Pendulums and Laws of Nature
After viewing the Pendulums and Laws of Nature Lesson Video, students will explore the meaning of laws of nature. This lab differs from a traditional STEM lab in that students are asked to engage in deep reflection about the scientific process and the behavior of the natural world.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Students will collect and analyze data to determine the relationship between the length of a simple pendulum and its period of oscillation for small angles.
- Students will use critical thinking and communication skills to reflect upon and discuss questions about quantitative laws as they relate to phenomena in nature and humans’ capacity to discover such laws.
MATERIALS
- Lab stand with clamp
- String
- Bob or other small weight (washer, large bead, etc.)
- Meter stick or ruler
- Stopwatch
- Line of best fit ruler (optional)
- Excel (optional)
Lesson Implementation Materials
Because these Lessons follow a unique format, it is important to review the TEACHER GUIDE before implementing the activity.
- Begin the lesson by viewing this 10-min Pendulum Lesson Video from the Searching series as a class. Note: If your class has recently implemented a Searching Lesson, you can skip the video introduction and begin the video at minute 03:45.
- Download and print the LESSON INTRODUCTION. Students (and teachers) should read this before starting the activity.
- Download and print the STUDENT WORKSHEETS.
