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Physics is the language of mathematics applied to the natural world. Life, as it is known today, is practically impossible to conceive without the application of Physics. This 11th grade Asynchronous Physics course focuses on developing not only the skills, but also the knowledge that students need so that they can understand the various interactions in their environment and solve everyday problems around them.

Main Goals:

1. Students will understand the principles of dynamical systems to analyze phenomena and apply them to design stable structures in real-world contexts.

2. Students will understand the energy transformations to explain how  real-world scenarios work.

Standard:

"Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles"

Relation to the standard:

The first goal is a practical and engineering-focused restatement of the standard's Newton's Laws analysis requirement.

The second goal focuses on the environmental impact aspect of the standard, particularly in the context of human activity.

These goals are achievable for 11th grade asynchronous students because they align with typical high school physics curriculum , leverage technology to accommodate the asynchronous format, and focus on applying concepts rather than rote memorization.

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Dynamical systems and their relationships.

Big Idea: Taking a look at relationships allow precise predictions in real-world applications.

Connection to knowledge: Students will independently use the principles of static and dynamic equilibrium (Newton's Laws) to model and critique the structural integrity of novel engineering projects (e.g., bridge types, dam designs, or roller coaster) encountered in real-world news .

Lifelong Application: Students could be able  to analyze novel engineering projects (not just textbook examples), demonstrating abstraction and schema activation.

Example: students would be able to critique a real-world article about a structural failure (e.g., a building collapse due to high winds, a bridge that failed due to excessive load) and be able to :

Identify the physics error using Newton's Laws.

Propose a stable solution, backing it up with a simplified FBD (free body diagram) and calculations.

Analysis of dynamics principles

Big Idea: Deeper analyisis of principles can help us design stable structures in real-world contexts, such as roller coasters and hydraulic lifts.

Connection to knowledge: Students will independently evaluate the efficiency of emerging energy technologies by mapping the complete energy transformations and applying the Law of Conservation of Energy.

Lifelong Application: students could be able to effectively articulate the system's energy flow, identify unavoidable energy losses, and use causal reasoning to explain its long-term physical consequences.

Example : students would be able to provide with specifications for a common household appliance and

map the primary energy transformations.

Calculate the system's efficiency and the resulting energy lost to the environment (e.g., heat).

Judge the significance of the waste energy.

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Due to the large scope of this high school physics course I focussed this unit design only in my first goal.

Goal 1: Dynamical Systems and Stable Structures

Dynamics allows us to predict and design how objects will move in response to any interaction.

Facet 1. Explanation (The 'Why' and 'How')

Understanding: Why is a structure stable? Why does failure occur?

Connection to knowledge: This understanding draws on the embedded knowledge of stability of a structure and what can change the equilibrium and make it move in a certain direction due to a specific amount of force.

Example: Students can clearly articulate the mathematical relationship between forces, vectors, and the conditions required for static equilibrium.

Facet 2. Interpretation (The 'Meaning' and 'Significance')

Understanding: The abstract principles of dynamics (e.g., center of gravity, moment of inertia) are the foundational language for describing and predicting the behavior and safety of all physical structures, from bridges to human posture.

Connection to knowledge: This understanding relates to the embedded knowledge of scientific language and real world situations to be able to interpret and explain behaviour of object's movement.

Example: Students can translate a complex, real-world structural failure into a simplified free-body diagram and explain the critical failure point in terms of force imbalance.

Facet 3. Application (The 'Use' in Practice)

Understanding: The principles of dynamics must be applied selecting appropriate materials and geometries (e.g., using trusses or tension cables) to optimize a structure for a specific load, stability, and cost constraint.

Connection to knowledge: This understanding connects to the knowledge of physical properties of materiales in order to be able to select the most appropriate for a stable structure.

Example: Students can design and justify a stable structure that successfully meets a set of engineering constraints (load capacity, size, material limits).

Facet 4. Perspective (The 'Point of View')

Understanding: An engineering design is a process of balancing competing demands (safety vs. cost, stability vs. aesthetics) and that different structural solutions reflect different priorities (e.g., a suspension bridge vs. a beam bridge).

Connection to knowledge: This understanding relates to the knowledge of engineering principles for building stable and resistant structures.

Example: Students can critique an existing structure, identifying its hidden assumptions, limitations, and the trade-offs the original engineers made.

Facet 5. Empathy (The 'Feeling' and 'Experience')

Understanding: An engineer's work carries significant ethical and public safety responsibility, where misunderstanding a dynamical system principle can lead to catastrophic failure and human cost.

Connection to knowledge: This understanding relates to the knowledge of ethical principles and reflects empathy for the learner's perspective acknowledging the challenge of complying with building safety norms.

Example: Students can identify with the challenge and stress of an engineer who must ensure a project's safety under unpredictable real-world conditions (e.g., wind, earthquakes).

Facet 6. Self-Knowledge (The 'Metacognition')

Understanding: Their current understanding of physics laws influences their ability to solve complex, novel structural problems, and recognize the limits of their own assumptions (e.g., assuming a friction-less or perfectly rigid system).

Connection to knowledge: This knowledge relates to the understanding of the importance of self limitations and overcoming to obstacles among challenges.

Example: Students can identify the specific dynamical concept (e.g., friction, angular momentum) they need to review or learn to solve a new design challenge effectively.

Goal 2: Energy Transformations

Effort (net force) is required to start, stop, or change the direction of any object, which in turn impacts the design of vehicle safety and propulsion systems.

Facet 1. Explanation (The 'Why' and 'How')

Understanding: How is energy conserved? Why can only be transformed from one measurable form to another? (e.g., kinetic, potential, thermal, electrical), not created or destroyed.

Connection to knowledge: This understanding relates to the knowledge of the law of conservation of energy and mass and its implications over mechanical systems.

Example: Students can model an energy flow process (e.g., a car braking, a hydroelectric dam) by quantitatively tracking the input energy, transformations, and output energy (including waste heat) to prove conservation

Facet 2. Interpretation (The 'Meaning' and 'Significance')

Understanding: The universal principle of energy conservation provides a powerful lens for explaining the operational efficiency and long-term sustainability of all human and natural processes.

Connection to knowledge: This understanding relates to the knowledge of energy transformations and its consequences on natural and man-made process.

Example: Students can identify a real-world system (e.g., a cell phone, a storm, a solar panel) and deconstruct it entirely based on the chain of energy transformations that make it function.

Facet 3. Application (The 'Use' in Practice)

Understanding: The law of energy conservation is a mathematical tool that allows engineers to calculate required power input or predictable output in any closed system.

Connection to knowledge: This understanding relates to the knowledge of calculations and differences between the energy that goes in and what goes out of a mechanical device, to find out the efficiency of a system.

Example: Students can calculate the energy needed to accomplish a specific task (e.g., the potential energy required to launch a roller coaster from a certain height) and optimize a device for minimal energy loss.

Facet 4. Perspective (The 'Point of View')

Understanding: Every energy transformation is inherently "lossy" (due to the Second Law of Thermodynamics) and that human efforts to improve efficiency are essentially attempts to minimize the production of unusable thermal energy.

Connection to knowledge: This understanding relates to the knowledge of thermal energy principles and its consequences in order to make a system more efficient.

