Eleventh graders analyze projectile motion — the curved path of a thrown or launched object — discovering that horizontal and vertical motion are independent, and that a 45° launch gives the greatest range.
Students will be able to…
Throw a ball and it arcs through the air in a smooth curve every time. Why a parabola — and what launch angle sends it the farthest?
Project this and change the launch angle and speed. Watch the parabolic path, and find the angle that sends the projectile farthest!
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
A thrown ball always arcs the same smooth way — why?
Students investigate.
Students explain.
Students elaborate.
Students conclude.
Aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (High School Physical Science / Physics).
Analyze data to support Newton’s second law describing motion.
Use mathematics to predict the motion of objects.
Model energy in a moving system.
Using mathematics and computational thinking.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students analyze an object launched horizontally off a cliff, computing how far it travels before landing. A printable projectile-motion sheet is in the Science library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.