Teacher Monitoring Guide
Grade 8 · Cycle 1 · Week 5 — Kinetic & Potential Energy

Learning Goal

Students will use energy diagrams to explain transformations between kinetic and potential energy in mechanical systems, and apply the law of conservation of energy to predict motion outcomes.

Station Checkpoints

Station 1 — Hook & Phenomenon
Look for: Students connecting the phenomenon to prior knowledge and generating testable questions
Common misconception: Moving objects always have more energy than stationary objects — show that a compressed spring (high PE, KE=0) stores more energy than a slowly-moving object
Station 2 — Investigation / Data Collection
Look for: Accurate data recording and identification of emerging patterns in the evidence
Common misconception: Energy is used up when work is done — reinforce conservation of energy: energy transforms between forms but total amount is conserved in a closed system
Station 3 — Sense-Making
Look for: Students revising their model based on evidence collected during investigation
Common misconception: Higher position always means more potential energy — introduce the reference point concept; PE is defined relative to a chosen zero level

Exit Ticket Monitoring

Score Range Interpretation Next Step
18–23 pts Meeting target Extend with synthesis question
10–17 pts Developing Small group re-teach at day start
0–9 pts Needs support 1:1 intervention before next station

MTSS Tier 2 Supports

For students scoring below 10 pts on the exit ticket: use the sentence frames below during the next class's hook.