Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Surface Expansion

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The objectives stage is crucial for directing the focus of both students and the teacher in the lesson. Clearly defining what is expected to be achieved, this section serves as a compass for subsequent activities, ensuring that both student preparation and classroom time usage are aligned with educational goals. By establishing clear and specific objectives, students are encouraged to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical way and develop problem-solving skills in real contexts.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to solve problems involving the surface expansion of an object, correctly applying previously studied formulas and concepts.

2. Develop skills to solve practical problems related to expansion, such as the case of holes in plates that expand or contract due to thermal variations.

Side Objectives:

1. Stimulate logical reasoning and the ability to apply physical concepts in everyday situations.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The introduction stage serves to engage students with the content that will be explored in the classroom through problem situations that stimulate the application of prior concepts of surface expansion in practical and real contexts. Furthermore, the contextualization aims to demonstrate the relevance of the theme in everyday life and practical applications, awakening students' interest and curiosity about how physics plays a crucial role in situations that go beyond textbooks.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine you have a perforated metal plate, and as the temperature increases, the holes start to 'close'. How can you explain this phenomenon using the concepts of surface expansion?

2. Consider an engineer who needs to calculate the distance that a set of train tracks will expand on an extremely hot day to ensure that there are no accidents. What formulas and principles of surface expansion would he need to use?

Contextualization

Surface expansion is a fundamental phenomenon in various areas of engineering and construction, such as in the manufacturing of structures that must withstand large temperature variations, in transportation systems, and even in technology, such as in the development of electronic circuits. For example, the design of bridges takes into account the expansion of materials to prevent structural failures, demonstrating how the study of physics is crucial for practical applications. Curiosities, such as the fact that the size of Big Ben in London can vary by up to 25 centimeters due to temperature changes, help illustrate the real impact of these concepts.

Development

Duration: (70 - 75 minutes)

The Development stage is designed to allow students to apply the theoretical concepts of surface expansion practically and engagingly. By working in groups to solve problems and build models or projects, students develop collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills. Each activity is carefully planned to simulate real situations in which surface expansion is a determining factor, ensuring that students can see the direct applicability of what they have learned.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - The Mystery of the Winter Gates

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Apply the concept of surface expansion in practice by designing and constructing a model that simulates real-world usage conditions in a scenario of intense thermal variation.

- Description: Students are challenged to design a gate system for a fictional city that must deal with large temperature variations between seasons. The gates must be able to open and close without problems, despite climatic changes causing material expansion and contraction.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group will receive a set of materials with different coefficients of surface expansion.

• Students should design and build a gate model that simulates the process of expansion and contraction due to thermal variations.

• After construction, each group must present their model, explaining the process of surface expansion involved and how this influences the opening and closing of the gate.

Activity 2 - The Great Toy Car Track Competition

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Understand and apply the concepts of surface expansion in constructing a project that practically demonstrates the properties of materials under variable temperature conditions.

- Description: In this playful activity, students must design and build a track for toy cars that is affected by the surface expansion of materials, changing throughout the day as the temperature varies.

- Instructions:

• Organize students into groups of up to 5 people.

• Provide each group with materials that have different coefficients of surface expansion.

• Groups must use these materials to build a toy car track that changes shape due to simulated temperature variations.

• At the end, each group should test the track with a car, observing how the expansion of the materials affects the performance of the vehicle.

• Groups will present their tracks and explain the observed effects of surface expansion.

Activity 3 - Builders of Thermosensitive Bridges

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Apply theoretical knowledge of surface expansion in constructing a structure that must be capable of handling temperature variations, promoting safety and stability.

- Description: Students will be challenged to build a miniature bridge that must accommodate expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. The bridge must be functional and safe.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group receives materials such as popsicle sticks and glue, which simulate the materials of a real bridge.

• Students should use these materials to build a miniature bridge, considering the effects of thermal expansion.

• After construction, simulated expansion tests will be conducted, heating and cooling the bridge with hairdryers and ice.

• Each group will present their bridge, explaining how the design considered the effects of surface expansion and demonstrating the functionality and safety of the structure under variable temperature conditions.

Feedback

Duration: (20 - 25 minutes)

The purpose of this feedback stage is to consolidate students' learning, allowing them to reflect on the practical application of the studied concepts and share their experiences. Group discussion helps identify and correct any misunderstandings, as well as reinforce the importance and usefulness of physics in everyday life and other subjects. This moment also serves to evaluate students' understanding and ensure that everyone has absorbed the main points of the study on surface expansion.

Group Discussion

Start the group discussion with a brief review of the concepts of surface expansion, asking students to share their discoveries and challenges faced during the practical activities. Encourage each group to explain how they applied the formulas and theories learned to solve the proposed problems, and how this relates to real situations or other areas of study. Use this opportunity to reinforce key points and clarify any remaining doubts.

Key Questions

1. What were the biggest challenges in applying the concepts of surface expansion in the practical activities?

2. How can the understanding of surface expansion be applied to other everyday situations or other subjects?

3. Is there any aspect of the phenomenon of surface expansion that is still unclear to you?

Conclusion

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of this conclusion stage is to reinforce the concepts learned during the lesson, ensuring that students can link theory to practice and understand the importance of surface expansion in everyday applications. Additionally, it seeks to emphasize the applicability of physical knowledge in real situations, preparing students to recognize and solve practical problems involving surface expansion.

Summary

In conclusion, a comprehensive review of the concepts of surface expansion was conducted, with an emphasis on practical applications through model construction activities, such as gates and toy car tracks. Students had the opportunity to apply the formulas of surface expansion in real situations, which reinforced their theoretical and practical understanding of the phenomenon.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson was carefully structured to connect theory to practice, allowing students to see physics in action. Through real examples and practical activities, the concepts of surface expansion were applied in contexts that simulate real situations, such as the challenge of designing structures that must withstand temperature changes.

Closing

Surface expansion is an extremely important phenomenon in everyday life and in various industries, such as engineering. Understanding its effects is not only academic but also vital for the safety and efficiency of many structures and devices. The knowledge gained today can be applied in many practical situations, highlighting the relevance of physics in the real world.