Danielle Aguilar

Tiered Lesson
Collisions Unit (55 minute class periods)
9th Grade Physical Science
Purpose
This lesson helps students to reinforce and apply their knowledge of collisions to new situations.

Standards (NGSS)
HS-PS2-3. Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a
macroscopic object during a collision.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of evaluation and refinement could include
determining the success of the device at protecting an object from damage and modifying the design to improve it.
Examples of a device could include a football helmet or a parachute.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to
qualitative evaluations and/or algebraic manipulations.]

Materials
 Bell work question and student worksheet
 Tier 1
o Graphic Organizer
o Collision track
o Collision modeling cards
o Paper and materials for product design (if time)
 Tier 2
o Graphic Organizer
o Device cards (3)
o Paper and Chrome books for modification design
 Tier 3
o Graphic Organizer
o Device cards (3)
o Blank paper
o Art supplies
o Chrome books for additional research

Anticipatory Set (7 minutes)

1. As students enter the room and take their seats, they begin working on the bell work question:
Where can we find collisions in the real world?
a. Have students share their answers with a partner.
Say: “With your partner, write down one of your ideas on a post it note. Stick your post it not to the
chart paper at the front of the room.”
b. Discuss common themes in ideas
Procedure (40 minutes)
*Prior to lesson, divide students into tiers (tier 1, tier 2, tier 3). Tier 1 students are struggling learners who need
more reinforcement and practice with basic skills surrounding collisions. Tier 2 students should be composed of
strong verbal/ linguistic learners, and Tier 3 should be composed of strong visual/ spatial learners.

 Tier 1 Bodily/ Kinesthetic

*Students who need more reinforcement with the concept of collisions
o Students will use manipulatives to model different types of collisions detailed on work cards.
o Students will draw or explain the differences between the collisions using a graphic organizer
o Students may continue modeling collisions if they need more time.
 If students finish early/ grasp the concept quickly, they may design a device that would reduce the
impact for one of the collisions that they modeled.
Danielle Aguilar
Tiered Lesson
Collisions Unit (55 minute class periods)
9th Grade Physical Science

o Assessment
 Graphic organizer completion and correctness
 Formative assessment through teacher questioning of students and observation of student
conversations with each other

 Tier 2 Verbal/ Linguistic

o Students will complete a graphic organizer that compares and contrasts elastic and inelastic collisions as
a review
o Students will be given 3 different cards detailing devices that have been used to reduce the impact of a
collision.
o Students will choose one of the selected devices and make a list of the pros and cons for the device.
o Based on their list, students will propose a modification to the device. Modifications must include a
justification as to why it is necessary.
o Grade- level learners: Only one modification required (with justification)
o Advanced learners: at least 2 modifications are required (each one should have a justification)

o Assessment
 Student’s written critique and proposed modifications. Each modification should have a
justification.
 Formative assessment through teacher questioning of students and observation of student
conversations with each other

 Tier 3 Visual/ Spatial

o Students will complete a graphic organizer that compares and contrasts elastic and inelastic collisions as
a review
o Students will be given 3 different cards detailing devices that have been used to reduce the impact of a
collision.
o Using the cards as ideas, students will work to design a unique device that would reduce the impact
during a collision. Students may choose what type of collision they would like to focus on (hallway, car,
bicycle, etc).
o Students should draw and label their proposed design, including a caption and creative title.
o Grade- level learners: device should have at least 4 labeled parts.
o Advanced learners: device should have at least 6 labeled parts.

o Assessment
 Original student design. All designs should be labeled, given a caption and a title.
 Formative assessment through teacher questioning of students and observation of student
conversations with each other

Closing (8 minutes)
1. Recap and review the day’s lesson
a. Questions to ask students:
i. For those of you that worked at the collision station:
1. What was one thing that you found most interesting?
2. What was something that was challenging?
3. For those of you that worked on a modification, what did you create?
Danielle Aguilar
Tiered Lesson
Collisions Unit (55 minute class periods)
9th Grade Physical Science
4. Would you add any other examples of collisions to our ideas from the bell work?

ii. For those of you that worked at the modification station:

1. What was one thing that you found most interesting?
2. What was something that was challenging?
3. What did you add, subtract, or modify on the existing designs?
4. Would you add any other examples of collisions to our ideas from the bell work?
iii. For those of you that worked at the design station:
1. What was one thing that you found most interesting?
2. What was something that was challenging?
3. What did you create?
4. Would you add any other examples of collisions to our ideas from the bell work?

Assessment
 Anticipatory Set
o Teacher can formatively assess student application of collisions through bell work question, informal
questioning, and post it note activity
 Procedure
o Teacher can formatively assess student knowledge and understanding of current information through
informal questioning, assignments completed at stations, and student conversations with each other.
 Closing
o Teacher can formatively assess overall takeaways and challenges during discussion. Students can
demonstrate new knowledge and understanding by suggesting new examples for the post it note ideas