OpenSciEd Unit 8.1 + Computer Science: Why do things sometimes get damaged when they hit each other? Student Workbook

OpenSciEd Middle School science program addresses all middle school NGSS standards. This comprehensive science curriculum empowers students to question, design, investigate, and solve the world around them. 

• Phenomenon Based - Centered around exploring phenomena or solving problems
• Driven by Student Questions - Storyline based on students’ questions and ideas 
• Grounded in Evidence - Incremental building and revision of ideas based on evidence 
• Collaborative - class and teacher figure out ideas together
• Equitable - Builds a classroom culture that values ideas and learning of all

The OpenSciEd computer science units use a flexible “STEM sound board” approach that turns science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science up or down to match each lesson’s goals. Students experience just the right mix of STEM as they explore a storyline, discovering how science and computer science naturally work together. From modeling and analyzing data to designing creative solutions inspired by real-world phenomena, learners see how these fields team up to solve meaningful problems.

Unit 8.1 + Computer Science: Why does contact between objects sometimes cause damage, and how can we protect against it?

This unit on contact forces begins as students consider situations in which they have seen their phones break. They contrast these situations with others where something else collided with another object and either broke or, surprisingly, did not. Attempting to identify the factors that contribute to damage occurring in some collisions and not others, as well as trying to explain what is happening during the collision that causes one type of result versus another, sparks a series of questions and ideas for investigations around the question why do things sometimes get damaged when they hit each other? This drives the work for the first two-thirds of the unit, with the second third layering on the problem of measuring forces in collisions. The last third of the unit re-anchors around a related question and a design problem that invites students to design sensor systems or other solutions to measure forces as a way to minimize damage from collisions or solve related problems.

Perfectly aligned with each unit, the consumable student workbook provides students with a dedicated space to write through their ideas and thoughts with every exercise and activity helping to reinforce important themes and concepts.

The Student Edition, Teacher Edition and material kits are sold separately.