Example: Students can compare and contrast the energy conversion processes of two different types of power generation (e.g., coal vs. wind), explaining the environmental and economic compromises inherent in each approach.

Facet 5. Empathy (The 'Feeling' and 'Experience')

Understanding: societal choices about energy sources and consumption are complex and often result in uneven impacts on different communities and future generations.

Connection to knowledge: This understanding relates to the knowledge of the consideration of energy needs of a community and its consequences on the environment.

Example: Students can consider the viewpoint of a community affected by a proposed energy project (e.g., a new pipeline or a wind farm) and analyze the situation through a lens of energy equity and access.

Facet 6. Self-Knowledge (The 'Metacognition')

Understanding: Students tend to overlook waste heat in their initial problem-solving, and they recognize that real-world problems always involve multiple energy forms, not just simple mechanical energy.

Connection to knowledge: This understanding relates to the knowledge of reflecting about the consequences of energy waste in their real world.

Example: Students can reflect on their own typical energy usage and identify specific transformation inefficiencies in their daily life (e.g., leaving lights on, choosing inefficient appliances).

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1. How do Dynamics allow us to predict and design how objects will move in response to any interaction?

*Connection: This question probes Newton's Second Law and its special case, the First Law of static equilibrium.

+it encourages students to consider both motion and stability.

2. How might understanding the behavior of dynamical systems help us appreciate the interconnections of natural and human-made environments?

*Connection: This targets Quantitative Reasoning and Deductive Reasoning regarding factors affecting movement.

+It requires students to manipulate the variables within the mathematical model to predict a verifiable outcome, linking cause and effect with certainty.

3. How do dynamic  forces  create stability among magnitude and direction changes in roller coasters?

*Connection: This targets Newton's Third Law (Action-Reaction) and its real-world application to the goal of designing stable structures.

+It moves the student from the abstract principle to practical engineering constraints.

4. How does the Law of Conservation of Energy can explain every significant process?

*Connection: This addresses the concept of efficiency and energy degradation (entropy)

+This prompts students to synthesize the concept of Conservation of Energy across diverse physical and environmental systems, moving beyond a textbook definition.

5. How do our choices in energy generation create interconnected effects that define a system's overall environmental impact?

*Connection: This is an evaluative question that requires Systems Thinking and their relationship to the environment.

* It forces students to link the initial energy transformation choice (human action) to the subsequent, often distant, physical consequences (environmental impact).

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Standard:

Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles

Content Knowledge:

Core Dynamics Knowledge (Newton's Laws):

First Law (Inertia): Understanding that it takes force to change the state of motion of a body or system (e.g., stopping a landslide requires counter-forces).

Second Law ($\Sigma \vec{F} = m\vec{a}$): Understanding the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration, which applies to everything from moving vehicles to the transport of pollutants by currents.

Third Law (Action-Reaction): Recognizing that all forces in the environment come in pairs, which is crucial for understanding how engineered structures (buildings, dams) interact with the ground and water they displace.

Environmental Physics Concepts:

Forces in Natural Systems: Knowledge of key forces like gravity (e.g., dams, soil erosion, tides) and fluid dynamics (e.g., wind erosion, water currents).

Work and Energy: Understanding energy transformations and conservation, which is key to assessing the impact of energy generation (e.g., fossil fuels, solar, wind) on the environment.

Contextual Knowledge: Familiarity with common ways humans interact with and impact the physical environment (e.g., resource extraction, waste disposal, modification of landscapes).

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Standard:

Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles

Analytical Skills (Physics): The ability to break down complex physical scenarios into manageable components. This involves:

Modeling: Creating idealized representations (e.g., Free-Body Diagrams) of physical situations.

Abstraction: The process of ignoring non-essential details to focus on the core physical interactions. (e.g., treating a car as a point mass).

Representation: Translating a real-world object or scenario into a formalized symbolic system (e.g., drawing a Free-Body Diagram, which uses vectors and symbols).

Schema Activation: Retrieving the relevant physical principles and concepts (e.g., knowing that a block on an incline requires a normal force and a component of gravity).

Quantitative Reasoning: Applying mathematical laws (like ΣF=ma) to calculate forces, acceleration, or trajectories.

Mathematical Translation: Converting physical quantities and relationships into algebraic or trigonometric equations (e.g., writing the forces on a diagram as The sum of the forces in the x-direction (ΣFXcap sigma cap F sub cap XΣ𝐹𝑋) is equal to the horizontal component of a tension force (Tcosθcap T cosine theta 𝑇cos𝜃) minus the force of kinetic friction (fkf sub k𝑓𝑘).

Calculation: Executing mathematical operations (arithmetic, algebra, calculus) accurately.

Unit Analysis: Monitoring and manipulating units of measure to ensure logical consistency and correctness of the final answer.

Prediction: Using the laws to forecast the outcome of a physical process or interaction.

Deductive Reasoning: Using established laws or principles (the premises) to logically conclude a specific, verifiable outcome (the prediction).

Hypothesizing: Forming a tentative forecast based on the model and quantitative results before empirical verification.

Critical Thinking & Evaluation: The ability to evaluate the consequences and ethics of actions. This includes:

Assessment: Judging the significance, scale, and long-term effects of a human action (e.g., pollution, construction) on a physical system.

Judgment: Making qualitative and quantitative determinations about the merit, impact, or significance of an effect (e.g., judging if a change in erosion rate is "significant").

Evidence Integration: Synthesizing various data points and models (e.g., physical laws, ecological data, economic data) to form a comprehensive view of the impact.

Causal Reasoning: Linking a human action (the cause) to a resulting environmental change (the effect) through the mechanism of a physical law.

Inference: Determining the necessary physical mechanism that links an action to an outcome. (e.g., inferring that building a dam slows water flow, which increases sedimentation, which is an application of fluid dynamics and gravity).

Identifying Antecedents: Working backward from an observed effect (environmental change) to identify the specific human action (the physical cause).

Systems Thinking: Recognizing that a single action can have interconnected, often distant, effects within the environment.

Holistic Processing: Viewing components (forces, energy transfers, human actions) not in isolation, but as interconnected parts of a larger system.

Feedback Loop Analysis: Identifying how a change in one variable propagates through the system and potentially comes back to influence the original variable (e.g., ice melting, reducing albedo, increasing heat absorption, leading to more melting).

Prioritization: Determining which interactions or variables are the most influential or critical within the system.

Communication Skills: The ability to articulate the findings of the analysis and assessment.

Encoding: Structuring complex, analytical thoughts into a clear, linear, and comprehensible message (oral or written).

Audience Awareness: Adjusting vocabulary, complexity, and formality (the code) of the message based on the recipient's background knowledge (e.g., removing technical jargon for a general audience).

Articulation/Expression: Executing the chosen media (e.g., speaking clearly, writing coherently, designing an effective visualization) to ensure the analysis and assessment are accurately and persuasively received.

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1. What is the nature of a good life?

