Collision Golf: Design a Hole-in-One
Inquiry Framework
Question Framework
Driving Question
The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we design a collision golf hole that uses Newton's Third Law and the principles of energy transfer to achieve a hole-in-one through a series of strategic collisions?Essential Questions
Supporting questions that break down major concepts.- How does Newton's Third Law apply to collisions?
- How can collisions be used to create a chain reaction?
- What factors affect the transfer of energy during a collision?
- How can you predict the motion of objects after a collision?
- How can you design a device that uses collisions to achieve a specific goal?
Standards & Learning Goals
Learning Goals
By the end of this project, students will be able to:- Students will be able to explain Newton's Third Law and its application to colliding objects.
- Students will be able to design a miniature golf course hole that uses collisions to achieve a hole-in-one.
- Students will be able to identify and explain how energy is transferred during collisions.
- Students will be able to predict the motion of objects after a collision.
- Students will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of their collision golf hole design and make improvements based on their observations.
NGSS
Entry Events
Events that will be used to introduce the project to studentsTrick Shot Challenge
"MythBusters"-style Cold Open: Show a video clip of a seemingly impossible trick shot involving colliding objects, like a Rube Goldberg machine culminating in a hole-in-one. Challenge students to deconstruct the physics at play and brainstorm how they might replicate a similar effect on a miniature golf course.Sports Collision Analysis
"Real-World Collision Showcase": Show videos of collisions in various sports (e.g., billiards, bowling, hockey) and discuss how players use angles, force, and mass to control the outcome. Task students with relating these concepts to the design of a collision-based mini-golf hole.Portfolio Activities
Portfolio Activities
These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.Collision Golf Showcase: Presentation and Final Report
Students will present their final mini-golf hole design to the class, explaining the physics principles behind it, demonstrating its functionality, and discussing any challenges they faced and how they overcame them. They will also write a final report summarizing the entire project, including their design, construction, testing, and evaluation.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA presentation and final report summarizing the project, including a demonstration of the mini-golf hole.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsSupports MS-PS2-1 by requiring students to evaluate and present their solution.Newton's Third Law: Collision Course
Students will define Newton's Third Law and provide real-world examples of it in action. They will then brainstorm how this law can be applied to create a collision in a miniature golf setting.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA written explanation of Newton's Third Law with diagrams illustrating its application in a collision scenario.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses MS-PS2-1 by focusing on understanding Newton's Third Law in the context of collisions.Blueprint Bonanza: Designing the Collision Golf Hole
Students will design a miniature golf course hole that uses collisions to achieve a hole-in-one. They will create a detailed plan, including sketches, dimensions, materials, and a description of how the collisions will work. They should consider angles, force, mass, and energy transfer in their design.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed design plan for a collision-based mini-golf hole, including sketches, dimensions, materials, and a physics explanation.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with MS-PS2-1 by tasking students with designing a solution using Newton's Third Law.Rubric & Reflection
Portfolio Rubric
Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolioCollision Golf Rubric
Newton's Third Law: Collision Course
Assesses student understanding and application of Newton's Third Law in the context of collision scenarios and mini-golf design.Understanding of Newton's Third Law
Accuracy and clarity in defining and explaining Newton's Third Law.
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates a sophisticated understanding of Newton's Third Law, explaining it clearly and accurately with insightful connections to collision scenarios.
Proficient
3 PointsDemonstrates a thorough understanding of Newton's Third Law, explaining it clearly and accurately with relevant examples.
Developing
2 PointsShows an emerging understanding of Newton's Third Law, with some inaccuracies or lack of clarity in the explanation.
Beginning
1 PointsShows an initial understanding of Newton's Third Law but struggles to explain it accurately or provide relevant examples.
Real-World Examples
Quality and relevance of real-world examples provided to illustrate Newton's Third Law.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides three highly relevant and detailed real-world examples of Newton's Third Law, demonstrating a deep understanding of its application.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides three relevant real-world examples of Newton's Third Law, demonstrating a good understanding of its application.
Developing
2 PointsProvides two real-world examples of Newton's Third Law, but the relevance or detail is limited.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides one or fewer real-world examples of Newton's Third Law, and the relevance is questionable.
Application in Mini-Golf
Creativity and feasibility of ideas for applying Newton's Third Law in a mini-golf collision.
Exemplary
4 PointsGenerates highly creative and feasible ideas for applying Newton's Third Law in a mini-golf collision, demonstrating innovative thinking and practical application.
Proficient
3 PointsGenerates creative and feasible ideas for applying Newton's Third Law in a mini-golf collision, demonstrating sound thinking and practical application.
