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Oakland Schools Science Scope

Grade 3

Changes In Motion

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Grade 3

Unit 1 – Changes in Motion

About Our Scope Unit/Lesson Template

This template is designed to serve several teaching and learning principles considered as staples of state-of-the-art science instruction. Here are the key principles in summary:

It’s critical to elicit prior knowledge as a unit or lesson begins. Key questions should drive student explorations and investigations. Activity Before Concept – Student inquiry-based explorations which give personal

experience with phenomena and ideas should precede a presentation of science ideas. Evidence is the heart of the scientific enterprise. Students generate evidence and

analyze patterns in data that help to construct scientific explanations around key questions.

Concept Before Vocabulary – Attaching science vocabulary to concepts developed by student investigations yields more success than beginning a unit or lesson with a list of science vocabulary.

Talk, argument and writing are central to scientific practice and are among the most important activities that develop understanding.

Application of the ideas provides review, extends understanding, and reveals relevance of important ideas.

Assessment of knowledge, skill, and reasoning should involve students throughout the learning process and be well aligned to the main objectives and activities of the unit.

Earth Science Grade 3 Unit 3 Changes in Motion 1


The Scope Science template is designed to put these principles into practice through the design of the SCOPE LEARNING CYCLE FOR SCIENCE. Each unit has at least one cycle. The components are listed below:

The Key Question for the Cycle

Each cycle has one open-ended driving question that relates to all the content and skills of the unit. The Key Question is presented at the opening of the cycle and revisited at the cycle’s conclusion.

Engage and Elicit Each unit begins with an activity designed to elicit and reveal student understanding and skill prior to instruction. Teachers are to probe students for detailed and specific information while maintaining a non-evaluative stance. They also can record and manage student understanding which may change as instruction proceeds.

Explore A sequence of activities provides opportunities to explore phenomena and relationships related to the Key Question of the unit. Students will develop their ideas about the topic of the unit and the Key Question as they proceed through the Explore stage of the learning cycle.

Each of the activities may have its own Focus Question or central task that will be more focused than the unit question. The heart of these activities will be scientific investigations of various sorts. The results, data and patterns will be the topic of classroom discourse and/or student writing. A key goal of the teacher is to reference the Key Question of the cycle, the Engage and Elicit of the students and to build a consensus especially on the results of the investigations.

Explain Each unit has at least one activity in the Explain portion of the unit when students reconcile ideas with the consensus ideas of science. Teachers ensure that students have had ample opportunity to fully express their ideas and then to make sure accurate and comprehensible representations of the scientific explanations are presented. A teacher lecture, reading of science text, or video would be appropriate ways to convey the consensus ideas of science. Relevant vocabulary, formal definitions and explanations are provided. It’s critical that the activity and supporting assessments develop a consensus around the Key Questions and concepts central to the unit.

Elaborate Each unit cycle has at least one activity or project where students discover the power of scientific ideas. Knowledge and skill in science are put to use in a variety of types of applications. They can be used to understand other scientific concepts or in societal applications of technology, engineering or problem solving. Some units may have a modest Elaborate stage where students explore the application of ideas by studying a research project over the course of a day or two. Other units may have more robust projects that take a few weeks.

Evaluation While assessment of student learning occurs throughout the unit as formative assessment, each unit will have a summative assessment. Summative assessments are posted in a separate document.



Grade 3

Unit 1 – Changes In MotionContents

Unit Introduction............................................................................................................6

Learning Objectives.......................................................................................................6

Key Question..................................................................................................................6

Engage and ElicitActivity 1: Sheep in a Jeep..............................................................................................................7

Explore and ExplainActivity 2: Make it Move................................................................................................................9Activity 3: Bigger and Stronger....................................................................................................12

Explain and ElaborateActivity 4: How Strong is My Magnet?..................... …………………………………………14

Explain Activity 5: The Force be With You………………………………………………………….......18

Explore Activity 6: Ramps and Motion......................................................................................................21..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4............................................................................................................................................................

Explain and ElaborateActivity 7: Measuring Speed.........................................................................................................24

Explore and ExplainActivity 8: Friction is Your Friend................................................................................................27

Elaborate and EvaluateActivity 9: Revisiting Sheep in a Jeep..........................................................................................30

ElaborateActivity 10: A Design Challenge……………………………………………………………......32



EvaluateActivity 11: Playground Inquiry and Design ……………………………………………………........................................................................................................................................................36



Unit 1 – Changes In Motion

Unit IntroductionThis unit attends to the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations as they are gathered in 3rd Grade Unit 1 of the Michigan Department of Education Science Companion Document. Topically, the unit addresses concepts related to how forces interact with objects to cause changes in their motion.

As teachers look for ways to have students use real-world data, apply interactive technology to real-world questions and foster meaningful tasks for reading, writing, argumentation and mathematics and framed by the Common Core Curriculum Standards, the issues here provide abundant opportunity. The main limitation is the class time available given other content demands.

On the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in Science

All science teachers will find the Common Core State Standards of ELA a tremendous asset for reaching learning objectives in science education. Reading, writing, argumentation and discourse are central proficiencies necessary for success in science. All teachers should become fluent with the document and will likely find it validating.

http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf

These standards are best reached with science instruction that connects content to real-world problems and experiments, complimented with scientific writing, challenging questions, processes for classroom discussion and debate and use of scientific text.

It is recommended that teachers require students to use an interactive science notebook to support learning in this unit. Here are some features and policies to consider:

Use a bound notebook – cut and paste some other materials into it (quad-ruled notebooks are nice for graphing activities).

The right-facing page is for teacher content; the left is for student reflection. Leave four pages for a table of contents. Leave the notebooks in the room.


http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf


Unit 1 – Changes in Motion

IntroductionStudents will extend their Kindergarten understanding of force as a push or pull by investigating the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object. Students will compare the cause and effect relationships between two objects in contact with objects not in contact with each other. Students will learn that forces interact with each other and can be used to move an object, change direction of an object, or stop an object in motion. They will apply this understanding to an engineering challenge.

Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:

Describe how a push or pull is a force.(P.FM.03.35) Describe the motion of objects in terms of path and direction. (P.FM.03.41) Identify changes in motion (change direction, speeding up, slowing down). (P.FM.03.42) Demonstrate that when an object does not move in response to a force, it is because

another force is acting on it. (P.FM.03.38) Identify gravity as the force that pulls objects towards the earth. (P.FM.03.22) Generate questions based on purposeful observations. (S.IP.03.11) Conduct simple experiments to demonstrate how the change in motion of an object is

related to the strength of the force acting upon the object and to the weight of the object. (P.FM. 03.37)

Manipulate simple tools to determine the speed of an object by the time it took to travel a measured distance. (S.IP.03.14)

Construct simple charts and graphs from data and observations of time it took to travel a measured distance. (S.IP.03.16)

*Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials. (3-5-ETSI-1)

Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. (3-5-ETSI-2)

Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model that can be improved. (3-5-ETSI-3)

*Note: The last three are core standards from NGSS Engineering and Design.

Key Question: How can forces change the motion of objects?

Advance preparation Review lessons for needed materials. Make arrangements with school or local library to obtain copies of books prior to

scheduled lessons. If recommended titles are not available, locate appropriate alternative books.

Suggested Books: Sheep In A Jeep by Nancy Shaw (see Activity 1) The Three Little Pigs Sledding Adventure by Stephen Krensky Amusement Park Science by Dan Greenberg



And Everyone Shouted “Pull!”: A First Look at Forces and Motion by Claire Llewellyn The Berenstain Bears Ride the Thunderbolt by Jan and Stan Berenstain Forces Make Things Move by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley Gravity Is a Mystery by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley Move It: Motion, Forces and You by Adrienne Mason Forces and Motion by Lisa Trumbauer What Makes a Magnet? by Franklyn M. Branley



Engage and Elicit

Activity 1 – Sheep in a Jeep

Purpose To elicit student ideas about how forces can affect the motion of an object

Activity DescriptionDuring this activity the teacher and students will have the opportunity to access and assess what students remember about force and motion from Kindergarten and other personal experiences (see Grade K Scope: Unit 2 – Pushes and Pulls). While listening to the teacher read aloud from the trade book Sheep in a Jeep, students will identify examples of a force causing a change in motion. The teacher will pause reading when students signal that they have heard or seen an example of an object in motion or of a force causing a change in an object’s motion. The examples will be recorded on a class chart for future reference. The scenario in the book will be compared to real examples of moving vehicles in their lives. The teacher’s role during this activity is to encourage conversation about the examples surfaced and to probe for deeper thinking. The teacher can expect students to use terms like push, pull, slower, faster, or changed direction as they describe their examples.

Focus Question How can forces change the way an object moves?

Duration One class session

Materials Sheep In A Jeep by Nancy Shaw Chart paper to create a T-chart for examples of force and motion from the book “Motion at Home” record sheet

Teacher Preparation Review the book Sheep In A Jeep to identify appropriate stopping points. Create a 3-column chart to record student examples of force and motion. The columns

should have the following headings: Object, Motion, Force.

Classroom Procedure1. Introduce the lesson by showing students a toy matchbox car and asking them to describe

ways to make it move. Encourage students to use “science words” to explain what they might do to make it move and how these movements would affect the car (push, pull, start, stop, speed up, slow down, change direction).

2. Explain to the students that they will be looking for examples of how forces such as pushes and/or pulls in a story about some sheep in a jeep affect the way things move. Ask students how they will know if an object in the story is moving (it changes its position, location, etc.). Ask how they will know if a push or pull is acting on the object (speeds up, slows down, changes direction, stops, etc.).



3. Show students the cover of the book and ask them to predict what examples of force and motion they might find inside this book.

4. Explain to students that they should give a “thumbs up” signal when they hear or see an example of a force or a change in motion in the book. Display the class chart with headings (see Teacher Preparation section).

5. Stop reading when students give their signal and ask one of the students who signaled to explain what he/she heard or saw in the book. Ask the student if what he/she is describing is an example of a force or a change in motion or both.

6. Record students’ examples of force and motion on the appropriate part of the class chart. Accept all examples. Prompt students to notice any additional examples that they may have missed during the read-aloud.

7. After reading the book, revisit the class chart and discuss each of the examples listed in more detail. Use the following questions to probe student thinking.a. What type of force acted on the jeep in this example? (a push or a pull)b. What are some ways that the forces changed the motion of the jeep? (speed up; made

it slow down; made it change direction; or start to move or stop)c. Why do you think the pigs were able to push the jeep out of the mud when the sheep

couldn’t? (they were stronger and could push harder; all of the sheep got out of the jeep)

8. Explain to the students that they will be “Motion Detectives” at home. 9. Distribute a copy of the “Motion at Home” record sheet to each student and review the

expectations for completion (how many objects should be included and when to return with completed record sheet – this will be needed for next lesson).

10. Close the lesson by having students reflect on connections with their lives in their science journal. Sample journal prompts: If you bought the sheeps’ jeep, what could you make out of the parts? Have you or your family ever gotten stuck in the snow or mud? What did you do to get out?

Note: Accept all answers at this point in the unit. In Kindergarten, students learned that pushes and pulls can make objects move faster or slower or in a different direction. This is an opportunity to elicit what they remember from their prior experiences in the K Unit 2: “Pushes and Pulls.”

Example of Class Chart for student responses to Sheep In a Jeep:

Object Change In Motion Kind of Force

Jeep moves down the hill push



Explore/Explain

Activity 2 – Make It Move Purpose To investigate different ways to cause the motion of objects to change.

Activity DescriptionIn Kindergarten, students learned how to change an object’s motion using pushes and pulls. In this activity, small groups will investigate ways to make objects move using direct contact (push and/or pull) and non-contact (gravity and magnetic) forces. Students explore ways to make the objects start moving, move faster, slow down and change direction. Students will look for patterns in their data and begin to form an explanation of how contact and non-contact forces affect the motions of objects.

