Batter Up!

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This activity (on page 3 of the PDF under GPS: Baseball Activity) is a full inquiry investigation into how "bounciness" relates to the distance a ball will fly when hit off a batting tee. Groups of learners will measure the bounce of different sports balls multiple times and calculate an average bounce height. They will also make predictions of how far each ball will fly when batted and then hit them several times off a tee, ultimately graphing the results. Relates to linked video, DragonflyTV GPS: Baseball.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
1 to 2 hours
Estimated Materials Cost:
$5 - $10 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • a rubberized baseball
  • a standard baseball
  • a softball
  • a racquetball
  • a whiffle baseball
  • a tennis ball
  • a baseball or softball bat
  • a tape measure and a yardstick/meterstick
  • a batting tee

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mathematics
    • Data Analysis and Probability
      • Data Analysis
      • Data Collection
      • Data Representation
    • Measurement
    • Number and Operations
    • Representation
  • Physical Sciences
    • Energy
      • Potential and Kinetic Energy
    • Motion and Forces
      • Gravity
      • Momentum and Velocity
      • Acceleration
      • Projectile Motion
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • About Inquiry
      • Asking Questions
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Gathering Data
      • Formulating Explanations
      • Communicating Results

Informal Categories

  • Outdoor Activity
  • Physical Activity
  • Sports and Exercise

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read
  • be mobile
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Source Collection

  • DragonflyTV

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Twin Cities Public Television, Inc., 2006

Funding Source:

  • National Science Foundation, 515566