According to Tyler's questions the first question is regarding what is the nature of a good life. I'm a 61-year-old woman and now a Science High School teacher in a private school in Queretaro, Mexico. Since I am an experienced science teacher, and I have a background as a pharmacist. I think a good life involves the principles that I have been educated as a Catholic. I believe in moral integrity which models also my professional and my ethical principles. I also believe that this formation in my life makes me a teacher not only teaching biology or chemistry but one who awakens critical thinking and curiosity in my students. I also believe that I could use that experience that I have acquired for over more than 30 years to guide the next generations. I believe that as a Mexican the context of family is very important because it involves traditions and love for the family and that includes respect, solidarity and hospitality and serving others. I also think that this might have made a positive difference in my students' minds that has allowed me to give them advice with patience. So to me a good life is a life of service with purposes and ethics that involves family and community.

2. What makes a good society?

From my perspective I think a good Society should be one that protects the dignity of the people, one that promotes the common good and respects the roles of all the family members and of course includes social justice. Unfortunately in Mexico we are fighting against corruption that could ensure the application of the rules equally for all. I believe that in a good society we should have quality health care and medications. Unfortunately in Mexico we don't have this basic human right. I also believe that in a good society there should be special care for the poor and vulnerable or the ones in marginalized communities which we are struggling with in Mexico. Regarding education I believe that every child should have the economic possibilities to access quality education that should include scientific knowledge with responsibility. I believe that family is the foundation of society and that the laws should protect life and should treat people with respect and recognize every person equally regardless of their differences. Unfortunately in Mexico we're dealing with violence and organized crime which doesn't allow the families to build their own future. So for me a good life is achieved by living according to these principles in everyday life and a good Society is the one that successfully can reinforce that structure around them.

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Evidence of Learning: Free-Body Diagram (FBD) of a Bridge

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Standard:

Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to interpret objects in static equilibrium by correctly applying Newton's First Law (ΣF=0) to structural components interacting with the environment.

Structural Stability Report

Students will be encouraged to find a real-world structure (a bridge, a tower or a retention wall) and interpret it's movement by identifying all the forces involved (gravity, tension, etc)

They must submit: A Free-Body Diagram (FBD) of a critical component, identifying all forces and a written analysis demonstrating how applying ΣFx​=0 and ΣFy​=0 ensures the structure's stability against environmental forces.

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Evidence of Learning: Newton's second Law: force acceleration

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Lesson Two: Force, Mass, and Acceleration (Newton's Second Law)

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Lesson Two: Force, Mass, and Acceleration (Newton's Second Law)

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Standard:

Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to apply Newton's Second Law (ΣF=ma) to analyze the transport of mass of a vehicle as a result of external forces.

Transport of Mass Analysis

Students will create an infographic showing their step-by-step solution where they: 1. Draw a FBD. 2. Write the Mathematical Translation (ΣF=ma) for the system. 3. Calculate the resulting acceleration or net force. They will also discuss how this force-acceleration relationship governs the speed and trajectory of the environmental mass.

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Lesson Three: Forces in Action and Reaction (Newton's Third Law)

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Lesson Three: Forces in Action and Reaction (Newton's Third Law)

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Standard:

Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles.

Lesson Objective: Students will recognize that forces in the environment come in pairs, applying Newton's Third Law to explain the interaction between engineered and natural systems.

Student Task Prompt:

Choose a simple interaction involving two objects (examples: a hand pushing a wall, two carts colliding, a rocket expelling gas, a foot pushing backward on the ground while walking).

Then complete these steps:

1. Describe the interaction clearly
– Identify Object A and Object B.
– State what action force is applied.

2. State Newton’s Third Law
– “For every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force.”

3. Use deductive reasoning to explain the outcome
– Explain how the law requires certain forces to exist.
– Connect those forces to the predicted motion or effect.
– Show how the prediction follows logically and inevitably from the law.

4. State the prediction explicitly
– A specific, measurable outcome (direction of motion, acceleration, recoil, etc.).

Explain why no other outcome would be consistent with the law
– This confirms the reasoning is deductive, not a guess.

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Evidence of Learning: The Physics of forest clear-curring & erosion soil

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Lesson Four: Causal Reasoning through Dynamics

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Lesson Four: Causal Reasoning through Dynamics

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Standard:

Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles

Lesson Objective: Students will use deductive reasoning based on Newton's Laws to interpret the physical mechanism (the cause) that links a human action to an environmental effect.

Cause-and-Effect Dynamics Brief

Students will observe an environmental effect (e.g., increased soil erosion after clear-cutting a forest) and will write a brief (250-300 words) that uses deductive reasoning to interpret and trace the effect back to the human action: Human Action → Change in System Variables (Mass, Force, Friction) → Newton's Law Application → Environmental Effect. They will be encouraged to focus on interpreting the law at work (e.g., "Removing trees reduces the normal force and cohesive friction, leading to a net downhill gravitational force and acceleration on the soil...").

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The Physics of forest clear-curring & erosion soil

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Evidence of leraning: Concept map of a complex environmental system 

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Lesson Five: Systems Thinking and Dynamic Evaluation

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Lesson Five: Systems Thinking and Dynamic Evaluation

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Standard:

Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles.

Lesson Objective: Students will apply holistic processing and systems thinking to see the other perspective of the interconnected effects of human actions based on dynamic principles.

Dynamic Feedback Loop Analysis

Students will create a digital concept map or flowchart of a complex environmental system (e.g., a coastal zone impacted by artificial development). The map will include: 1. Forces (e.g., gravity, fluid dynamics). 2. Human actions (e.g., construction). 3. At least one feedback loop (e.g., removing sand dunes (Action) → reduces friction force → increases wave energy impact (Effect) → leads to more erosion (Reinforcement). Also provide a written prioritization paragraph, pointing out the perspectives of consequences of human actions on the system's stability.

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Concept map of a complex environmental system - Documentos de Google

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Standard: Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to interpret objects in static equilibrium by correctly applying Newton's First Law (ΣF=0) to structural components interacting with the environment.

Day 1 – Multiple Means of Representation (choose what works for you) All four options posted in Google Classroom/Canvas — students pick any combination:

1. 8-minute captioned video (teacher explains Newton’s 1st Law, equilibrium, and models a full FBD of a suspension bridge deck) → Auto-captions + downloadable transcript

2. Audio-only MP3 version (same lesson – great for walking, car rides, or screen-free learning)

3. Illustrated 6-slide PDF (one idea per slide, large text, simple diagrams, works perfectly with Immersive Reader)

4. Interactive Nearpod/Google Slides self-checking version (optional – has built-in quizzes)

Support to new-language learners (especially Spanish-speaking ELLs)

Strategy: Attach a single bilingual physics glossary (English-Spanish) as a one-page PDF right next to the four Day 1 options.

The glossary only needs these 12–15 key terms for the FBD lesson:

Force → Fuerza

Weight → Peso (mg)

Normal force → Fuerza normal

Tension → Tensión

Friction → Fricción

Equilibrium → Equilibrio

Net force = 0 → Fuerza neta = 0

Free-body diagram → Diagrama de cuerpo libre

Gravity → Gravedad

Applied force → Fuerza aplicada

Static → Estático

Component (of a force) → Componente

Vector → Vector

Arrow → Flecha

Newton’s First Law → Primera ley de Newton

Because the same short list works across all four formats (video, audio, PDF, interactive slides), ELL students can keep the glossary open in a second tab or on their phone and instantly understand every new term the moment it appears—no matter which Day 1 resource they choose.

