How does the magnetic cannon work?

This was the question driving the 8th graders learning during their study of motion.  The answer was not a simple one.  Students had to think deeply about forces and Newton’s laws to try to figure out why Ball E shot forward and the other balls stayed in place.  This week students completed their final assessment explaining how the magnetic cannon worked.  Students created videos, wrote detailed narratives, and/or created posters to share their learning.  I was so impressed with the amount of effort and detail the students put into their work.

 

What’s different?

 

“What’s different?” exclaimed a student in 7th grade science as he and his friend observed two pendulums that had been swinging for over 24 hours and two that had stopped moving minutes after they began.

“Wait, what?!” cried others as a can they had rolled away from them, stopped, and rolled right back towards them.  And, so begins their study of energy.

Every day in class I hear, “Are we going to find out what’s inside of the rolling can?” or, “Are these pendulums going to ever stop?”

My answer is always “Hmmm…not sure.  You’ll figure it out.”  Through smiles they groan and give me the look.  They’re hooked and I love it.