Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Potential energy turns into Kinetic energy

It is Friday. Last hour of the day. 6th graders have a quiz. I have a small group of students in my room who need help with the content material and/or reading.
I had been looking some visual materials for the students in order to help them understand the difference between kinetic and potential energy. I found this You Tube video. I thought the students would like the visuals along with the music.
Boy,  did they ever like it!! There was new energy in the room! Students were singing along with the song!!  (And I did not even think the song was that cool!!) Even my ELL students understood the difference!
We also looked at Paint can up and down demonstration about potential and kinetic energy along with How roller coasters work? All the students were engaged--on the last hour on Friday!!!!!!
 Could I say that the potential energy in my class turned into kinetic energy???

17 comments:

  1. I believe you have it exactly right-potential straight into kinetic! Fun story, & there are so many videos available like you shared. Try a Rube Goldberg machine! Thanks for telling about this.

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  2. A wonderful way to end a Friday class. Thank you for sharing the videos.

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  3. Engaged in the last hour on Friday...a little miracle!!!

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    Replies
    1. Here is to hoping more of them this year--for all of us!

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  4. I feel your joy when it is all working! Thanks for sharing.

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  5. I feel your joy when it is all working! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Joy, and then some more joy! I think we all need more joy in our lives, especially in our teaching lives.

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  6. Such an energy-filled post. To consider that it all happened on Friday makes it really special. Don't you wish you could have captured the energy (turning it into potential again) to be released on another day when you need it?

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    1. YES! I wonder if there could be a reservoir of energy that we could build up and then withdraw some when needed??

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  7. Those are the best moments, when everyone is engaged and getting it! Love this story.

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  8. That's the way to work the brains on a Friday!

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    1. Wonder if I could repeat it this Friday??? Maybe even with high school students??

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  9. Those moments are what make it all worth the time and love you give.

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  10. Oh, I can feel the buzz and the power just flowing! This is so exciting-I hope you have more moments like this throughout your year-it renews our teaching spirit when we have moments like these!

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