Aim High: Unleash Energy in Archery Adventure

High School Grade

Project
3 weeks

Aim High: Unleash Energy in Archery Adventure

Rachel Sims

4.PS3.1

4.PS3.2

4.PS3.3

Students provide constructive and appropriate feedback to their peers.

Students structure information and data in meaningful and useful ways.

+ 3 more

Purpose

This project aims to deepen students' understanding of potential and kinetic energy through the lens of archery, integrating Aristotle's philosophical concepts of actuality and potentiality. By engaging in hands-on activities, students will explore the physics of energy transformation and its practical applications in archery. The project encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and effective communication as students design, build, and refine their own bows and arrows, while also reflecting on their learning journey and connecting theoretical knowledge to real-world experiences.

Learning goals

Students will understand and apply the principles of potential and kinetic energy through hands-on archery activities, exploring how these concepts enhance archery skills. They will effectively communicate their findings and insights, providing and receiving constructive feedback during collaborative sessions. Students will set learning goals, monitor their progress, and adapt their strategies to overcome challenges, using Aristotle’s philosophies to deepen their understanding of energy transformations in practical contexts.

Standards

4.PS3.1 - Use evidence to explain the cause and effect relationship between the speed of an object and the energy of an object.
4.PS3.2 - Observe and explain the relationship between potential energy and kinetic energy.
4.PS3.3 - Describe how stored energy can be converted into another form for practical use.

Competencies

Communicate effectively. - Students provide constructive and appropriate feedback to their peers.
Communicate effectively. - Students structure information and data in meaningful and useful ways.
Learn how to learn. - Students set a goal for each learning task, monitor their progress towards the goal, and adapt their approach as needed to successfully complete a task or solve a problem.
Learn how to learn. - Students know and can apply a variety of study skills and strategies to meet the demands of a task.
Learn how to learn. - Students monitor their comprehension as they learn, recognize when they become confused or encounter obstacles, diagnose barriers to their success, and select appropriate strategies to work through them.

Products

Students will craft their own functional bows and arrows, applying their understanding of energy principles to optimize design and performance. They will also produce a scientific report detailing their experiment on bow tension and arrow speed, showcasing their data analysis and conclusions. Additionally, students will compile a reflective journal connecting their archery experiences with Aristotle's concepts, culminating in a presentation during the exhibition.

Launch

Kick off the project with an Energy Exploration Workshop where students engage in hands-on activities using various bows and arrows to explore potential and kinetic energy. This immersive experience will set the stage for understanding energy transformations in archery. Follow this with a Bow and Arrow Build-a-thon, encouraging students to collaboratively design and construct their own bows and arrows, fostering creativity and problem-solving skills right from the start.

Exhibition

Students will host an Archery Skills Showcase, where they demonstrate their custom-made bows and arrows through a series of challenges that highlight their understanding of energy principles. They will present their scientific findings on bow tension and arrow speed through interactive displays and engage the audience in discussions about Aristotle's concepts applied to their projects. The event will include a live demonstration of archery techniques, allowing students to explain the energy transformations involved, and invite feedback from community partners and peers.

Week 1	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Energy Exploration Workshop: Students will engage in hands-on experimentation with various types of bows and arrows. They will identify and document examples of potential and kinetic energy in action, with guidance from the local archery coach.	Introduction to Aristotle's Concepts: Facilitate a discussion on Aristotle's concepts of actuality and potentiality, using archery as a context. Students will work in small groups to brainstorm how these ideas manifest in archery.	Bow and Arrow Build-a-thon Kick-off: Students begin designing their simple bows and arrows. They will sketch their initial designs, focusing on how they can maximize potential energy for effective energy transformation.	Reflective Journaling: Students will write initial reflections on their experiences and insights gained from the workshop and Aristotle discussion, identifying connections to energy concepts.
Deliverables	1. A group presentation summarizing the findings from the Energy Exploration Workshop, focusing on examples of energy transformations observed. 2. Initial bow and arrow design sketches with annotations explaining their design choices related to potential energy and energy transformation.
Preparation	1. Arrange for the local archery coach to attend the Energy Exploration Workshop and provide insights on energy principles. 2. Gather various types of bows and arrows for the workshop, ensuring safety equipment and guidelines are in place. 3. Prepare discussion materials on Aristotle’s concepts of actuality and potentiality, including visual aids or excerpts for group discussions. 4. Collect materials for the Bow and Arrow Build-a-thon, such as wood, string, and tools, ensuring enough for each student group.

