In the Speed SAILS inquiry and assessment unit, two activities are presented for introducing the concept of velocity. Kinematics is a topic found on both lower and upper level science curricula across Europe, and forms the basis for many advanced topics in physics. Velocity, and the term speed, are found in everyday life in relation to journeys and are of clear relevance to students. This unit is concerned with the physical concepts of distance, time, the absolute value of velocity and its distinction from the concept of speed. The concept acceleration can also be included. The activities are presented as a bounded inquiry and each activity is expected to take one 45-minute lesson.

This unit can be used for development of many inquiry skills, such as planning investigations developing hypotheses, forming coherent arguments and working collaboratively. In addition, students develop their scientific reasoning and scientific literacy. Assessment opportunities include teacher observation and classroom dialogue, evaluation of student artefacts and self-assessment.

This unit was trialled in four countries – Turkey, Ireland, Portugal and Germany – producing four case studies (students aged 12-18; mixed ability and gender). The teaching approach was bounded inquiry in all cases. Planning investigations was assessed in all case studies, while skill in forming coherent arguments and working collaboratively were assessed in some case studies, along with scientific reasoning and literacy. Assessment was primarily formative and achieved through classroom dialogue, teacher observation and evaluation of student artefacts.

Unit booklet
  • Velocity, speed
  • Measurement (accuracy of measurements)
  • Lower
  • Upper
  • Planning investigations
  • Forming coherent arguments
  • Working collaboratively
  • Scientific reasoning
  • Classroom dialogue
  • Teacher observation
  • Peer-assessment
  • Student devised materials

The Speed SAILS inquiry and assessment unit was developed by the team at King’s College London as part of the SAILS project. This unit is committed to an inquiry based learning approach with regard to the physical concepts distance and time, the absolute value of velocity and its distinction from the concept speed. Two activities are proposed; in the first students are asked to consider “how fast can you go?” and investigate the variables of time and distance. In the second activity, students consider the everyday example of their journey from home to school, and identify the distance, time and speeds involved in this journey. Several inquiry skills play a central role in the activities of this unit. The most important skill is planning investigations, as well as further skills like setting up the investigation/experiment, scientific reasoning (identifying variables, controlling variables), carrying out the investigation and collecting data or analysis of results.

The Speed SAILS inquiry and assessment unit mainly addresses the inquiry skills planning investigations (including collection and interpretation of data and identifying variables) and working collaboratively. These skills could be seen as the points to be emphasised in the formative feedback to students as they work on the inquiry: such feedback can arise in oral discussion as students are doing the tasks, and as feedback on written reports if students are asked to produce written accounts of their work.

Student artefacts could include a report at the end by each individual, or in the form of an "activity diary" which would include, for example, reports of interim plans and ideas. For example, interim reports, such as those produced in Activity A, might form part of such a diary. Another part of the diary could be written at the end, by asking each student to describe what they had learnt from the experience, thus encouraging reflection and self-assessment. The various possibilities should be foreseen in planning the activity, as opportunities for both formative and summative assessment of the evidence of each student's learning.

The Speed SAILS inquiry and assessment unit was originally developed to consist of eight activities (activities A-H), however only activities A and B were implemented in the case studies, as these are most suited for beginning any inquiry about speed. However, in activities C-H, further investigations are described. They can be used directly after activities A and B or independently in the case of an advanced physics class.

Below you can find the full inquiry and assessment unit for download, as well as an archive with classroom materials, including student worksheets and assessment tools for teachers to be used during the activities if available.

Unit booklet Classroom materials
Concept focus
Introduction to concept of speed
Inquiry skills focus
Planning investigations
Developing hypotheses
Working collaboratively
Scientific reasoning
Identifying variables
Forming conclusions
Assessment methods
Classroom dialogue
Student devised materials
In this activity, students are introduced to the concept of speed. They plan two investigations, in which the variables change (measurement of time and distance). From these investigations, they are encouraged to consider their results and observations, and develop an understanding of the concept of speed.
Concept focus
Relationship between distance, time and speed
Inquiry skills focus
Planning investigations
Forming coherent arguments
Scientific reasoning
Graphical representation of data
Scientific literacy
Interpretation of scientific data
Assessment methods
Classroom dialogue
Student devised materials

Activity B encourages students to consider the everyday example of their journey from home to school, and to consider the distance, time and speeds involved in this journey. They build their skills in graphical representation of data by producing graphs to represent this journey by foot or in a car/bus.

