ALES Students Get Hands-On with Motion

There are few movie scenes more iconic than Indiana Jones being chased by a giant boulder in “Raiders of the Lost Arc.” One group of ALES students are getting an idea of the physics behind that scene on a much smaller scale.

Chelsea Gray’s students are learning about energy, forces and motion in a fun, hands-on way. Her students recently planned and conducted an investigation to see just how high a ball needed to be placed on a ramp in order to reach a certain distance.

“They used measurements, observations, and patterns as evidence to construct an explanation that explains how energy and motion are related,” Gray said.

Gray created the project as part of the district’s Profile of a Learner initiative. These projects are meant to give students a hands-on way to explore classroom subjects. In the case of Gray’s classroom, the subject was the foundation of physics that students would see firsthand every day.

“[The students] were encouraged to ask questions and continuously make adjustments to their ramps to meet the needs of their tasks,” Gray said. “They were problem solving throughout the entire investigation.”

In fact, Gray noted that this project specifically achieved a Learner Profile goal of “Resilient Problem Solver.”

Understanding basic physics is important for anyone. From seatbelts to kicking a ball, physics plays a role in nearly everything we do. However, Gray is excited that this project does more than teach students the essentials of motion and energy. The trial and error portion of the project helps students more than they realize.

“This kind of activity will impact students' education journey in preparing them for life after graduation, because it helps them to become resilient problem solvers by not giving up and working through tough obstacles,” Gray said. “This is a life skill they will use long after school.”