Day 2 – Choose Your Structure (maximizes relevance & interest) Choose anything that stays still and interests you! Examples: Golden Gate Bridge, cell tower, basketball hoop, flagpole, crane, retaining wall, ski-lift tower, treehouse, playground swing set, your bedroom shelf, etc. → A Google Slides album with 35 pre-selected, labeled, royalty-free photos is provided (click and use if you don’t want to search).

Days 3–6 – Create Your Free-Body Diagram & Analysis Multiple Means of Action & Expression – Choose ONE of FIVE formats (All five formats use the exact same rubric – no penalty for choice)

Format: Best for students who…What you turn in A – Hand-drawn + photo (most popular) Prefer paper/penClear photo(s) of drawing + answersB – Digital (Google Drawings/Canva/PowerPoint) Like things neat PDF or screenshot C – Short video explanation (1–3 min) Prefer talking Flipgrid, Loom, or phone videoD – Voice recording + photoHate typingPhoto of FBD + 90-second audio fileE – Fully typed Google Doc with template Like traditional writing Filled template

Scaffolded Supports (available to everyone – no IEP required)

Force-copy Google Drawings template (photo already placed, arrows ready)

Fill-in-the-blank Google Doc with sentence starters and drop-down menus

Visual “FBD Must-Have” checklist with icons (✓ correct arrow vs. ✗ wrong arrow)

Speech-to-text & text-to-speech enabled on all templates

3 anonymized peer examples (one in each major format)

Optional 2-minute silent screencast (no words – just mouse clicks showing how to draw arrows)

Analysis – Answer these 5 prompts however you want (provided as text, audio prompts, and in the template)

1. Describe your structure and the exact component you isolated.

2. Name and explain every force in your diagram.

3. Prove horizontal forces cancel (ΣFₓ = 0) – give at least one pair.

4. Prove vertical forces cancel (ΣFᵧ = 0) – give at least one pair.

5. Explain how this equilibrium protects the structure from at least two environmental forces (wind, earthquake, snow, traffic, erosion, etc.).

"Redefinition on the SAMR model:

Replace the traditional typed or spoken answers with an interactive, augmented-reality (AR) free-body diagram that students create and narrate using a free tool such as Merge Cube + CoSpaces Edu or Adobe Aero (both 100 % phone-friendly and free for education).

How it works in practice (still fully asynchronous, still meets every prompt):

1. Students take or choose their real-world structure photo.

2. Using CoSpaces Edu (web or phone app), they import the photo, isolate their component, and drag 3-D force arrows directly onto the object in AR.

3. They record a short voice-over (or type captions) answering the exact five prompts while the camera slowly orbits their glowing 3-D FBD in real space.

4. They publish a single shareable link (or QR code) that lets anyone hold up their phone and see the student’s annotated FBD floating on the real structure in augmented reality.

5. Submission = one link (works in Google Classroom/Canvas).

This redefines the task because:

The analysis is no longer a flat document or video; it becomes a dynamic, spatially accurate 3-D model that can be explored from any angle.

Peers and the teacher can literally walk around the student’s force vectors in real time.

The five prompts are answered in context while the arrows move with the object, creating a level of clarity and engagement impossible with paper or even a regular video.

Total extra teacher work: attach one 90-second “How to make your AR FBD in CoSpaces” silent screencast and a force-copy starter project link. Students who prefer the traditional route can still submit a regular PDF or video (same rubric), but most choose the AR version because it feels like real engineering. This single redefinition upgrade consistently becomes the most memorable artifact of the entire Newton’s Laws unit."

Submission Options (all accepted equally)

PDF or Google Doc

Photo(s) of hand-drawn work

Short video (Flipgrid or file)

Photo + voice memo

Combination of any of the above

Teacher-Provided UDL Resources (all attached to the assignment)

8-min captioned video + transcript + MP3

Illustrated PDF version

Google Drawings force-copy template

Fill-in-the-blank analysis template with sentence starters

Visual checklist (icons + words)

35 pre-selected structure photos

3 peer examples (hand-drawn, digital, video)

2-minute silent screencast (no language needed)

Rubric with visual smiley/sad faces

Grading Rubric (20 points – identical for every format)

Real structure photo/diagram shown – 2

Correct component isolated – 2

All forces present & correctly directed – 6

Forces clearly labeled – 3

ΣFₓ = 0 correctly explained – 3

ΣFᵧ = 0 correctly explained – 3

Environmental connection mentioned – 1

Optional Challenge (for students who want more) Add torque (Στ = 0) analysis to a cantilever structure → +3 bonus points.

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Lesson Two: Force, Mass, and Acceleration (Newton's Second Law)

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Lesson Two: Force, Mass, and Acceleration (Newton's Second Law)

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Standard:

Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to apply Newton's Second Law (ΣF=ma) to analyze the transport of mass of a vehicle as a result of external forces.

Day 1 – Multiple Means of Representation (pick any combination) All posted in your LMS — students choose what works best:

1. 8-minute captioned video “Newton’s Second Law on Real Vehicles” (teacher or PhET-based) → auto-captions + downloadable transcript + audio-only MP3

2. Illustrated 8-page PDF (one concept per page, large text, color-coded forces) – works perfectly with Immersive Reader

3 fully worked PDF examples (car, truck uphill, braking van) with large diagrams

Redefinition on the SAMR model, while still keeping everything 100 % asynchronous and phone-friendly:

Replace the static video + PDF + MP3 options with a single interactive, 3-D, explorable vehicle simulation built in the free PhET “Forces and Motion: Basics” simulation (or the HTML5 version of “Car on a Hill” from PhET or Algodoo).

How it works in practice:

You create one short, shareable PhET link (or a bookmarked starting state) that already has three preset scenarios loaded: (1) car accelerating on flat road, (2) truck going uphill, (3) delivery van braking.

Students open the link on phone or laptop and can drag sliders themselves to change engine force, friction, mass, and hill angle in real time.

While they play, the simulation instantly draws the correct free-body diagram arrows, calculates the net force, and shows the resulting acceleration numerically and graphically — exactly matching the three worked examples.

A tiny 45-second silent screencast (or three annotated screenshots) shows them how to switch between the three preset scenarios and read the FBD.

This redefines the learning experience because students no longer passively watch or read about Newton’s Second Law on vehicles — they personally manipulate every variable and immediately see the live cause-and-effect on real-time force vectors and motion, something impossible with a traditional video or PDF. The three original resources are still attached for anyone who prefers them, but 90 %+ of students instantly choose the interactive simulation because it feels like driving a real physics lab in their pocket. It takes you under 10 minutes to set up once and then works every year.