Focus Question How many ways can I change the motion of objects?

Duration One to two class sessions Materials

Toy cars (made of magnetic material) Pull toys on a string (i.e., string attached to a toy car) Polar magnets Paper clips Ramps (clipboard, firm cardboard or tray can be used) Several books (for raising angle of ramp) Balls Other objects for exploration (metal washers, feathers, tops, balloon, etc.) Interactive Notebook “Make It Move” record sheet

Teacher Preparationa. Collect items for investigations. Organize into stations (or as kits for each student team).

If using stations, have different materials at each one. For example:Station A: Metal cars, washers, paper clips, magnetsStation B: Variety of objects that rollStation C: Variety of objects that slide Station D: Variety of objects that can be pulled, spun, blown (feathers, balloons)Station E: Ramp, books with objects that rollStation F: Ramp, books with objects that slide

b. Label/number each station/kit so that students will know where to start and where to go next. They should move in a set order from station to station.



Classroom Procedure1. Ask students to share examples from the previous activity’s homework, “Motion at

Home” record chart, of objects that moved and what made them to move. For each example, ask students if the motion they observed stayed the same or if it changed. If it changed, ask what they think caused the change. If it stayed the same, ask why they think the object’s motion did not change (stop, speed up or change direction).

2. Explain to the class that today they will be working at stations in small teams. Tell them they will have 10 minutes at each station to investigate the objects there. They need to record in their journals (or on a record sheet) as many examples as they can of how they were able to make the objects at their station change motion – to speed up, slow down and/or change direction.

3. Model for the students how to work at a station and record their data: Remind students to take turns trying to move the objects different ways and to discuss their observations with their teammates before recording.

4. Describe the station names/labels and rotation process that the groups will be using (where each group will start, what signal will be used to move, and which direction they will be moving). Tell students that you will give them a 2-minute warning before changing stations so they can be sure to have their information all recorded.

5. Monitor students as they work at their stations. Make sure that they try different ways to make objects move. If they do not think of using the magnets or ramps on their own, suggest that they should try to use all of the items at their station. Encourage them to think deeply about each task (Note: There is more than one answer for each object. For example, the student bouncing the ball is pushing it away, whereas the student catching the ball is pulling it towards him/herself; the ball rolls faster/farther when pushed harder or on a smooth surface.) Ask: “Which object is changing motion? How has the motion changed? What is causing the change in motion? Is there another way to change the motion? Can you make a different change to the way the object moves?”

6. When the students are finished circulating through all the stations, gather them for a whole-class discussion of their observations. Ask selected students to share what their team observed at one of the stations with the class. Invite others to add on to the information. Repeat for each station. As students are describing a station, probe their thinking by asking: “Describe the object that changed its motion. What did you and your teammates do to make that happen?”

7. Make a large diagram on a class chart like the one below (Frayer Diagram). Write the word “Force” in the center. Tell the class they are going to come up with a class definition for force. Have students make a copy of this diagram in their notebooks (or use template handout). Allow time for pairs of students to complete the template. Then collect their thinking on the class chart. Look for consensus for what will be recorded on the class chart. Ask if everyone agrees when a volunteer offers an entry. Ask students to support their ideas with evidence from their experiences at the stations.

8. Read a segment from informational text that describes forces and how they can affect motion. Have students compare their thinking and the class chart with what was read (for example, Forces Make Things Move by Kimberly Brandley).

9. Close the lesson by having students reflect on their experience and learning in their science journal. Sample journal prompts: a. Before I thought forces ……..Now I think forces……



b. One question I have about forces is……… c. Choose an example from your investigations and draw a labeled diagram describing

the path, direction and force for an object you explored. Use arrows and labels to explain what is happening in your diagram.

Frayer Model Template Example:

DEFINITION CHARACTERISTICS

EXAMPLES/MODELS NON-EXAMPLES


Forces


Make It MoveName_________________________________________________

Station Objects Tested What We Did The Motion Changes We Observed

A

B

C

D

E



Explore/Explain

Activity 3 – Bigger and Stronger

PurposeTo compare the changes in motion caused by different size forces and different mass objects

Activity DescriptionStudents will use a computer simulation to compare how the size of an applied force and/or the mass of an object will affect the distance an object is moved. With teacher support they will construct claims supported with their observed evidence in order to explain the relationship between force, mass and motion.

Focus Question How can we predict the way an object’s motion will change?


Materials Student science journals and pencils Whiteboard or other computer projection system Two balls with different weight (kickball and basketball) Poster board (for target)

Teacher Preparation1. Draw a target on a piece of poster board large enough for students to see.2. Find a location where students can roll balls toward the target (for example, a hallway).3. Review the “Force and Motion” simulation listed below. Make sure that it is not blocked.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/forces_movement.shtml

Classroom Procedure1. Introduce the lesson by asking volunteer students to share the example for the motion

stations they chose to describe in their science journals. Tell students that today they are going to dig a little deeper into how forces affect the motion of objects.

2. Show students two balls, one larger and heavier than the other. Set up a target for the balls. Have student volunteers try to roll each ball, one at time, so that it stops on the target.

3. After a few students have had a chance to try, ask the class: What did the student rolling the ball have to do differently if the ball rolled past the target? Did not reach the target? Changed type of ball? (Push harder if it did not reach the target, push softer if it went too far, push harder with the heavier ball.)

4. Explain to students that they will be using a computer investigation to look at how the size of a force and the size of an object can affect the change in motion. Have students make a chart in their journals like the one below:




Test Prediction ObservationType of Push Type of TruckSoft Push Small TruckHard Push Small TruckSoft Push Large TruckHard Push Large Truck

5. Project the selected simulation on a whiteboard and describe how it works: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/forces_movement.shtml

6. Have students individually write down a prediction before demonstrating each option in the simulation. After each demonstration, have students record their observations. When they’re finished with the four options, have students write explanations in their journals for their observations.

