/sld002.htm 5. Moment of Inertia http://www.explorescience.com/momofI.htm 6. Inertia http://www.neutron.anl.gov/inertia.htm 7. Inertia of Rest: Inertia Balls http://storm.ph.utexas.edu/~phy-demo/demo-txt/1f20-10.html 8. Explore Inertia http://explorezone.com/101/inertia.htm 9. Fleisher, Paul. Secrets of the Universe, Aatheneum, New York, 1987. 10. Daniels, Patricia, Allan Fallow, and Karin Kinney, Editorial Directors. Physical Forces, Time-Life, Alexandria, Virginia, 1993.

Technology Requirements/Integration  (help)

Internet access Reference access (LMC) Computer graphic skills.

Copyright © 1997-2003 Career Connection to Teaching with Technology USDOE Technology Innovation Challenge Grant Marshall Ransom, Project Manager All rights reserved.