Week 2	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Bow and Arrow Prototyping: Students continue building their custom bows and arrows, focusing on refining their designs to optimize potential energy storage and kinetic energy release. They will test different materials and tensions to determine their impact on performance.	Archery Experiment Design: Students design an experiment to measure the effects of different bow tensions on arrow speed and energy efficiency. They will develop a hypothesis, outline experimental procedures, and prepare to collect data.	Data Collection and Analysis: Conduct the designed experiments, with students measuring and recording data on arrow speed, distance, and energy transformation. Students will analyze their findings to draw conclusions about the relationship between bow tension and energy.	Aristotle's Energy Exploration: Facilitate a session where students apply Aristotle's concepts of actuality and potentiality to their experimental findings, discussing how their observations relate to philosophical ideas.	Peer Feedback Session: Students present their experimental designs and preliminary findings to peers, providing and receiving feedback on their methods, data collection, and analysis strategies to enhance their scientific approach.
Deliverables	1. Completed prototypes of bows and arrows with documentation of the materials used and design adjustments made to optimize energy transformations. 2. A scientific report draft detailing the experimental design, hypothesis, and initial data analysis, focusing on the relationship between bow tension and arrow speed. 3. Reflective journal entries connecting their experimental observations to Aristotle's concepts, articulating insights and remaining questions.
Preparation	1. Prepare a variety of materials (e.g., different types of wood, strings) for students to experiment with in their bow and arrow prototypes. 2. Develop a template for the scientific report, including sections for hypothesis, methodology, data analysis, and conclusions. 3. Organize data collection tools such as speedometers, measuring tapes, and recording sheets for students' experiments. 4. Facilitate access to resources on Aristotle's concepts to support students' reflective journaling and discussions. 5. Coordinate the logistics for a peer feedback session, including setting up presentation space and guidelines for constructive feedback.

Week 3	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Final Bow and Arrow Refinement: Students will make final adjustments to their bow and arrow designs based on feedback from Week 2. They will conduct additional tests to ensure optimal performance, focusing on maximizing energy efficiency and accuracy.	Scientific Report Finalization: Students will complete their scientific reports, integrating peer feedback and additional data collected during the final refinement phase. They will ensure clarity in explaining their hypothesis, methodology, and conclusions about energy transformation in archery.	Archery Skills Showcase Preparation: Students will prepare for the exhibition event by creating interactive displays, practicing their presentation skills, and organizing their findings and reflections into a cohesive narrative that demonstrates their learning journey.	Socratic Seminar: Engage in a Socratic seminar to discuss and critique the application of Aristotle's concepts of actuality and potentiality in their archery experiments and experiences. Students will use evidence from their projects and reflections to support their insights.	Reflection and Exhibition: Host an Archery Skills Showcase where students demonstrate their custom-made bows and arrows through challenges. They will present their scientific findings and engage the audience in discussions about the energy principles and philosophical concepts applied to their projects.
Deliverables	1. Fully functional bows and arrows refined for optimal energy use, with documentation of design changes and test results. 2. Completed scientific report highlighting the relationship between bow tension and arrow speed, including data analysis and conclusions. 3. Interactive display and presentation materials for the Archery Skills Showcase, demonstrating understanding of energy principles and Aristotle's concepts.
Preparation	1. Provide materials and tools for final bow and arrow refinements, ensuring safety measures are in place. 2. Offer guidance on scientific report writing and provide exemplars or templates for students to reference. 3. Coordinate logistics for the Archery Skills Showcase, including organizing the presentation space and inviting the local archery team coach and other community partners. 4. Prepare discussion prompts and guidelines for the Socratic seminar to facilitate meaningful dialogue. 5. Support students in organizing their presentation materials and practicing their delivery for the exhibition.