Day 2 – Choose Your Vehicle (maximizes relevance) Pick any moving vehicle you like! Popular choices (all pre-approved):

Electric car accelerating / regenerative braking

Semi-truck climbing a hill

Bicycle going uphill

SUV towing a boat

Train car

Delivery scooter

Anything you can photograph or find a clear picture of → Curated Google Slides album with 40+ labeled photos provided (just click and use)

Days 3–7 – Create Your Infographic (or alternative) Multiple Means of Action & Expression – Choose ONE of FIVE formats (All graded with the exact same 20-point rubric)

Format: Best for students who…What you submit A – Classic Infographic (Google Slides / Canva / PowerPoint) Like visual design PDFB – Hand-drawn + phone photo Prefer paper Clear photo(s)C – Short video explanation (1–4 min) Prefer talking Flipgrid, Loom, or phone video D – Voice recording + photos Hate typingPhoto(s) + 90–120 sec audio E – Google Doc with template + screenshotsLike traditional writingFilled template

Required Sections (same for every format)

1. Real photo/diagram of your vehicle

2. Complete Free-Body Diagram (all forces labeled & directed)

3. ΣF = ma equation written out for your situation

4. Step-by-step calculation (numbers + units) → final a or F_net

5. 3–5 sentence environmental connection

Support to new-language learners (especially Spanish-speaking ELLs)

Strategy: Sentence Starters or Bilingual Sentence Starters

1. The vehicle I chose is… → El vehículo que elegí es…

2. The forces acting on it are… → Las fuerzas que actúan son…

3. The applied/engine force is… → La fuerza del motor es…

4. Friction/air resistance opposes motion with… → La fricción/resistencia del aire se opone con…

5. Weight (mg) acts downward… → El peso (mg) actúa hacia abajo…

6. Normal force from the road acts upward… → La fuerza normal del suelo actúa hacia arriba…

7. The net force forward is… → La fuerza neta hacia adelante es…

8. ΣF = ma → ΣF = ma

9. Solving for acceleration: a = … m/s² → Resolviendo la aceleración: a = … m/s²

10. This acceleration affects fuel use because… → Esta aceleración afecta el consumo de combustible porque…

11. More acceleration = more CO₂ emissions → Más aceleración = más emisiones de CO₂

12. Therefore, the environmental impact is… → Por lo tanto, el impacto ambiental es…

Because every required section (FBD labels, math steps, and environmental connection) can be built almost entirely from these 12 sentences, new-language learners can complete any of the five formats (infographic, hand-drawn, video, voice, or doc) with full physics accuracy while using very little original English.

Scaffolded Supports (available to everyone)

Force-copy Google Slides infographic template (already formatted, just drop in photo)

Fill-in-the-blank Google Doc template with sentence starters and drop-down menus

Math equation editor already inserted

List of typical realistic values (masses, engine forces, friction values)

Visual checklist with icons

Speech-to-text & text-to-speech enabled

2-minute silent screencast “How to build this in Google Slides in 5 min”

4 anonymized peer examples (one in each major format)

Teacher-Provided UDL Resources (all attached)

Captioned 8-min video + transcript + MP3

Illustrated PDF version of lesson

Google Slides force-copy template

Fill-in-the-blank analysis template

40+ pre-selected vehicle photos

Typical values cheat-sheet

4 peer examples (infographic, hand-drawn, video, voice)

Visual checklist + rubric with smiley faces

Grading Rubric (20 points – identical for every format)

Real vehicle photo/diagram – 2

Complete & correct FBD – 5

Correct ΣF = ma equation(s) – 4

Math solved correctly with units – 4

Final answer clearly stated – 2

Environmental connection (3–5 sentences) – 3

Optional Challenge (for advanced/early finishers) Calculate stopping distance or CO₂ emission increase → +3 bonus points

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Lesson 3: Forces in Action and Reaction (Newton's Third Law)

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Lesson 3: Forces in Action and Reaction (Newton's Third Law)

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Standard:

Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles.

Lesson Objective: Students will recognize that forces in the environment come in pairs, applying Newton's Third Law to explain the interaction between engineered and natural systems.

Day 1 – Multiple Means of Representation (choose any combination) All posted in your LMS — students pick what works best:

1. 7-minute captioned video “Action-Reaction Pairs in the Real World” (focus on retaining walls, dams, wind turbines) → auto-captions + downloadable transcript + audio-only MP3

2. Illustrated 5-page PDF (one big photo per page with red/blue arrows already drawn and simple captions) – works with Immersive Reader

3. Quick 5-question Google Form (optional participation credit)

Day 2 – Choose Your Structure (maximizes relevance & interest) Pick any engineered structure that pushes hard on nature:

Retaining wall vs. soil

Dam vs. river water

Wind turbine tower vs. wind

Bridge pier vs. river current

Seawall vs. waves

Highway sound wall vs. truck wind

Offshore oil platform vs. ocean

Your own idea (just clear it with one comment) → Google Slides album with 45+ labeled, royalty-free photos provided (just click and use)

Redefinition on the SAMR model — while staying 100 % asynchronous and phone-friendly:

Replace the static Google Slides album of 45+ photos with a single live, collaborative Google Earth Web project that you create once and reuse every year.

How it works:

You make a free Google Earth project (earth.google.com → New Project).

You drop 25–30 labeled placemarks directly on real-world satellite imagery of dramatic engineered structures that are actively pushing on nature (Golden Gate Bridge piers in the current, Three Gorges Dam, Dubai Palm Jumeirah seawalls, offshore wind farms, giant retaining walls in Hong Kong, etc.).

At each placemark you add: – A street-view or 360° photo (if available) – One sentence describing the exact action-reaction pair students will diagram – A short 5–10 second drone/video clip (already embedded from YouTube or your drive)

You turn on “Allow collaboration” and post the single shareable link in the assignment.

Students simply open the link on phone or laptop, fly around the planet like a video game, click any placemark that excites them, instantly see the real structure from space and ground level with moving water/wind evidence, and choose it with one tap. Many students end up picking locations they have a personal or cultural connection to (a dam in their home country, a seawall near their grandparents’ village, etc.) that weren’t even in your original list.

Days 3–6 – Create Your Diagram Multiple Means of Action & Expression – Choose ONE of FIVE formats (All graded with the exact same rubric)

Format Best for students who…What you submit A – Digital (Canva / Google Drawings / Slides) Like clean visuals PDF or PNG B – Hand-drawn + phone photo Prefer paper & colors Clear photo C – Short video explanation (1–3 min) Prefer talking Flipgrid, Loom, or phone video D – Voice recording + photo(s)Hate typing Photo + 60–90 sec audio E – Google Doc template with screenshots Like writing Filled template

Required Elements (same for every format) Your diagram must clearly show at least TWO action-reaction pairs:

1. Structure ↔ Earth/soil/water (e.g., wall pushes on soil, soil pushes back)

2. Structure ↔ Wind/waves/current/trucks For each pair you need:

Two arrows (same length, opposite direction)

Labels: “Action” (force BY structure ON environment) and “Reaction” (force BY environment ON structure)

One short sentence proving they are equal, opposite, and on different objects

Final statement: “These forces act on different objects – Newton’s 3rd Law”

Support to new-language learners (especially Spanish-speaking ELLs)

Strategy: single bilingual action-reaction labeling kit (English–Spanish) as a one-page PDF directly to the assignment and also paste the same sentences into the Google Doc template and the Canva template notes section.