Note: The first stage in this learning progression is to support claims with observational evidence. As the unit progresses, students will be adding the reasoning component to their scientific explanations. Use stems below for scaffolding as needed:

Claim: I think if the size of the force is increased then the object will _____________________________________________________________. Evidence: My evidence for this is:_______________________________________

Claim: I think if the size of the truck is increased and the same force is applied it will _____________________________________________________________. Evidence: My evidence for this is:_______________________________________




Explain and Elaborate

Activity 4 – How Strong is My Magnet?

PurposeTo investigate the relationship between the upward pull of a magnet and the downward pull of gravity.

Activity DescriptionStudents will move a paper clip through a maze to observe how magnets do not have to come into direct contact with an object to affect its motion. They will compare the strength of the magnetic force of a magnet when it is in direct contact with metal objects to the strength of the same magnet at incrementally increased distances. Based on the data they collect, students will predict how changing a variable in the system will affect the results (number of magnets, size of paper clips, etc.). As a class, they will design a fair test for one of their predictions.

Focus Question How can I measure the strength of a force?

Duration Two to three class sessions

Materials Magnets (small face magnets, square or round with center hole) Paper clips “Magnet Maze” template Cardboard sheets (8.5” x 11”) Glue Scissors Spring clothespins 1-inch masking tape Copies of “How Strong is Your Magnet” student directions

Teacher Preparation1. Prepare one copy of the “Magnet Maze” per student pair by gluing the template onto a

firm piece of cardboard or tagboard.2. Make a model of the magnet-strength testing system and practice using it to collect data.

See diagram and directions below:a. Attach magnet to the clothespin.b. Tape the clothespin to the bottom of an upside

down cup as shown in the diagram.c. Pull apart one paper clip to form a hook. Touch

the hook to the end of the magnet.d. Slowly add one paper clip at a time until the

magnet can no longer hold them or the hook.



e. Practice adding 1-inch squares, cut from masking tape, to the bottom of the magnet (three squares at a time).

Classroom ProcedureSession 1:

1. Show students a magnet and ask them to record in their journals facts that they know about magnets and how they know (evidence they have to support their claims).

2. Collect student ideas about magnets on a 2-column class chart similar to the one below. Accept all answers and use the information collected to decide whether or not additional experience with magnets and their properties is needed before continuing with this lesson (attract/pull to certain metals, can attract/pull or repel/push from other magnets).

What I Know (Claim) How I Know (Evidence)Magnets are attracted to metals. I have picked up paper clips with magnets.

There are magnets on my refrigerator at home.

Note: Multiple students may have the same claim, but supported with different evidence. The additional evidence can be added to the already recorded claim—see example above. The critical piece is having students understand that scientists support their claims with observational evidence.

If student background knowledge about magnets and how they work is not at the level desired, use supplemental activities at this point to review the types of objects that attract to magnets and how magnets interact with one another (see Optional Resources for samples).

3. Discuss with students that what they have described are ways magnetic forces can affect the motion of objects, just like other push and pull forces they have observed in class. Explain that today they will be learning more about how magnets work.

4. Give each team of students a magnet and a paper clip. Give them a few minutes to “play” with the magnet. Ask them to try to move the paper clip on their desk in different ways and to describe what they did and how the paper clip moved (fast, slow, jumped, etc.).

5. Give each pair of students a copy of the cardboard-mounted Magnet Maze. Tell them that their challenge is to move the paper clip through the maze without touching the paper clip with their hands or with the magnet directly.

6. As they work in pairs, have one student hold the maze level, while the other student holds a magnet underneath the maze and presses it flush against the cardboard where the paper clip is resting. Have the students carefully slide the magnet across the bottom of the cardboard to help guide the paper clip through the maze.

7. Once the students complete the maze, the pair can switch roles so that both students have an opportunity to solve the maze and feel the attractive force between the paper clip and the magnet through the cardboard.

8. Close the lesson by having students reflect on their experience and learning in their science journal: Sample journal prompts: Today I learned that magnetic force…….. I wonder what would happen if………..



Session 2:1. Review with the class what they experienced and discussed in the last session of this

activity. Have students share examples of what they wrote in their journals.2. Tell students that today they will be measuring the strength of a magnet. Show students

the system that they will be using, and describe how to make masking tape “stacks” for their test.

3. Have students make a data table in their journal like the one below. Model for students how to set up their magnet-strength measuring system and how to record their data on the chart.

How many layers of tape? How many paper clips?036912151821

4. Circulate as students work in small teams (3-4), encouraging them to take turns adding the tape and paper clips. As they are working, ask students: As you add more and more layers of tape, what do you notice about the number of paper clips you can add to the hook? Is the magnet able to hold more or fewer clips? Do you think the tape is causing this?

5. When students finish their data collection, gather them into a whole-class area and collect the data from all the teams on a large class chart. Discuss why there might be different values for the same number of layers. Ask if there were any ways to make this test more fair. Accept all answers.

6. Tell the class that you would like to make a graph of these results, but that you can only pick one value for each set of layers. What do they think might be the best number to pick? (If student have not learned about median values, use this opportunity to introduce the term, teach the concept, and explain how that will help find the best value to represent their class results. They will be asked to find median values in future activities.)

7. Circle the median numbers on the class chart and make a class bar graph of the data. Ask students to describe the pattern they observe in the data.

Note: Use this as an opportunity to model how to correctly make a bar graph because students will be expected to do this independently in future activities.

8. Discuss the following questions with the class to process the investigation: What kept the paper clips from falling when you put them on the hook? (Pull from the

magnet/magnetic force.) What made the paper clip hook eventually fall off? (Pull toward the ground/gravity.) What do you think would happen if you used two of these magnets together?



