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  1. What is a Computer?
  2. Executing a Plan
  3. Practicing Flexibility
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  1. What is Color?
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  3. How Does the Color Sensor Detect Color?
  4. RGB in Computing

  1. The Water Cycle
  2. What is Temperature?
  3. What Are the States of Matter?
  4. Phase Changes

  1. Motion Introduction
  2. How Do Waves Help Us Understand Patterns?
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  4. Graphing Motion

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Distance Sensor

Lesson 2

Distance Sensor Lesson 2

How Do Waves Help Us Understand Patterns?


45 - 60 mins

Grades 3 - 8
INTRODUCTION
This lesson will deepen students’ knowledge of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion. Students analyze how a self-driving vehicle uses sensors and waves to help describe patterns and motion. Students will continue playing StoryMode: Starlab Mission; Post No. 34 1/2 to use units of distance, time, speed, and frequency to solve puzzles with different guiding questions.

  Print Educator Guide   Lesson Slides    Assessments    Support
GETTING STARTED Lesson Materials Learning Objectives Lesson Preperation
5E INSTRUCTIONS Engage Explore Explain Elaborate Evaluate
Phase Resources Career Connections Graphic Organizer Term Glossary Standards Alignment
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GETTING STARTED

Lesson Materials


Piper Computer Kit
Sensor Explorer Kit

Learning Objectives

In this lesson, students will deepen their understanding of the various components of motion and extend their learning using StoryMode to solve puzzles with focused guiding questions.
Students will:
  1. Understand how waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials
  2. Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion
  3. Use Distance Sensor and solve puzzles and unit rate problems including those involving unit motion, distance, and speed
  4. Use the Piper computer and Sensor for motion to solve puzzles for rate, distance, and time in the StoryMode game of StarLab Mission

Lesson Preperation

  • Review lesson resources and components for 5E (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) and student grouping.
  • ​Read the resources yourself, and make sure you understand the basics motion, distance, rate, and wavelengths change with distance and time.
  • ​Review grade-level standards in science and math they relate to waveforms, measuring object motion, prediction, and solving word problems involving speed and time.
  • Review PiperCode Starlab Post No 34 1/2. Note: You may need to go to settings and unlock this level if students are completing lessons in a different order than designed.
  • Make sure Piper battery packs are charged before using them.
PIPER 5E INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

Engage

Teacher-led Discussion (5 minutes)

Have students watch the following to observe how sensors allow a Tesla to drive itself:


Engage prior knowledge:
  • What does the car use to detect objects?
  • What is the car emitting?
  • Where else have you seen these sensors used?
Responses to these questions are meant to introduce the day’s topic. Student responses don’t need to be correct or precise- just ideas. Have students record their conjectures in their Lesson 2 Graphic Organizer.

Explore

Explore: RePlay StoryMode Level: Post No. 34½ (30-40 minutes)

Have students revisit the StoryMode level but now focusing on the questions below.

Guiding questions (also found in their graphic organizer):
  • What happens to the bouncing ball when you change your hand position over the Distance Sensor?
  • What do you observe in the top right-hand corner of your screen as you move your hand?
  • What is the sensor detecting? How do you know this?
  • How do you think the sensor detects this?
Have students record their notes on their Lesson 2 Graphic Organizer.

Explain

Explain (10-15 Minutes)

Use slides 3-11 in the Lesson 2 Slide Deck guide students through how the sensor works using responses to the guiding questions.

(Optional): You can have students read this helpful resource: How to Set Up an Ultrasonic Range Finder on an Arduino

Elaborate

Apply: The different uses for Distance Sensors

Have students read the following or explain it to them:

“Echolocation is a technique used by bats, dolphins and other animals to determine the location of objects using reflected sound. This allows the animals to move around in pitch darkness, so they can navigate, hunt, identify friends and enemies, and avoid obstacles.”

(Optional): students can watch this video and write a reflection in their journals.

Evaluate

Closing/Reflection Activity (10-15 Minutes)
Have students respond to these writing prompts:
  • What are some ways you would use a Distance Sensor in your everyday life?
  • Who do you think would benefit most from having a Distance Sensor?

At the end of this lesson, have student take the Assessment.

PHASE RESOURCES

Career Connections

Security/Fire System Installers: Salary $50,130/yr
Civil Engineer: Salary $88,050/yr
Construction Manager: Salary $101,480/yr
Avionics Technicians: Salary $75,450/yr

Graphic Organizer

Lesson 2 DOWNLOAD

Term Glossary


Echolocation The ability to use sound to determine how far away an object is (instead of sight). By making a clicking sound, a sensor (or an animal like a bat or dolphin) listens for how long it takes for the original sound to bounce back (an echo). The longer it takes for the sound to bounce back, the further away the object is. This all happens in less than 1/100th of a second.

Reflection When light or sound bounces off a surface instead of being absorbed. In color sensors, reflection helps determine the color of an object by measuring how much light is bounced back. For example, if a sensor shines light on an object and sees a lot of blue light coming back, it can tell that the object is blue. The range finder sensor measures the time it takes for the sound waves to return, which helps it calculate the distance to the object.

Speed How fast something is moving. It tells you how much distance an object covers in a certain amount of time.

View Full Glossary

Standards Alignment


We are excited to be aligned with the following standards.


Concept Standard

Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen.

3-5-PS1-1

Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.

3-PS2-2

Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength and that waves can cause objects to move.

4-PS4-1

Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the eye allows objects to be seen.

4-PS4-2

Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information.

4-PS4-3

Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways.

4-LS1-2

Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

MS-LS2-3

Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.

MS-PS1-4

Plan an investigation to determine the relationships among the energy transferred, the type of matter, the mass, and the change in the average kinetic energy of the particles as measured by the temperature of the sample.

MS-PS3-4

Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object.

MS-PS3-5

Develop a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

MS-PS4-2

Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.

MS-ESS2-4

Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

MS-ESS3-5

Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

3-ESS2-2



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