0.3 — Getting Started: Fun With Physics Centers (Optional)

App Features

Students will:

• Record a performance using the activity templates.
• Create a path.
• Add height or mass.
• Adjust ground height.

Expected Activity Time

• Total Activity Time: 45 minutes
• Introduction: 10 minutes
• Record videos: 30 minutes
• Discussion: 5 minutes

Materials and Prep

• Fun props to create videos
• iPad with the Playground Physics app

Activity

Introduction (10 minutes)

• Tell students that they are going to get a chance to explore the Playground Physics app by making a number of different videos that they find fun and interesting.
• Tell students that groups will be rotating through the centers (activities) in order to film enough videos to use for their entire exploration using the app.
• We recommend setting up the same number of centers as groups you have in your class. So if you have six groups, set up six centers. Students will need about 5 minutes at each center to complete the activity. Make sure to have the necessary props on hand for the students to create their videos at each center.
• Videos of the following activities will be used for specific lessons throughout the curriculum. It will be most important to include these centers so you have them for later use:
  • Playing catch.
  • Jumping rope.
  • Swinging (use a pendulum if you do not have access to a swing set).
  • Other centers you may want to include:
  • Running/two-person race.
  • Basketball.
  • Dancing.
  • Frisbee.
  • Hula hooping.
  • Setting off a stomp rocket.Racing toy cars.
  • Playing marbles.
  • Flying paper airplanes.
  • Tug-o-war.
  • Create your own activity.
• Before heading outside remind students of the tips for recording videos that they learned from the introductory Bingo activity (see Lesson 0.2 – Getting Started: Bingo). Also remind students to be respectful of other groups while outside, be safe with the activities they choose to explore, and to have fun!

Record Videos (30 minutes)

• While outside, there is no need to scaffold any activities since student engagement in creating the videos is an important step to their analysis of physics content in later lessons.
• It is not important to have students investigate and analyze their videos at this time; these videos will be used in later lessons if you don’t have time or ability to record videos outside later in the units.

Discussion (5 minutes)

Once you are back in the classroom, have each group share what video they are most excited to explore with Playground Physics.