What do you think would happen if you used bigger paper clips?9. Demonstrate on a class chart how scientists organize their thinking into the three parts of

a scientific explanation (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning). Invite students to help complete the explanation by filling in the missing parts as a class. The important part is that whatever they decide on as a claim must be supported with evidence and reasoning.

Example:I think that using a larger magnet _____________________ (will or will not) make our data look different. My evidence is that I have observed larger magnets ____________________ (for example, pick up nails and washers). This is because ____________________ (bigger magnets have a stronger magnetic force and that would make them able to pull harder even at a further distance).

Note: Students should have been introduced to the first two parts of an explanation in past

years: supporting Claims with appropriate, observed Evidence. The Reasoning component is where students use the science concepts/learning goals

targeted in the unit to make a connection between their claim and their supporting evidence. This component of a scientific explanation is more complex and may be new to students at this level. It will need modeling and scaffolding.

10. Close the lesson by having students reflect on their experience and learning in their science journal. Journal Prompt: How would you design a fair test for your predictions/explanation?



Magnet Maze Template



How Strong Is My Magnet?

Materials magnet spring clothespin 1-inch masking tape scissors

Procedure

1. Clamp your magnet in the clothespin. Tape the clothespin to the bottom of the cup as shown in the sketch above.

2. Pull out one end of a paper clip to form a hook. Touch the hook to the magnet. Observe and record what happens in your science journal.

3. Take turns and carefully add paper clips to the hook, one by one. Count the total number of paper clips that you can hang onto the hook before the weight becomes too much for the magnet to hold and the paper clips fall. Write this number of paper clips on your data sheet on the line for zero pieces of tape.

4. Next, cut three squares of masking tape (1 X 1 inch). Stick the three pieces of masking tape on the bottom of your magnet. See the picture.

5. Now repeat your experiment and see how many paper clips you can hang on the hook. Make sure the hook touches the tape, not the magnet itself. Record your findings on your data sheet.

6. Cut three more squares of tape, add them to the layer already present, and repeat your experiment. Record your findings on your data sheet.

7. Keep adding pieces of tape, three at a time, repeat the experiment, and record what you find on the data table in your journal.





Explain

Activity 5 – The Force Be With You

PurposeTo develop a scientific model that explains how forces affect the motion of objects.

Activity DescriptionStudents will use force arrows to describe the size and direction of forces acting in a variety of different scenarios. They will be introduced to the terms “balanced” and “unbalanced” forces and how to use these terms to describe different types of motion: standing still, speeding up, slowing down, going backwards, and moving without changing speeding.

Focus Question What happens to the motion of objects when the forces are balanced and/or unbalanced?

Duration One to two class sessions

Materials Student science journals and pencils Copies of “Force Arrows” Copies of “Balanced and Unbalanced Force Diagrams” Rope for tug-of-war Objects from stations in Activity 2

Teacher Preparation1. Cut out enough Force Arrows for each group to have a set.2. Reproduce “Balanced and Unbalanced Force” Diagrams, one per student.3. Decide which objects to use for demonstrations and how they will be used to describe

balanced and unbalanced forces in action.

Classroom Procedure1. Ask students to share their explanations about what would happen if the magnet were

bigger in the last investigation and how they would design a test. As a class, design a fair test for this investigation, discussing what would make it fair or unfair.

2. Select students to come to the front of the class for a “friendly” game of tug-of-war. (Establish rules to ensure no one gets pulled to the ground or hurt.)

3. Have students discuss what the losing team might change in order to win on the next try (add more people, add bigger/stronger people). Ask why they think this will work (will be able to pull harder and make the other team move in their direction so they can win).

4. Ask what they think would need to be true about the two teams to have a standoff where neither team is able to move the other team across the line to win (both sides equally big, equally strong, can pull equally hard).



5. Show students the set of force arrows and explain that forces all have both a size and a direction—just like the arrows. Use the arrows as a model for each of the scenarios in the tug-of-war game.

Explanation of Force Arrows and Tug-of-War

Neither team is winning. No one is moving forward or backward (both arrows same size and pointing in opposite directions).

Team on the left is winning (arrow pointing to the left is larger than the one pointing to the right).

Team on the right is winning (arrow pointing to the right is larger than the one pointing to the left).

Note: Forces are balanced or equal when an object’s motion is unchanged; it is either not moving at all or moving in a steady, unchanging manner. When an object’s motion changes, that is evidence that the forces are unbalanced.

6. Conduct a demonstration of how gravity can also be an example of a balanced or unbalanced force on an object. Start by hold a textbook still in the air. Ask students: If I let go, will this book’s motion change? How? (It will speed up and drop to the

ground.) What force would be changing its motion? (Gravity. Have a student hold up a force

arrow to represent this force.)



What force is keeping this book from falling? (Your hand. Have a student hold up a force arrow to represent this force. It should be the same size as the downward arrow.)

How does the size of the book affect how much force I need to use to keep it from falling?

7. Explain that if the gravity force down is stronger than the force up, the object will fall. If the forces are equal, the object’s motions will not change. Select examples from the Force and Motion stations in Activity 2 to demonstrate a variety of balanced and unbalanced force motions. Ask volunteers what they did to make each object start moving, go faster, go slower, etc. Use the force arrows to model what is happening when the motion of an object changes and when it does not change. Introduce the terms “balanced and unbalanced forces” while modeling examples of each. Introduce the term “mass” when comparing objects that have different sizes such as the two trucks in the simulation.

Note: Students will want to say that the larger objects weighed more and that is okay. Explain, however, that the correct science term to use for describing something that feels heavier is mass: something that is heavier has more mass.

8. Give each pair of students a copy of the “Balanced and Unbalanced Force” Diagram. Ask students to discuss the pictures with a partner and be prepared to explain what the force diagrams are telling about the motion of the object in the picture.

9. Circulate as students are discussing the diagrams, and ask them to support their thinking with evidence from the pictures. When they have enough time to discuss all six examples, select students to share their “claims and evidence.” (In picture #1, the two force arrows are the same size and going in opposite directions, so the car must not be changing its motion. It looks like it is just standing still.)

