Probes, Suggested Grade Levels, Concepts, and Related Disciplinary Core Ideas:

DESCRIBING MOTION AND POSITION

1- How Far Did It Go? (3-5); distance, position, measurement; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about measurement . The probe is designed to reveal how students measure distance traveled from a non-zero starting point. Type of Probe: Mathematics Integration Probe

2- Skate Park (6-12); speed, changing speed, constant speed, uniform motion, acceleration; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about motion . The probe is designed to reveal how students think about changes in and constant speed. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe

3- Following Jack: Part 1 (6-12); speed, constant speed, uniform motion, distance, position, time, time intervals; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about motion . The probe is designed to reveal how students interpret a motion diagram. Type of Probe: Representation Analysis Probe

4- Following Jack: Part 2 (6-12); speed, constant speed, uniform motion, distance, position, time, time intervals, graphing motion; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about motion . The probe is designed to reveal how students translate a motion diagram into a graph. Type of Probe: Representation Analysis Probe

5- Go-Cart Test Run (6-12); speed, constant speed, uniform motion, position, time, time intervals, clock readings, graphing motion; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about a position vs. time graph . The probe is designed to reveal whether students interpret a graph literally or mathematically. Type of Probe: Representation Analysis Probe

6- Checking the Speedometer (6-12); displacement, position, time, time intervals, ratio; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about speed . The probe is designed to reveal how students use ratios to express speed. Type of Probe: Mathematics Integration Probe, Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

7- Speed Units (6-12); speed, average speed, ratio, units; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about speed . The probe is designed to reveal how students think about different ratios to express speed. Type of Probe: Mathematics Integration Probe; Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

8- Just Rolling Along (6-12); speed, constant speed, time, time intervals, displacement, uniform motion; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about uniform motion . The probe is designed to reveal how students think about constant speed. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

9- Crossing the Finish Line (8-12); speed, average speed, instantaneous speed, acceleration, position, time intervals; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about motion comparisons. The probe is designed to reveal whether students differentiate between the concept of position and the concept of speed. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

10- NASCAR Racing (6-12); velocity, speed; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about velocity. The probe is designed to reveal how students distinguish between velocity, speed, and acceleration. Type of Probe: Word Use Probe

11- Roller Coaster Ride (6-12); acceleration; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about acceleration . The probe is designed to reveal students’ concept of acceleration. Type of Probe: Word Use Probe

12- Rolling Marbles (3-12); speed, average speed, acceleration, time, time interval; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about motion . The probe is designed to reveal how students think about the motion of a rolling object on a ramp, Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe, Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

13- String Around the Earth (8-12); ratio, proportion; Crosscutting Concept of Scale, Proportion, and Quantity; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about ration and proportion . The probe is designed to reveal whether students use a proportional relationship to figure out a highly counterintuitive thought experiment. Type of Probe: Mathematics Integration Probe, Imaginary Phenomenon Probe

FORCES AND NEWTON’S LAWS

14- Talking About Forces (3-8); force, push, pull; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about forces. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize pushes and pulls as forces. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

15- Does It Have to Touch? (3-5); action-at-a-distance force, contact force; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about forces. The probe is designed to reveal whether students know that some forces can act without direct contact. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

16- Force and Motion Ideas (6-12); force, motion, active action, passive action, constant speed, direction of motion; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about the relationship between forces and motion. The probe is designed to reveal ideas that mirror common misconceptions. Type of Probe: Justified List Idea Inventory Probe

17- Friction (6-12); friction, contact force, kinetic friction, static friction, sliding friction, rolling friction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about friction. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about friction between solid objects. Type of Probe: Descriptor Justified List Probe

18- A World Without Friction (6-12); friction, Newton’s First Law; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about an imaginary frictionless environment. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about the effect of friction on motion. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe, Imaginary Phenomenon Probe

19- Rolling to a Stop (6-12); friction, energy transfer, interaction; PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about the relationship between energy, motion, and forces. The probe is designed to reveal common misconceptions mirrored in the research. Type of Probe: Descriptor Justified List Probe

20- Outer Space Push (6-12); Newton’s First Law; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about Newton’s First Law. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize an object in motion will continue moving unless acted upon by an outside force. Type of Probe: Imaginary Phenomenon Probe

21- Riding in the Parade (6-12); Newton’s First Law; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about relative motion. The probe is designed to reveal whether students use Newton’s First Law to make a prediction. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe, P-E-O Probe

22- Spaceships (8-12); Newton’s First Law, changing direction, direction of motion; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about changing the direction of motion. The probe is designed to reveal how students think the absence of air affects a change in the direction of motion in space. Type of Probe: Representation Analysis Probe

