USS Constitution Field Trip

 

Subject Area
Physics
Age or Grade
9th Grade
Estimated Length
50 - 100 min
Prerequisite knowledge/skills

Students will need to know the basic shapes (triangles, squares, parallelograms, etc.).
Description of New Content

The field trip takes students to the USS Constitution, a historical sailing ship in Charlestown, MA. Students will work on their map reading abilities, learn to identify shapes in the "real world" and apply their basic physics to "real world" situations.
Goals
Develop students ability to apply theoretical knowledge to actual problems and situations.
Materials Needed

USS Constitution

Procedure

 

 

 

The night before, tell the students that they will be going on a field trip to the USS Constitution and that they need to complete the Map Reading Assignment from Navigation Unit.

Opener:

Remind the student that it is dangerous to be walking around the streets and that they need to use extreme caution. Hand out the Worksheet and explain the problems to the students.

Development:

Walk with the students to the USS Constitution and work with them on the worksheet. Once all the students have completed the worksheets, explain to them the historical significance of this vessel. Explain how Boston has a rich maritime history. Explain the parts of the vessel and explain that there are dictionaries just for nautical terms.

Closer:

Return to the classroom and have class discussion on the days events. Answer any remaining questions about they worksheet and collect them for grading.

Evaluation
The worksheets will provide an evaluation as well as your observations of the students productivity.
Extensions
Continue by working with other types of maps and moving into navigation.
References

N/A