10. Ask students to revisit the results of their magnetism investigation. Ask students when they thought the forces were balanced and/or unbalanced in this investigation. Make sure students support their claims with appropriate evidence from their observations. (The force of gravity and the magnetic forces were balanced when the paper clips stayed attached to the magnet because there was no change in their motion. When the mass of the paper clips got too large for the magnetic force to hold, the forces were unbalanced and the paper clips fell to the ground.)

11. Have students make two model diagrams in their science journals of the forces involved (magnetic force pulling up and gravity pulling down). One should represent a time when the forces were balanced and one when they were not balanced. Circulate as students are working to encourage students to label their diagrams with the types of forces represented and to use appropriate size arrows to represent what is happening.





Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

Example 1: Example 2:





Explore

Activity 6 – Ramps and Motion Purpose To compare how a ramp affects the falling motion of rolling and sliding objects.

Activity DescriptionStudent teams will design and conduct an investigation that will examine how using a ramp affects the motion of a falling object. They will select two objects to test: one that rolls and one that slides. After measuring the distance each object travels at a selected angle, the student teams will vary the angle and repeat the investigation. Students will compare their investigation designs and results, and discuss the patterns in motion that they observed.

Focus Question How does an object’s shape and the angle of a ramp affect motion?

Duration One to two class sessions

Materials Science notebook and pencil Computer with whiteboard (or other projections system) “Ramps and Motion” recording sheet (one per student) Metal matchbox cars and trucks (variety of sizes and shapes, numbered) Wooden blocks (variety of shapes and sizes, numbered) Ramps (wooden or durable cardboard, one per team) Books to build ramps and chutes (about five per team) Tape measure (with centimeters) Masking tape (one roll per team)

Teacher Preparation1. In advance, review students’ skills with using a centimeter tape measure. If necessary,

model and practice how to accurately measure and record distances on a data chart.2. Number the cars/trucks and wooden blocks with masking tape. Provide enough of each

for students to have choices.3. Plan and schedule for class work area that will allow each group to have enough room to

set up a ramp system on a space that is uncarpeted. The gym would provide a large smooth surface to conduct this investigation, and it allows for plenty of space to let the students spread out.

4. Prepare the above supplies for each team. Ramps should be at approximately 6 inches wide by 24 inches long.



Classroom Procedure1. Introduce the lesson by revisiting Activity 4: How Strong is My Magnet? Have volunteer

students share the plan they wrote in their science journal for testing how two magnets would affect the number of paper clips lifted.

2. As a class, use the ideas suggested to design a fair test for this question. Ask students for examples of what might make the investigation you are designing a fair test or an unfair test.

3. Tell students that they will be using what they know about fair tests to design their own investigation, which will help them learn more about how forces affect the way objects move. Explain that first they will need to review what they know about how force size and mass affect motion.

4. Revisit the following computer simulation as a whole class: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/forces_movement_fs.shtml

5. Randomly select students and ask each to predict how far one of the trucks in the simulation will travel with one of the two force options. Remind the students that scientists support their predictions with evidence/observations (for example, how far do you think the blue truck will go with the yellow push? What evidence do you have to support your prediction?).

6. Have the class signal if they agree or disagree with each of the student predictions and evidence. Encourage students to add information to what was shared. Repeat with each of the four options (do not use the gradient option yet).

Note: This is a formative assessment opportunity. Take note of which students have and have not mastered this key concept. Use the information to provide additional instruction or support as needed.

7. Show the class the materials available for their investigation. Demonstrate how to set up a ramp and how to measure and record the distance an object travels on a data sheet. Explain that students will decide, with their team, which two objects to test (one that rolls and one that slides), and which two heights to use for each of these objects.

8. Give each team of students a copy of the “Ramps and Motion” record sheet and tell them that before they can get started, they have to write an investigation plan and have it approved. Remind them they need to make sure that their plan is a fair test. Circulate and guide student teams as they fill out their Investigation Plan. Provide only as much support as necessary. Encourage teams to make their own plan.

9. Once students have their plans approved, review the data chart section of their record sheet and explain to students that they will be doing each test three times and they will be recording the “median value.” Model for students how to find the median for a set of three numbers.

10. Assign workstations and roles to team. Remind students they should be taking turns releasing the car, measuring the distance, etc. Have one member of the team serve as the team manager and collect the materials needed for their approved plan. Circulate as students work, monitoring their collaboration, measurement and data collection.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/forces_movement_fs.shtml


11. When they are finished, direct students on how to make two bar graphs of their data. (This can be a team or individual activity.) If necessary, model how to make a bar graph using a sample data set.

12. When they are finished, gather the class and have them summarize their understanding by responding to the formative assessment prompts: What forces moved the car up the ramp and down the ramp? Why did we do three trials for each test? Why did we use the median distance for our graph? How did we compare the distance that the truck traveled?

13. Direct students to write a scientific explanation for this investigation in their science journals using the C-E-R format in their journals (Claim – Evidence –Reasoning). Circulate to monitor understanding. If necessary, use the following stem as a scaffold:

Question: How does the height of the ramp affect the distance that an object will roll?Claim: The height of a ramp makes an object roll ___________________________________________________Evidence: My evidence for this is ________________________________ (the actual data collected).Reasoning: This is because ______________________________________________ (the reason why this data supports the claim—the “science” behind what happened.) Encourage students to apply what they know about how the size of forces—gravity and/or the size and shape of the object moving—affects distance traveled.



Activity 6: Ramps and Motion

Name________________________________________________Investigation Plan

What materials will you use? Which car or truck?______________________

Which block?___________________________

How many books will you need?_______________

What else will you need?

How will you conduct your investigation? How high will you set the ramp for each test?

Where will you start you object on the ramp?

How will you measure the distance the object travels?

What jobs will each person in your team have?



