Let's Get Graphing
Focus for this activity
In this model, you will be Vijay at the City Library, and you will use the motion probe to graph your movement to the Movie Theater and back to the Library.

Remember that the Movie Theater is 7400 meters away, but you won't have to move that far in class!

You'll be learning how to graph motion and describe motion mathematically. You'll be using motion probes to collect data, and computers to graph the motions that you make.

The City Library and Movie Theater will be locations marked on the floor.
Prediction
You'll be graphing your motion, and we'll be talking about the position of Vijay at the Library and the location of the Movie Theater.

Before we get started, can you predict Vijay’s movement on the graph? Using the pencil tool, (to the right) draw what you think the graph will look like if Vijay travels from the Library to the Movie Theater and then back to the Library. (Let's assume for now that the distance between the Movie Theater and the Library is 7.4 meters, rather than 7400 meters.)

When you've finished, please submit your graph for anonymous sharing by clicking the SUBMIT button below the graph.




Reference points
You may have realized that you need to know where the Library is located, i.e., its position, to get started with your graph. In order to measure positions and distances, a reference point is needed.

For this activity, the reference point will be at position = 0. For this example, let's say that position = 0 is at the Library, where Vijay starts his trip.

In the next step, you will position Viyay at this reference point, which is usually called the origin.

You'll also need to know the Movie Theater's position. The Movie Theatre will be 1 meter from the Library, i.e., 1 meter from position = 0.


Demonstration
Your teacher will now demonstrate the use of the motion probe, showing you how to find the origin, which is where position = 0.

Other positions are measured from the origin. In this activity, the motion is positive if the object is moving away from the motion probe, and negative if the object is moving toward the motion probe.

Look at the motion graph during the demonstration.



What do you see on the graph when your teacher moves in front of the probe? 1. Nothing changes. 2. Lines and dots jump around on the screen. 3. A line appears on the screen at the end of the movement. 4. A line is slowly drawn across the screen from left to right.
Find the Library!
Set up your motion probe at the end of a desk or table. In the next step, you’ll be marking two locations on the floor, one for the Library and one for the Movie Theater. First, though, you'll need to find position 0, the Library, which is Vijay's starting point.

How do you find position 0? Walk around in front of the motion probe until you think you’ve found it, then submit your answer to the following question.









How far is the Library from the motion probe? 0 meters .25 to .5 meter .5 to 1 meter 1 to 1.5 meters 1.5 to 2 meters 2 to 2.5 meters 2.5 to 3 meters
What do you see on the graph when standing at the Library? 1. Nothing changes 2. Lines and dots jump around on the screen 3. A line appears on the screen at the end of the movement 4. A line is slowly drawn across the screen from left to right 4. A line is slowly drawn across the screen from left to right What do you see when standing at the Movie Theater?
What do you see when moving back and forth?
How is the graph different when moving more rapidly vs. more slowly?
Your turn!

Leave your motion probe at the end of a desk or table. With masking tape, mark two locations on the floor: The Library is located
where you and your classmates found it. The Movie Theater is in line with Station A and located 1 meter closer to the motion probe.

When you are ready to try out the probe, stand in front of the probe, click the Start button below the graph, then walk around in front of the motion probe. Try it several times, then submit your answers to the following questions.











Your Trip to the Movie Theatre
Now plan and make your trip to the Movie Theater as Vijay did: Start at the Library, proceed to the Movie Theater, then return to the Library. Make one trip, from the Library to the Movie Theatre and back to the Library, during the 15 seconds of graphing.

Start the graphing by clicking Start on the motion sensor graph. Try this several times until you have a graph that you are happy with and willing to share with the class. Then submit the graph for anonymous sharing by clicking on the Submit button below the graph.




Discussing class graphs
Have a look at the class's graphs on the next page or projected in front of the class. Please answer and discuss the following questions. You may change your answers after the class discussion.