Developing
2 PointsGenerates some ideas for applying Newton's Third Law in a mini-golf collision, but the creativity or feasibility is limited.
Beginning
1 PointsStruggles to generate ideas for applying Newton's Third Law in a mini-golf collision, and the ideas lack creativity or feasibility.
Blueprint Bonanza: Designing the Collision Golf Hole
Evaluates the quality and completeness of the mini-golf hole design, focusing on the integration of physics principles and practical considerations.Design Sketch Quality
Clarity and detail of the design sketches, including appropriate dimensions and labeling.
Exemplary
4 PointsCreates highly detailed and clear design sketches with accurate dimensions and comprehensive labeling, demonstrating exceptional planning.
Proficient
3 PointsCreates detailed and clear design sketches with accurate dimensions and appropriate labeling, demonstrating thorough planning.
Developing
2 PointsCreates design sketches with some detail and dimensions, but clarity or labeling is limited.
Beginning
1 PointsCreates basic design sketches with minimal detail, dimensions, or labeling, indicating a lack of planning.
Material Selection
Appropriateness and justification of materials selected for constructing the mini-golf hole.
Exemplary
4 PointsSelects highly appropriate materials and provides a compelling justification based on their properties and suitability for creating effective collisions.
Proficient
3 PointsSelects appropriate materials and provides a clear justification based on their properties and suitability for creating effective collisions.
Developing
2 PointsSelects materials with some justification, but the appropriateness or reasoning is limited.
Beginning
1 PointsSelects materials without clear justification, and the appropriateness is questionable.
Physics Explanation
Explanation of how the collisions will work, incorporating relevant physics principles (angles, force, mass, energy transfer).
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides a comprehensive and insightful explanation of how the collisions will work, expertly integrating relevant physics principles and demonstrating a deep understanding.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides a clear and detailed explanation of how the collisions will work, integrating relevant physics principles and demonstrating a good understanding.
Developing
2 PointsProvides an explanation of how the collisions will work, but the integration of physics principles is limited or unclear.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides a basic explanation of how the collisions will work, with minimal integration of physics principles.
Collision Golf Showcase: Presentation and Final Report
Assesses the student's ability to communicate their project effectively through a presentation, demonstrate its functionality, and document the entire process in a final report.Presentation Quality
Clarity and organization of the presentation, including effective use of visuals and supporting materials.
Exemplary
4 PointsDelivers a highly engaging and well-organized presentation with compelling visuals and supporting materials that enhance understanding and capture the audience's attention.
Proficient
3 PointsDelivers a clear and organized presentation with effective visuals and supporting materials that aid understanding.
Developing
2 PointsDelivers a presentation with some organization, but the visuals or supporting materials are limited or ineffective.
Beginning
1 PointsDelivers a disorganized presentation with minimal visuals or supporting materials, hindering understanding.
Functionality Demonstration
Demonstration of the mini-golf hole's functionality and effectiveness in achieving a hole-in-one through collisions.
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates the mini-golf hole's functionality flawlessly, consistently achieving a hole-in-one through well-designed collisions and showcasing exceptional craftsmanship.
Proficient
3 PointsDemonstrates the mini-golf hole's functionality effectively, achieving a hole-in-one through well-designed collisions.
Developing
2 PointsDemonstrates the mini-golf hole's functionality with some success, but the collisions are inconsistent or require adjustments.
Beginning
1 PointsDemonstrates the mini-golf hole's functionality with limited success, struggling to achieve a hole-in-one through collisions.
Problem-Solving Discussion
Discussion of challenges faced during the design and construction process, and the solutions implemented to overcome them.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides a detailed and insightful discussion of the challenges faced, demonstrating exceptional problem-solving skills and offering innovative solutions.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides a clear and thorough discussion of the challenges faced and the solutions implemented.
Developing
2 PointsProvides a discussion of some challenges faced, but the solutions are limited or not fully explained.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides a minimal discussion of challenges faced, with little or no explanation of the solutions.
Final Report Quality
Completeness and accuracy of the final report, summarizing the project's design, construction, testing, and evaluation.
Exemplary
4 PointsSubmits a comprehensive and insightful final report that accurately summarizes the project, demonstrating exceptional attention to detail and critical analysis.
Proficient
3 PointsSubmits a complete and accurate final report that summarizes the project effectively.
Developing
2 PointsSubmits a final report with some inaccuracies or missing information, limiting the summary of the project.
Beginning
1 PointsSubmits an incomplete or inaccurate final report that fails to adequately summarize the project.