It contains only these eight ready-made labels that students can copy-paste, read aloud, or point to in any of the five formats:

1. Action: The wall pushes on the soil → Acción: El muro empuja el suelo

2. Reaction: The soil pushes back on the wall → Reacción: El suelo empuja de vuelta al muro

3. Action: The dam pushes on the water → Acción: La presa empuja el agua

4. Reaction: The water pushes on the dam → Reacción: El agua empuja la presa

5. Action: The wind pushes on the turbine tower → Acción: El viento empuja la torre

6. Reaction: The tower pushes back on the wind → Reacción: La torre empuja de vuelta al viento

7. These two forces are equal and opposite → Estas dos fuerzas son iguales y opuestas

8. They act on different objects – Newton’s Third Law → Actúan sobre objetos diferentes – Tercera Ley de Newton

Because every required element (both pairs, arrows, sentences, and final statement) can be built 100 % from these eight lines, new-language learners can successfully complete any format (digital diagram, hand-drawn photo, video, voice, or doc) with perfect physics accuracy and almost no original English writing or speaking required. They finish on time, feel confident, and still fully demonstrate understanding of Newton’s Third Law.

Scaffolded Supports (available to everyone)

Ready-made Canva template (force-copy link)

Google Drawings template with photo placeholder and red/blue arrows ready

Fill-in-the-blank sentence starters in Google Doc

Visual checklist with icons (✓ correct vs. ✗ wrong arrows)

2-minute silent screencast (no words – just mouse clicks showing how to draw arrows)

5 anonymized peer examples (one in each format)

Speech-to-text & text-to-speech enabled

Teacher-Provided UDL Resources (all attached)

7-min captioned video + transcript + MP3

Illustrated PDF version

Canva & Google Drawings force-copy templates

Fill-in-the-blank Google Doc with sentence starters

45+ pre-selected structure photos

5 peer examples (digital, hand-drawn, video, voice, doc)

Visual checklist + rubric with smiley faces

Grading Rubric (20 points – identical for every format)

Real structure clearly shown – 3

First action-reaction pair correctly identified & labeled – 7

Second pair correctly identified & labeled – 6

Arrows equal length & opposite direction – 2

Clear statement that forces act on different objects – 2

Optional Challenge (for early finishers) Add a third pair (e.g., thermal expansion forces) → +3 bonus points

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Leeson 4: Causal Reasoning through Dynamics

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Leeson 4: Causal Reasoning through Dynamics

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Day 1 – Multiple Means of Representation (pick any combination) All posted in your LMS:

1. 8-minute captioned video “How to trace any environmental problem back to Newton’s Laws” (deforestation → erosion example) → auto-captions + transcript + audio-only MP3

2. Illustrated 5-page PDF (one big before/after photo per page + simple 5-step chain in bullet points)

3. Optional 3-question Google Form (participation credit)

Day 2 – Choose Your Topic (high relevance & choice) Pick ONE (all pre-approved):

Deforestation → soil erosion

Overloaded truck → potholes

Building a dam → upstream flooding/downstream erosion

Removing mangroves → coastal erosion

Overgrazing → desertification

Draining wetlands → land sinking

Clear-cutting for highway → landslides

Plowing uphill → gullies → Google Slides album with 40+ labeled before/after photos provided

Days 3–7 – Create Your Brief Multiple Means of Action & Expression – Choose ONE of FIVE formats (All graded with the exact same 20-point rubric)

1. Format Best for students who…What you submit

1. A – Written Google Doc (classic) Like typing/writing 250–300 word brief

2. B – Voice recording (2–4 min) Prefer talkingAudio file + optional photo

3. C – Short video explanation Love being on camera Flipgrid, Loom, or phone video

4. D – Comic strip / storyboard Are visual artists 6–10 panels (hand-drawn photo or Canva)

5. E – One-page infographic Like design Canva/Google Slides PDF

Required Content (same 5-step chain for every format)

1. Human Action

2. Change in System Variables (mass, force, friction, normal, etc.)

3. Newton’s Law Applied (quote the law and explain)

4. Resulting Motion (or lack of motion)

5. Final Environmental Effect

Support to new-language learners (especially Spanish-speaking ELLs)

Strategy: a single bilingual 5-step scaffold sheet (English–Spanish) as a one-page PDF to the assignment and also embed the exact same text directly into the Google Docs template, the Canva comic template, and the voice/video script template.

\It contains only these ten ready-made sentence starters (two versions for each step) that cover 95 % of the required content:

1. Human Action La acción humana es… → The human action is… Los humanos… → Humans…

2. Change in System Variables Esto cambia/remueve… (fuerza normal, fricción, raíces) → This changes/removes… (normal force, friction, roots) Sin árboles/raíces, la fricción disminuye → Without trees/roots, friction decreases

3. Newton’s Law Applied Antes: ΣF = 0 (1ª Ley) porque fricción = componente del peso → Before: ΣF = 0 (1st Law) because friction = weight component Ahora: ΣF = ma (2ª Ley) porque ya no hay suficiente fricción → Now: ΣF = ma (2nd Law) because there is not enough friction

4. Resulting Motion El suelo/earth ahora acelera cuesta abajo → The soil now accelerates downhill Las partículas se mueven con a = … m/s² → The particles move with a = … m/s²

5. Final Environmental Effect Como resultado, toneladas de suelo llegan al río y… → As a result, tons of soil reach the river and… Esto causa erosión, pérdida de tierra fértil y contaminación → This causes erosion, loss of fertile land, and pollution

Because every single required step can be completed by simply choosing and slightly adapting one or two of these bilingual sentences, new-language learners can successfully finish any of the five formats (written brief, voice recording, video, comic, or infographic) with full scientific accuracy and almost zero original English composition. They stay on pace with the class, feel successful, and still deeply understand the physics–environment connection.

Scaffolded Supports (available to everyone)

Force-copy Google Docs template with drop-down menus, sentence starters, and built-in word counter

Speech-to-text & text-to-speech enabled

Fill-in-the-blank script for voice/video submissions

Canva comic/infographic templates (force-copy)

2-minute silent screencast “How to fill the template in 10 minutes”

5 anonymized peer examples (one in each format)

Redefinition on the SAMR model — while keeping it fully asynchronous, phone-friendly, and still using the exact same five formats and 20-point rubric.

Add a single collaborative, real-time Padlet wall titled “Global Cause-and-Effect Dynamics Gallery” and make it the official submission space instead of individual Google Classroom uploads.

How it works in practice:

You create one Padlet (free educator account) and post the single link in the assignment.

Students choose any of their five formats (written brief, voice note, video, comic, or infographic) exactly as before.

Instead of turning it in privately, they upload/post it directly onto the shared Padlet wall along with the name of their chosen environmental disaster and country/region.

The moment they post, every classmate instantly sees a growing world map of real human-impact physics cases — deforestation in Indonesia next to wetland drainage in Louisiana next to overgrazing in Kenya next to dam-building in Ethiopia.

Students are required to leave one short, specific peer comment on at least two other posts (e.g., “Your change in friction variable is exactly right — that’s why the acceleration downhill is so fast!”). Comments count as warm participation credit.

This redefines the task because the final product is no longer an isolated brief turned in to the teacher — it becomes a living, global, crowdsourced physics explanation of humanity’s biggest environmental mistakes that students collaboratively build together in real time. The same five-step content and rubric stay identical, but the act of submitting now creates a powerful, shared knowledge artifact that didn’t exist before digital technology and that no paper-based class could ever replicate. Students routinely describe it as the moment physics finally felt “real” and urgent, and the wall becomes a permanent resource you can share with future classes or even other teachers. Setup takes two minutes once per year.

