Learn the fundamentals of position-time graphs using a motion detector to understand how forward, backward, fast, and slow motions look on a graph. Then answer questions about a graph showing Maria’s position as she runs on a track. Get hints as you interact with the graph. Maria’s Run is the first of five SmartGraphs activities designed for a typical physical science unit of study on the motion of objects. (The other four are: Motion Toward and Away; How Fast Am I Moving?; Describing Velocity; and, Was Galileo Right?)
» Lesson Plan and Student Assessment documents are also available.
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Requirements
Portions of this activity require a Vernier Go!Motion sensor, an inexpensive device that plugs into your USB port. To use the sensor computers must have Java installed. Otherwise, the activity runs entirely in a Web browser. Preferred browsers are: Google Chrome (versions 5 and above), Safari (versions 4 and above), Firefox (version 3.6.10 and above), and Internet Explorer (version 7, 8, or higher; note that version 6 or below does not work).
This activity is a part of the Concord Consortium's 