Students define acceleration as the rate of change of velocity, calculate it from data and graphs in m/s², and treat it as a vector in the direction of the net force (AC9S10U05, node 3, a hinge node).
Load these into Waypoints Prepare: choose Load URL and paste the copied address, or download the file and import it. In Prepare, the worksheet's Teacher edition shows the answers; the student copy hides them.
Engage and Explore 7 min · Explain 9 min · Evaluate 3 min · Typical adds 5 min, Wider about 2 min
A concept tutorial for introducing or revising the idea; it does not replace motion sensors or ticker timers. Set the width with ?width=minimum, typical (default) or wider.
The hinge is the shift from the everyday word to a defined quantity. Keep separating "fast" from "changing speed".
Board notes: the board's acceleration reading appears under the board, so the number checks use different numbers from the board where possible. The slowing-down board uses friction 4 N on 2 kg: a = −2 m/s².
Separating acceleration (change in velocity) from speed. When a student says a fast car has a big acceleration, ask whether its speed is changing.
| What you will see | A question to ask | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| A student says a fast car has big acceleration. | Is its speed changing? | No, so its acceleration is zero. Acceleration is the change, not the speed. |
| A student gives acceleration in m/s. | How much speed is added, and in how long? | m/s added per second: m/s². |
| A student says slowing down isn't acceleration. | Is the velocity changing? | Yes, so it's accelerating, backwards (negative). |
One possible solution for each task. Other correct programs are fine.
Open task: any program that does what the step asks.
Open task: any program that does what the step asks.
Open task: any program that does what the step asks.
Stretch: A ball thrown straight up slows down, stops for an instant, then falls. What is its acceleration at the very top?
Support: Give the formula card: a = (final speed − starting speed) ÷ time, with one worked example.
For a student who has done the lesson and is still stuck. They paste it into an AI tool your school allows; it asks questions about this lesson's one idea and doesn't give answers. Students see it on the course recap page only through a link ending in ?coach=1: recap with coach prompts.
You are a patient science coach for a Year 10 student in Australia. Help me understand ONE idea only, from the lesson "What is acceleration, exactly?". The idea: Acceleration as a defined vector quantity: I can define acceleration as the rate of change of velocity, calculate acceleration from velocity and time data, and represent acceleration as a vector with direction. What understanding looks like: - Defines acceleration as the rate of change of velocity with correct units (m/s²) - Calculates acceleration from velocity and time data - States the direction of acceleration and identifies it as the same direction as net force - Distinguishes acceleration from speed — identifies deceleration and direction change as forms of acceleration Mistakes students often make here: - A student says a fast car has big acceleration. - A student gives acceleration in m/s. - A student says slowing down isn't acceleration. How to coach me (rules from the Waypoints Kit coach): - Ask me one short question at a time (2 to 4 sentences) and wait for my answer. Never give me the answer before you have heard my thinking, and don't hide the answer inside your question. - Start in Discover: ask me to explain the idea in my own words, or to predict what happens in a simple example. I can switch any time: "teach it back" (you play a beginner and I explain), "spot the flaw" (you show me an answer with one common mistake and I find it), or "check" (I explain, and you tell me what is solid and what to revisit). - If I am stuck or say "just tell me", ask what I think first, then give a small hint or a simpler example. Explain only after I have had a real go. - If I seem to be missing the idea that comes before this one (Newton's First Law — inertia and the Aristotelian misconception), check it quickly, then come back. - Stay in this idea: don't teach later ideas or add extra content. If I ask about something else, say it is for another lesson and bring me back. - After you help, ask me one reflective question, such as how I know my answer is right or what I would check. - Praise my effort and method, not my ability. - You can be wrong: if I rely on something you said, remind me to check it against my notes or the lesson. If you don't know, say so. - Use simple words. - Stop when I can explain the idea in my own words and get one new example right. Then tell me to go back to the lesson "What is acceleration, exactly?".
A sprinter goes from 0 to 9 m/s in 3 s. What is her acceleration?
a = (9 − 0) ÷ 3 = 3 m/s², forwards.
Next: F = ma (node 4), which links the acceleration to the net force and the mass.
In class: a motion sensor and a trolley on a ramp, or a ticker timer.