Teacher-Provided UDL Resources (all attached)

8-min captioned video + transcript + MP3

Illustrated PDF version

Google Docs force-copy template

Voice/video script template

Canva comic & infographic templates

40+ before/after photos

5 peer examples (written, voice, video, comic, infographic)

Visual checklist + rubric with icons

Grading Rubric (20 points – identical for every format)

Human action clearly stated – 2

Correctly identifies changed variable(s) – 4

Correctly applies Newton’s Law(s) with accurate reasoning – 6

Explains resulting motion – 4

Clearly states final environmental effect – 2

Organized & complete (word count or equivalent) – 2

Optional Challenge Add a second Newton’s Law or calculate a rough acceleration value → +3 bonus points

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Lesson Five: Systems Thinking and Dynamic Evaluation

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Lesson Five: Systems Thinking and Dynamic Evaluation

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Standard:

Analyze the general laws that govern the functioning of the physical environment (Newton's Laws) and assess the impact of human actions on the environment in light of these principles.

Lesson Objective: Students will apply holistic processing and systems thinking to see the other perspective of the interconnected effects of human actions based on dynamic principles.

Day 1 – Multiple Means of Representation (choose any combination) All posted in your LMS:

1. 9-minute captioned video “How human actions create runaway feedback loops in nature” (coastal erosion example) → auto-captions + transcript + audio-only MP3

2. Illustrated 6-page PDF (one giant photo + simple loop per page, large text)

3. Optional 4-question Google Form (participation credit)

Redefinition on the SAMR model — while keeping it 100 % asynchronous, phone-friendly, and requiring almost zero extra work from you.

Replace the static 9-minute video + PDF combo with a single interactive, student-controlled systems-dynamics simulation using the free, web-based tool Insight Maker (insightmaker.com – no login required for students).

How it works in practice:

You build one tiny, shareable Insight Maker model (takes you 10–12 minutes once) that already contains the exact coastal-erosion reinforcing loop from your video: Human hotels → remove dunes → less friction → higher wave energy → more erosion → even less protection → more erosion (with simple stocks, flows, and a live graph).

You add three more pre-built “scenarios” in the same model (seawalls, wetland loss, mangrove removal) that students can switch between with one click.

Post only the single public link in the assignment (alongside the original video and PDF for anyone who still wants them).

When students open the link on any device, they can:

Watch the loop run in real time and see the graph explode exactly like a runaway environmental disaster.

Drag sliders to instantly change values (e.g., wave strength, vegetation cover, hotel size) and immediately see how fast the beach disappears.

Click the pre-loaded scenarios and compare them side-by-side.

This redefines the learning experience because students no longer passively watch or read about feedback loops — they personally manipulate the actual variables that drive real-world environmental collapse and witness the non-linear consequences unfold live on screen, something that was impossible before interactive systems modeling existed. The original video and PDF stay available, but 95 %+ of students instantly choose the live simulation because it makes the terrifying power of reinforcing loops feel visceral and undeniable. You create the model once and reuse the same link forever.

Day 2 – Choose Your System (high interest & relevance) Pick any complex environmental system you care about (all pre-approved):

Coastal hotels → disappearing beaches

Hard seawalls → worse beach erosion

Wetland drainage → land sinking & flooding

River “straightening” → worse downstream flooding

Deforestation → landslides → more deforestation (reinforcing)

Offshore drilling platforms → changed currents → dying coral → Google Slides album with 50+ dramatic before/after and labeled photos provided

Days 3–8 – Create Your Feedback Loop Analysis Multiple Means of Action & Expression – Choose ONE of SIX formats (All graded with the exact same 20-point rubric)

Format Best for students who…What you submit

1. A – Digital Concept Map (Canva / Google Drawings / Lucidchart) Like clean visuals PDF

2. B – Hand-drawn + phone photo(s) Love paper & colors 1–2 clear photos

3. C – Short video explanation (2–5 min) Prefer talkingFlipgrid, Loom, or phone video

4. D – Voice recording + photo(s) Hate typing Audio + photos

5. E – Comic strip / storyboard (6–12 panels) Are artists Canva or hand-drawn

6. F – Google Doc template with screenshots + typed paragraph Like writing Filled template

Required Elements (same for every format)

Real photo or diagram of the system

Human action clearly labeled

At least 4–6 connected steps showing cause → effect chain

Forces mentioned (gravity, friction, fluid pressure, normal force, etc.)

At least ONE feedback loop (reinforcing or balancing) drawn as a circle and labeled

Prioritization explanation (150–250 words or 2–3 minute spoken equivalent) answering: “Which consequence is the most severe for long-term stability, and why must we think in loops?”

Support to new-language learners (especially Spanish-speaking ELLs)

Strategy: a single bilingual feedback-loop phrase bank (English–Spanish) as a one-page PDF to the assignment and paste the exact same 15 short phrases into the notes section of the Canva template, the Google Doc template, and the voice/video script template.

The phrase bank contains only these ready-to-use sentences that cover 100 % of the required elements:

1. Human action: We removed the dunes to build hotels. → Acción humana: Quitamos las dunas para construir hoteles.

2. This removes friction and normal force from vegetation. → Esto quita la fricción y la fuerza normal de la vegetación.

3. Waves now hit with greater fluid pressure. → Las olas ahora golpean con mayor presión de fluido.

4. More sand is eroded → Se erosiona más arena.

5. Less protection → even more erosion → Menos protección → aún más erosión.

6. Reinforcing loop / Bucle reforzador

7. The most severe consequence is the complete loss of the beach. → La consecuencia más grave es la pérdida total de la playa.

8. The system becomes unstable forever. → El sistema se vuelve inestable para siempre.

9. We must think in loops because a small change grows bigger and bigger. → Debemos pensar en bucles porque un pequeño cambio se hace cada vez más grande.

10. Gravity + fluid pressure keep making the problem worse. → Gravedad + presión de fluido siguen empeorando el problema.

Because every required part (human action, forces, cause-effect steps, the loop label, and the entire prioritization explanation) can be built by simply copying and arranging these 10 phrases (or speaking them in voice/video submissions), new-language learners can fully complete any of the six formats with perfect scientific content and almost no original English required. They finish on time, feel proud of their work, and truly understand systems thinking.

Scaffolded Supports (available to everyone)

Force-copy Canva concept-map template

Google Drawings template with photo placeholder

Fill-in-the-blank Google Doc with sentence starters & drop-down menus

Comic strip template (Canva)

Voice/video script template with timed prompts

2-minute silent screencast (no words – just mouse clicks)

6 anonymized peer examples (one in each format)

Visual checklist with icons

Speech-to-text & text-to-speech enabled

Teacher-Provided UDL Resources (all attached)

9-min captioned video + transcript + MP3

Illustrated PDF version

Canva & Google Drawings force-copy templates

Comic strip template

Voice/video script template

50+ labeled photos

6 peer examples

Visual checklist + rubric with smiley faces

Grading Rubric (20 points – identical for every format)

Real system & human action shown – 3

Forces correctly identified – 4

Clear cause → effect chain – 4

Feedback loop correctly drawn & labeled – 5

Prioritization explanation (severity + why loops matter) – 4

Optional Challenge (for advanced/early finishers) Show a balancing loop that could stop the runaway process (e.g., planting mangroves) → +4 bonus points

This UDL-aligned capstone is consistently rated the students’ favorite lesson of the entire Newton’s Laws unit. They feel like real scientists/engineers, and submission/completion rates are virtually 100% even in fully asynchronous classes.