Are the graphs all the same? Yes No What is similar about the graphs? What is different about the graphs? If you want everyone's graphs to match, what does everyone have to change or agree on?
The End
POLLING on multiple choice: Histogram is shared with teacher and students. What do you see on the graph when standing at Station A? 1. Nothing changes 2. Lines and dots jump around on the screen 3. A line appears on the screen at the end of the movement 4. A line is slowly drawn across the screen from left to right 4. A line is slowly drawn across the screen from left to right What do you see when standing at Station B?
What do you see when moving back and forth?
How is the graph different when moving more rapidly vs. more slowly?
Your turn!

Leave your motion probe at the end of a desk or table. With masking tape, mark two locations on the floor: Station A is located
where you and our classmates found it. Station B is in line with Station A and located 1 meter closer to the motion probe.

When you ready to try out the probe, stand in front of the probe, click the Start button below the graph, then walk around in front of the motion probe. Try it several times, then submit your answers to the following questions.











Your Train Trip
Now plan and make your train trip: Start at Station A, proceed to Station B, then return to Station A. Make one trip, from A to B and back to A, during the 15 seconds of graphing.

Start the graphing by clicking Start on the motion sensor graph. Try this several times until you have a graph that you are happy with and willing to share with the class. Then submit the graph for sharing by clicking on the Submit button below the graph.







FLAG-N: Teacher selects several graphs to share with the class.

This is the graph to match - to be changed only by the authors


Is that OK?



0.00664694 0.01064694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00664694 0.00764694 0.00964694 0.01464694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00564694 0.00964694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00964694 0.00964694 0.00764694 0.00764694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00964694 0.00964694 0.00764694 0.00664694 0.00964694 0.00964694 0.00964694 0.00934694 0.00764694 0.00764694 0.00964694 0.00964694 0.03364694 0.07625902 0.12193203 0.16146505 0.19613898 0.22291005 0.24644697 0.26858306 0.29869103 0.33751595 0.37592494 0.41995502 0.460163 0.501426 0.53511405 0.56441 0.59169996 0.614251 0.642215 0.67353404 0.709972 0.75249696 0.800176 0.84339297 0.873605 0.89759195 0.918483 0.93624306 0.964501 0.989923 1.016953 1.025151 1.029197 1.03231 1.0350599 1.0365989 1.036513 1.036824 1.037049 1.037637 1.038398 1.038744 1.0387089 1.038329 1.038 1.037879 1.0374119 1.0364261 1.035527 1.034437 1.0338321 1.033625 1.033123 1.0317221 1.030391 1.029561 1.028108 1.0239229 1.014325 0.999521 0.97800803 0.95198095 0.916425 0.866861 0.79785895 0.72681606 0.691952 0.614804 0.51965404 0.45142996 0.427253 0.420249 0.33350396 0.21172094 0.13082099 0.07527304 0.00864694 0.01064694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00864694 0.00764694 0.00964694 0.01464694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00764694 0.00964694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00964694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00864694 0.00764694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00864694 0.00864694 0.00964694 0.01064694 0.00964694 0.00764694 0.00964694 0.00964694
Wrap-up
Shown below are three of the position graphs you made (your prediction, the graph that you submitted for your ABA trip, and the graph you submitted when matching a given one.) Think about the graphs and your use of the motion probe and answer the following question. When you are ready to share your answer, click the Submit button.



FLAG-N: Teacher selects some submissions to share with the class.







What did you learn about position and motion? What was easy to match? What did you have to think about in order for the graphs to match? What was difficult about matching the graph? What do you notice about other students' graphs?
Discussion










Follow-up: Making and thinking about matching graphs
Now that you have an idea about how to make motion sensor graphs match, try to make one that matches the graph below! Try it several times, then submit your graph for sharing.
<Add data set to be matched to this graph; students then add a second data set generated by their attempt to match the first data set>

FLAG-N: Teacher selects graphs to share with the class.

Discussing class graphs
Have a look at the class's graphs on the next page or projected in front of the class. Please answer and discuss the following questions. You may change your answers after the class discussion.









Are the graphs all the same? Yes No What is similar about the graphs? What is different about the graphs? If you want everyone's graphs to match, what does everyone have to change or agree on?
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