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Collection of Reviewed Teaching Resources

Let's go into orbit - Two videos part 1- Calculating the gravitational force

Subject taught
- Math
- Physics
- Technology

Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hOuNtRMSAI

Type of Product
- Videos

Language Skills Developed
- Interaction
- Listening
- Reading
- Speaking
- Writing

Transferable/Scientific Skills Developed
To know and to understand the gravitational law and the consequences, for example the motion of planets and satellites

Description
• The general aims are to develop the observation skills and to stimulate the curiosity of the students, so that they wish to understand and don’t study in a mnemonic way.
To acquire and to interpret information in a critical way through different contexts and through different communicative instruments.
To estimate the scientific credibility of the source and to discern the difference between facts and opinions.
To communicate and to understand different languages (daily, technical, literary, scientific) and to use them in different contexts.
• The linguistic aims are to teach students a correct scientific language . They will have to read or to watch and to understand a scientific article or video. They will have to use a correct language when they have to explain a scientific topic.
• The specific aims are to learn, to understand the importance of Newton’s law of universal gravitation.
To be able to resolve simple exercises and to know the reason why the satellites are in orbit.
• The target group age is 16 /18
• Level of competence in English is B1/B2.
• The time required to use the resources with the students is two hours.
• An hour to watch the first video, to add explanation and to do some exercises. Through the exercises the students understand that this force is so small to become insignificant if it is applied to little objects , but it becomes very important when it is applied to masses like the earth and the planets.
It can be an interesting exercise to calculate the different gravity accelerations on other planets.
The second hour is used to watch the other video and to explain why the satellites can stay in orbit and the importance of their speed .
• the students have same difficulties to understand how the centrifugal force and the gravitational force work to maintain satellites in orbit.

Comments
• Strength: the first video is very clear, especially when the teacher varies masses and distances to show that the value of the force changes and he points out that this value is incredibly small. The second video explains clearly how the opposition of the force of gravity and the centrifugal force allow the motion of the satellites and what part is played by speed. The use of these videos is a big help for the teacher that has not to draw, the students are more involved and they better understand the topics. • Weakness: The motion of the second video and the explanations are a bit repetitive. • Scientific reliability: good. • Pedagogical value : self–directed learning, flipped classroom, assisted learning, frontal lesson.

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Let's go in to orbit!