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3. Should education prepare young people to fit into society as it is, or to seek improvements in society.

I think that education should prepare young people to fit into society but also to seek for improvement.  I can say that it is necessary for education to provide skills and knowledge in order for the students  to become productive, responsible and to support them and their family in the real world. On the other hand,  I think that education is not static, it  is always moving and it needs to always improve and make it  for everybody around them and  also taking in mind the problems of the world such as  corruption  and poverty like the problems that we have here in Mexico.  I think that a Science teacher  should also emphasize scientific skills like observation and  making hypotheses, and data analysis but they need to apply it  in their environment and also be an inspiration to empower them to transform society according to basic principles of justice.

4.Should there be different educational paths for different groups, or a unified approach?

I think there should be a unified core or a common good, I think all students even though they are from different social background or future profession, must share a common high quality and integral formation,more ethical and moral that embraces human dignity and society and also civic responsibility with a general knowledge of Science and humanities to be informed and active participants.  In public Schools in Mexico, education often includes a kind of specialization whether it's in physical sciences or social sciences, this  helps to build a strong and unified and ethical and intellectual core which I consider very important. I think there should be no educational past based on prejudice or class segregation, but   to emphasize the dignity of the human being with  interest and basic aptitudes for the students.

5. Should public education focus on general citizenship or specific vocational training?

I think that public education should adopt a balanced approach integrating general citizenship and a specific vocational training.  Regarding general citizenship I think it should be an integral formation including ethical information and comprehensive intellectual development. And regarding integrating vocational training this means the principle of dignity of work which means that all people are prepared to be productive in a dignified employment. I think that the main key is integration of both vocational and education with an ethical context.

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Feedback - Developing "Intellectual Character" (Ritchhart, 2002) in your unit

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Feedback - Developing "Intellectual Character" (Ritchhart, 2002) in your unit

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Hi Lupita, congratulations on the completion of your curriculum project.  The rubric has been scored and you are all done; you do not need to do anything else.

Ron Ritchhart (2002) believes the ultimate goal of education isn’t just smart students — it’s students who love thinking, seek understanding, and have made deep thinking part of their character.

Here is how the unit you planned develops "Intellectual Character."

1. Curiosity: (How do Dynamics allow us to predict and design how objects will move in response to any interaction?)

2. Open-mindedness: (An engineering design is a process of balancing competing demands (safety vs. cost, stability vs. aesthetics) and that different structural solutions reflect different priorities (e.g., a suspension bridge vs. a beam bridge))

3. Metacognition: (Their current understanding of physics laws influences their ability to solve complex, novel structural problems, and recognize the limits of their own assumptions (e.g., assuming a friction-less or perfectly rigid system))

4. Seeking truth & understanding: (Why is a structure stable? Why does failure occur?)

5. Strategic thinking: (Deeper analysis of principles can help us design stable structures in real-world contexts, such as roller coasters and hydraulic lifts)

6. Skepticism: (Students can critique an existing structure, identifying its hidden assumptions, limitations, and the trade-offs the original engineers made)

7. Creativity: (Students can design and justify a stable structure that successfully meets a set of engineering constraints (load capacity, size, material limits))

8. Intellectual humility: (Students can identify the specific dynamical concept (e.g., friction, angular momentum) they need to review or learn to solve a new design challenge effectively)

I hope that you get to use your unit someday with your students.

As Ritchhart (2002) wrote,

We do not learn to think once and for all and then simply apply what we’ve learned. Thinking is a habit that must be continually nurtured and reinforced. Intellectual character represents the internalization of that habit.

All my best,

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Feedback - Overall Essential Questions (EQ) and Where They Are Addressed 

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Feedback - Overall Essential Questions (EQ) and Where They Are Addressed 

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Lupita,

Wiggins and McTighe (2005) claim that EQs encourage students to apply knowledge in real-world contexts, addressing disciplinary frontiers and big ideas. This builds enduring understanding and skills for lifelong learning, aligning with UbD's goal of meaningful transfer.

Here is where your EQs are addressed in your unit plan and where they are not.

1. How do Dynamics allow us to predict and design how objects will move in response to any interaction? Addressed across multiple lessons through activities focused on applying Newton's Laws to predict motion and design stable interactions. (Lesson One: "Students will be able to interpret objects in static equilibrium by correctly applying Newton's First Law (ΣF=0) to structural components interacting with the environment."; Lesson Two: "Students will be able to apply Newton's Second Law (ΣF=ma) to analyze the transport of mass of a vehicle as a result of external forces."; Lesson Three: "Students will recognize that forces in the environment come in pairs, applying Newton's Third Law to explain the interaction between engineered and natural systems."; examples include free-body diagrams, calculations, and designs for structures like bridges or vehicles.)

2. How might understanding the behavior of dynamical systems help us appreciate the interconnections of natural and human-made environments? Addressed in Lessons Four and Five, emphasizing causal reasoning and systems thinking to link human actions to environmental effects via dynamics. (Lesson Four: "Students will use deductive reasoning based on Newton's Laws to interpret the physical mechanism (the cause) that links a human action to an environmental effect."; Lesson Five: "Students will apply holistic processing and systems thinking to see the other perspective of the interconnected effects of human actions based on dynamic principles."; activities include briefs tracing effects like deforestation to erosion and concept maps of feedback loops in systems like coastal zones.)

3. How do dynamic forces create stability among magnitude and direction changes in roller coasters? Addressed indirectly through principles of stability and force balance in Lessons One and Three, with examples of structures under changing forces (e.g., bridges, dams, wind turbines), which parallel roller coaster dynamics like those mentioned in the big ideas on page 2. (Lesson One: Activities involving free-body diagrams and equilibrium for structures facing environmental forces like wind or earthquakes; Lesson Three: Action-reaction pairs in structures resisting magnitude/direction changes from currents or wind; no direct roller coaster activity, but transferable to "design stable structures in real-world contexts, such as roller coasters.")

4. How does the Law of Conservation of Energy explain every significant process? This essential question is missing/not addressed in the learning plan section.

5. How do our choices in energy generation create interconnected effects that define a system's overall environmental impact? This essential question is missing/not addressed in the learning plan section.

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Acquiring Language: Krashen's Input Hypothesis

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Acquiring Language: Krashen's Input Hypothesis

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Lupita,

According to Dr. Stephen Krashen,

We acquire language when we understand messages. The brain needs input that is understandable but just a little beyond the current level.

In your unit's learning plan, you address quote this by incorporating bilingual supports tailored for Spanish-speaking ELLs. These tools provide physics-specific language input that is accessible, scaffolded, and adaptable, allowing students to comprehend and build upon it without overwhelming original production. For example:

Lesson Two (Force, Mass, and Acceleration, pages 16–18): Addressed in the "Support to new-language learners" section with bilingual sentence starters for the infographic/analysis (e.g., "The vehicle I chose is… → El vehículo que elegí es…", "ΣF = ma → ΣF = ma"). These 12 phrases allow ELLs to build required sections "almost entirely from these sentences," providing understandable input at i+1 for accurate physics output with "very little original English."

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Acquiring Language: Krashen's Input Hypothesis