This NGSS-inspired activity addresses performance expectation HS-PS2-1 of the NGSS. The activity describes a collection of equipment made available for investigating the effect of mass and of net force upon the acceleration of an object. Questions target students' ability to evaluate experimental design questions and to make decisions regarding the analysis of sample data. 

This NGSS-inspired activity addresses performance expectation HS-PS2-1 of the NGSS. The five-part activity describes an experiment with fan-propelled carts accelerating along a track. Students consider questions that can be asked and answered, analyze the design of the investigation, analyze and interpret data, describe the resulting relationship, and use the relationship to rank four situations by increasing acceleration.

This activity describes a complex set of three experiments exploring the effect of several variables upon the amount of friction experienced by a wooden block dragged across a surface. Data is presented in the form of three different data tables. Questions target a student's ability to understand the experimental design, to recognize the effect of one variable on another, to extrapolate from the provided data in order to predict the result of conducting additional trials, and to represent the data in the form of a graph.

This activity describes a complex experiment that explores the changes in velocity over time for falling coffee filters. The effect of the number of filters upon the terminal speed is also investigated. Data is presented in the form of a diagram, two graphs and a data table. Questions target a student's ability to make meaning of written information, to select and interpret data presented in graphs and tables, and to identify conclusions that are consistent with experimental findings.

This activity describes the variables that affect that total stopping distance for a car skidding to a stop under a variety of roadway conditions. The effect of reaction time, friction coefficient, and initial speed are investigated. Questions target student's ability to interpret complex data presentations, to combine information from one data presentation with information from another data presentation, to interpolate and extrapolate from given information towards appropriate conclusions, and to investigate the effect of changes in one variable upon another variable.