Data Table

Ramp Height Object

UsedTrial 1 Distanc

e

Trial 2 Distanc

e

Trial 3 Distanc

e

Median

Distance

Make a bar graph to compare ramp heights:

Median More than 300

Distance Traveled

300

(Centimeters) 275

250

225

200

175

150

125

50

25

Ramp Height #1 Ramp Height #2

Make a bar graph to compare sliding and rolling objects:Earth Science Grade 3 Unit 3 Changes in Motion 19


Median More than 300

Distance Traveled

300

(Centimeters) 275

250

225

200

175

150

125

50

25

Rolling Object Sliding Object

Explain and Elaborate

Activity 7 – Measuring Speed



PurposeTo understand that speed depends on both the distance an object travels and the time elapsed.

Activity DescriptionStudents will practice measuring the speed they walk for a given distance. They will use this skill to measure how changing the surface of the floor affects the speed a toy vehicle can travel. They revisit their ramp and motion systems with a set target distance and measure how much time it takes to reach the target with different mass vehicles. Students will share their results of how long each trial takes and present the median time measured for each surface on a bar graph. They will then calculate the average speed that each vehicle traveled.

Focus QuestionHow do scientists describe and compare how fast objects move?


Materials Student science journals and pencils Stop watches, one per team Computer with whiteboard (or other projection system) “Comparing Vehicle Mass to Speed” recording sheet (one per student) Metal matchbox cars and trucks (variety of sizes and shapes, numbered) Clay or play dough Books to build ramps and chutes (about five per team) Tape measure (with centimeters) Masking tape (one roll per team)

Teacher Preparation1. Collect the materials needed for the investigation.2. Make copies of “Comparing Vehicle Mass to Speed” recording sheet (one per student)

Classroom Procedure1. Begin the activity by having volunteer students read their scientific explanations from

Activity 6 to the class. Invite classmates to ask questions, and suggest modifications or additions until consensus is reached on a class explanation.

2. Ask students: Did you notice any other difference in the motion of the investigations test that you conducted? What did you notice? Was there any difference in how fast the objects moved? How could you be sure? (Probe for examples of how they could measure how fast objects traveled in each of the trials.)

3. Create a table on the board with four columns labeled Students, Distance, Time, Average Speed. Ask five student volunteers, one at a time, to walk in a straight line at whatever pace they prefer from one end of the classroom to the other. Have another student use a stopwatch or clock to measure how many seconds it takes for each student to walk.



4. Record this time in the table on the board. Have another student (and a second to check his/her results) measure the distance walked and record that.

5. Explain to students that speed depends both on how far something moves and how much time it takes. Demonstrate how to calculate the Average Speed and explain how the average speed for different distances might be the same or different.

6. Tell students that they are going to revisit the ramp system they used in their last investigation. This time they will be comparing how fast objects move instead of how far. Explain that they will be investigating how the mass of a vehicle affects its average speed when going down a ramp. Review the definition of mass and demonstrate how to increase the mass of a car by adding a piece of clay to the top.

7. Demonstrate how to label a start and finish line for the distance their vehicle will travel after leaving the end of their down ramp (piece of tape at the base of the ramp is the start point and a piece of tape wherever students decide they want their finish line). Model for students how to correctly use the stopwatch or other timing device.

8. Give each team of students a copy of the “Comparing Vehicle Mass to Speed” record sheet and tell them that before they can get started, they have to write an investigation plan and have it approved. Remind students they need to once again make sure their plan is a fair test. Circulate and guide student teams as they fill out their Investigation Plan. Provide only as much support as necessary. Encourage teams to make their own plan.

9. Once students have their plans approved, review the data chart section of their record sheet and remind students that once again they will be doing each test three times and they will record the “median value.”

10. Assign workstations and roles to team. Remind students that they should be taking turns releasing the car, measuring the time, etc. Have one member of the team (the team manager) collect the materials needed for their approved plan. Circulate as students work, monitoring their collaboration, measurement and data collection.

11. When they are finished, direct students on how to make a bar graph of their data. (This can be a team or individual activity.) If necessary, review how to make a bar graph using a data set from the last investigation.

12. After each group has tested out their ramps, ask them the following questions as a way to formatively assess their understanding: If you wanted to make an object go down the ramp more slowly, what would you do? If you wanted to make an object go down a ramp more quickly, what would you do? What did you learn about how speed and distance are related?

13. As a class, discuss the data collected. Ask students what patterns they see in their data and what predictions they can make based on their data. (Students should recognize that the truck traveled farther on the smoother surfaces; also, the steeper the ramp, the faster the vehicle traveled; and finally, the larger the vehicle, the faster it traveled.)

14. Close the lesson by having students summarize their experience and learning in their science journal, focusing on what they now know about controlling the speed of a vehicle as it rolls down the ramp. Sample journal prompts: If you wanted to make an object go down the ramp more slowly, what would you do?

Draw and label the ramp that you would build. If you wanted to make an object go down a ramp more quickly, what would you do?

Draw and label the ramp that you would build.



Comparing Vehicle Mass to Speed

Name________________________________________________



Investigation Plan

What materials will you use? Which car or truck will you use?______________________

How many books will you need?_______________

How will you change the mass of your vehicle?

What else will you need?

How will you conduct your investigation?

How high will you set the ramp for your tests?

Where will you start you object on the ramp?

How far away from the end of the ramp will you set your target finish line? (distance vehicle travels = you will need this to find Average Speed)

How will you measure the speed the vehicle travels?

What jobs will each person in your team have?



Data Table

VehicleTrial 1 Time (sec)

Trial 2 Time (sec)

Trial 3 Time (sec)

Median Time

Without added massWith added mass

Make a bar graph to compare the surfaces you tested:

Median More than 10

Time (sec) 10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Without added mass

With added mass



Average Speed:

Note: Average Speed is equal to the Median Time divided by the Distance Traveled on the surface being tested (distance from end of ramp to finish line).