This unit was trialled in four countries, producing four case studies of its implementation – CS1 Turkey, CS2 Ireland, CS3 Portugal and CS4 Germany. All the case studies were implemented by teachers who had some experience of teaching through inquiry, but the students involved had limited experience of inquiry learning (except for CS3 Portugal).

CS1 Turkey, CS2 Ireland and CS4 Germany involved lower second level students: CS1 Turkey was a class of 24 students working in groups of four, CS2 Ireland was a class of 24 students, who worked individually and then in pairs and CS4 Germany involved a mixed gender class of 30 students working in groups of three or four. CS1 Turkey, CS2 Ireland and CS4 Germany describe single lessons of 45 minutes, 80 minutes and 120 minutes duration, respectively. The students in CS3 Portugal were a class of 16 mixed ability and mixed gender upper second level students aged 15-18 years old, working in groups of two or three, and the case study describes two consecutive lessons for a total of 225 minutes.

The key skill identified for assessment in all case studies was planning investigations, including implementation of the planned experiments and scientific reasoning associated with planning. This was achieved through classroom dialogue and teacher observation, as well as evaluation of student artefacts.

The inquiry approach used in all the case studies was that of bounded inquiry, i.e. it was guided in the sense that the teacher posed the initial question but there were open inquiry opportunities in that students had freedom in addressing the question. Students completed the activities working individually or in small groups and peer discussion was encouraged and facilitated.

Within the four case studies, the inquiry skill of planning investigations was the primary skill assessed. Each case study considered both planning and implementation as part of this skill. In addition, forming coherent arguments, developing hypotheses and working collaboratively were assessed in different ways, with some teachers using the proposed rubrics. Additionally the content knowledge and evidence of scientific reasoning/literacy was assessed through the student worksheets and verbal responses.

Below you can find the full inquiry and assessment unit for download (excluding the case studies), as well as an archive containing all the case studies.

Unit booklet Case studies
Concept focus
Introduction to the concept of speed
Activities implemented
How fast can you go?
Inquiry skills assessed
Planning investigations
Working collaboratively
Scientific reasoning
Collection of data
Identification of variables
Assessment methods
Classroom dialogue
Teacher observation
Worksheets
Level
Lower
Age
14-15
Prior experience with inquiry
Some experience

In this case study, one activity from the Speed SAILS unit was implemented with a class at lower second level. Skills chosen for assessment were planning investigations, including carrying out the experiment, and working collaboratively,in particular teamwork. Scientific reasoning capabilities were also assessed, looking at ability to identifying variables and to collect scientific data. The teacher assessed these skills during the lesson, when student groups were working on their inquiry process.

Download case study
Concept focus
Introduction to the concept of speed
Activities implemented
How fast can you go?
Inquiry skills assessed
Planning investigations
Developing hypotheses
Scientific reasoning
Identification of variables
Assessment methods
Classroom dialogue
Teacher observation
Worksheets
Level
Lower
Age
13
Prior experience with inquiry
Some experience

In this inquiry activity, students worked individually to plan two experiments, which enabled assessment of each student’s ability to develop hypotheses. Students engaged in “think-pair-share” classroom dialogue to discuss their ideas. The teacher provided both formative and summative assessment of students’ skill in planning investigations and their scientific reasoning capabilities, as well as their engagement with the tasks. The teacher identified criteria on a five-point scale for assessment of skills.

Download case study
Concept focus
Introduction to the concept of speed
Activities implemented
Getting to school
Inquiry skills assessed
Planning investigations
Scientific reasoning
Identification of variables
Assessment methods
Classroom dialogue
Student devised materials
Level
Upper
Age
15-18
Prior experience with inquiry
Some experience

This case study details implementation in two lessons, in which the focus for development of skills was on planning investigations and associated scientific reasoning. The teacher developed criteria for a three-level rubric that aimed to collect evidence concerning identifying the problem, identifying variables, developing a procedure, carrying out investigations and analysing data. The teacher provided formative feedback after evaluation of student artefacts.

Download case study
Concept focus
Introduction to the concept of speed
Activities implemented
How fast can you go?
Inquiry skills assessed
Planning investigations
Scientific reasoning
Identification of variables
Assessment methods
Classroom dialogue
Teacher observation
Student devised materials
Level
Lower
Age
12-13
Prior experience with inquiry
Some experience

In this implementation of the Speed SAILS inquiry and assessment unit, the teacher adopted an open inquiry approach for introducing the topic "how to describe motion." The teacher observed the students process, and did not get involved unless specific assistance was needed. Skill in planning investigations was assessed through observation and classroom dialogue, where the teacher posed questions during the inquiry process. The students submitted reports after the lesson, and the teacher provided written feedback on these.

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