23- Apple in a Plane (6-12); active action, passive action, contact force, normal force, gravitational force, interaction; PS2.A: Forces and Motion and PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about forces as interactions. The probe is designed to reveal which forces students think act on an object at rest when it is inside a fast moving object. Type of Probe: Descriptor Justified List Probe

24- Ball on a String (6-12); Newton’s First Law, centripetal force, circular motion; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about circular motion. The probe is designed to reveal whether students use Newton’t first Law to predict the path of motion after an object leaves a circular path. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

25- Why Things Fall (6-12); Newton’s Second Law, gravitational force, net force, mass, weight, acceleration, free-fall; PS2.A: Forces and Motion and PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about falling objects. The probe is designed to reveal how students think 2 similar shaped objects, of difference masses, will fall. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe, Opposing Views Probe

26- Pulling on a Spool (9-12); Newton’s Second Law, net force, rolling friction, tension, acceleration; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about motion in the direction of a net force using a discrepant event. The probe is designed to reveal whether students revert to their intuition, even after being presented with a statement about Newton’s Second Law. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

27- Lifting Buckets (9-12); Newton’s Second Law, constant speed, net force; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about Newton’s Second Law. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that in order for an object to move at a constant speed the forces on that object must be balanced. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

28- Finger Strength Contest (8-12); Newton’s Third Law, interaction; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about forces. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about equal but opposite forces. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

29- Equal and Opposite (8-12); Newton’s Third Law, gravitational force, normal force, interaction; PS2.A: Forces and Motion and PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about Newton’s Third Law. The probe is designed to reveal whether students misinterpret the colloquial expression, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Type of Probe: Descriptor Justified List Probe

30- Riding in a Car (6-12); Newton’s First Law, circular motion; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about circular motion . The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that turning requires a force toward the center of the curve. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

MASS, WEIGHT, GRAVITY, AND OTHER TOPICS

31- Pizza Dough (5-12); mass, weight, conservation of mass; PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about weight and mass. The probe is designed to reveal how students think weight and mass are affected when the property of an object changes. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

32- What Will Happen to the Weight? (6-12); buoyant force, floating, gravitational force, weight; PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter and PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about weight. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about weight when an object floats in water. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

33- Weighing Water (3-12); pressure, weight; PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter and PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about . The probe is designed to reveal Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

34- Experiencing Gravity (5-12); gravity, gravitational force; Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about gravity. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that gravitational force is universal. Type of Probe:Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

35- Apple on the Ground (3-12); gravity, gravitational force; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about gravity. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that gravitational force pulls on resting objects. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe

36- Free-Falling Objects (6-12); free fall, acceleration, gravity, Newton’s Second Law; PS2.A: Forces and Motion and PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about falling objects. The probe is designed to reveal how students interpret a data table of free falling objects of different masses. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe, Data Analysis Probe

37- Gravity Rocks (6-12); gravitational force, gravitational potential energy, gravity; PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.A: Definitions of Energy; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about gravity. The probe is designed to reveal whether students confuse gravitational potential energy with gravitational force. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

38- The Tower Drop (3-8); gravitational force, gravity, spherical Earth; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about gravity . The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize Earth’s gravity pulls objects toward its center. Type of Probe: Imaginary Phenomenon Probe

39- Pulley Size (6-12); mechanical advantage, simple machine, pulley, tension; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about pulleys. The probe is designed to reveal whether students think the size of a pulley has an effect on mechanical advantage. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

40- Rescuing Isabelle (9-12); mechanical advantage, simple machine, pulley, tension, work; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about pulleys and mechanical advantage. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about tension. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

41- Cutting a Log (3-12); center of mass, mass, torque, balancing, turning effect, weight; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about the center of mass . The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that when an object is balanced on a fulcrum, it does not mean that the parts on either side of the fulcrum will always have the same mass (or weight). Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

42- Balance Beam (3-5); balancing, weight; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about balancing. The probe is designed to reveal how students use mathematics to balance objects of different wights. Type of Probe: Mathematics Integration Probe, P-E-O Probe

43- Lifting a Rock (6-12); energy, fulcrum, lever, mechanical advantage, potential energy, simple machine, work; PS3.C: Relationship Between Forces and Energy; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about levers and fulcrums. The probe is designed to reveal how students think levers work. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe

44- The Swinging Pendulum (5-12); pendulum, periodic motion, variables, patterns; PS2.A: Forces and Motion; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about pendulums. The probe is designed to reveal which variable students think affects the motion of a pendulum. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

45- Bicycle Gears (9-12); energy, gears, gear ratio, work; PS3.C: Relationship Between Forces and Energy; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students ideas about gears. The probe is designed to reveal how students use the concept of gear ratios. Type of Probe: Representation Analysis Probe