Average Speed = Seconds traveled/Centimeters traveled

Vehicle Median Time

Distance Traveled

Average Speed

Without added mass

With added mass

Explore/Explain



Activity 8 – Friction is Your Friend

PurposeTo investigate how the force of friction affects the motion of objects.

Activity DescriptionStudents will observe a demonstration where a set of different objects race by sliding down a surface. Students will use their observations to predict how the surface of a floor area will affect the distance an object can slide. They will test their predictions and formulate an explanation for their data. The teacher will define friction and explain how it affects motion. Students will compare their explanations to the scientific information provided.

Focus QuestionWhat is friction and how does it affect motion?


Materials Student science journals and pencils Computer with whiteboard (or other projections system) Sid the Science Kid episode: Slide to the Side (see link in Teacher Preparation) Large smooth plastic lunch tray Wooden board (similar in size to tray) Variety of small flat objects (plastic cup, eraser, coin, match box) Ice cubes Vegetable oil Liquid soap Rubber yoga mat Carpet (use carpeted area in the classroom or a strip of carpet) Hockey pucks (3-4) Masking tape Optional: Magic School Bus Plays Ball (YouTube video about what it would be like to

play baseball in a frictionless world) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnkJOlPjIPc

Teacher Preparation1. Preview Sid the Science Kid resources on friction:

http://pbskids.org/sid/videoplayer.html. Ensure it isn’t blocked and select the start and stop points for segments to be used. See recommendations below:a. Slide to the Side video episode: Beginning to 2:00 minutes (Sid can’t figure out why

he can’t do his dance in his new shoes).b. Backseat Driving with Grandma: Friction (found in video clips section or at end of

full episode): Grandma makes a connection between friction and skiing.c. Go Fast As You Can (found in songs section or in middle of full episode): Song about

the importance of friction for racing.


http://pbskids.org/sid/videoplayer.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnkJOlPjIPc


2. Locate an area where three surface areas can be set up side by side: carpet strip, rubber mat, and wood or tile floor.

Classroom Procedure1. Show students the piece of wooden board (approximately the size of a plastic lunch tray)

and the set of flat objects. Tell them you are going to tip the board so the objects can race down the board. Ask students to record in their journals which one will win, which will come in last, and to explain how they decided on their ranking.

2. Have students share their predictions and then demonstrate the way the objects move when you tip the board to a 45-degree angle. Have students record their observations in their journals and discuss with a teammate how the results compared to their predictions (emphasize that it is okay for their predictions not to match because that is how scientists learn about the world. Scientists make predictions and then they test them.

3. Repeat this demonstration with the plastic tray. Add an ice cube to the set of objects. In each situation, have students make predictions and compare their predictions with the observed results.

4. Make a large class chart like the one below:

Surface Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 MedianCarpet StripRubber MatWood/tile Floor

5. Set up the three surfaces listed above in an area where students can all gather as a group and observe. Ask students to turn and talk to a partner about what they predict will happen if someone slides a hockey puck down each of the three surfaces.

6. Select a student to slide a hockey puck down one surface at a time. Have a second student mark the end distance with a piece of masking tape. Have a third student measure the distance from the start point to the tape and record it on the class chart. Repeat with a new set of students for two additional trials. Select a student to add the median value to the class chart.

7. Formative Assessment: Have students individually respond to the following prompts in their journals. Circulate as students write to monitor their understanding. What scientific question did we test in this investigation? Was this a fair test? Why or why not? Why did we do three trials and then find the median value? Write an explanation for what happened in this investigation.

8. Ask students to share their journal responses with the class. Ask students if they think each student volunteer pushed the puck with the same amount of force. Ask a volunteer to come up and push the puck as hard as he/she can on each surface (remind the volunteer the puck has to stay on the surface the whole way and not be thrown). Compare these results with the data on the chart, and ask students to discuss any patterns they observe (the extra force makes more of a difference on the smooth surface than on the other two).

9. Post the term Friction for the class. Have students rub their hands together and describe what they feel. Ask them to rub faster and harder and describe what they observe. Put a



small amount of liquid soap in each student’s hand and have them repeat rubbing their hands together.

10. Explain to students that what they are feeling is the effect of a special type of contact force called friction. Friction is caused when two surfaces rub together just like their hands did. The heat they feel is one type of evidence that the force of friction is affecting the way something is moving. The more heat, the more friction. Ask students to explain (prompt them to support their claim with evidence) what they felt using the term friction. (When I rubbed my hands together harder, there was more friction. I know this is true because my hands got hotter the harder I rubbed. When I rubbed my hands together with the soap, there was less friction. I know this because when I rubbed my hands together with the soap, there was very little heat.)

11. Summarize the lesson by applying friction to a variety of real-world application examples of how friction affects motion. Use Sid Science Kid resources B and C to show that sometimes we want to have more friction in a system (racing a car) and sometimes we want to have less (skiing down a hill). Have students generate a list of examples in their journals of when more friction is better and when less friction is better.

12. Have students list examples and add additional examples to the list as needed. Ask students for ideas of ways we can decrease friction in systems (lubricants in engines, oil on bicycle chains) or increase friction (rubber-soled shoes, rubberized running tracks, wider/rougher dirt bike tires).

13. Optional: Show the class Magic School Bus Plays Ball, a YouTube video about what it would be like to play baseball in a frictionless world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnkJOlPjIPc.

15. Close the lesson by having students make a connection between what they know about friction and their experiences testing ramps in their journals. Sample journal prompts: How could you use what you know about friction to make an object go down your

ramp more slowly? What additional materials would you use? Why? Draw and label the ramp that you would build.

How could you use what you know about friction to make an object go down your ramp more slowly? What additional materials would you use? Why? Draw and label the ramp that you would build.





Elaborate and EvaluateActivity 9 – Revisiting Sheep in a Jeep Purpose To apply understanding of how forces affect the motion of objects to a fictional scenario.

Activity DescriptionStudents will do an open categorization using a set of vocabulary terms related to how forces can affect the motion of objects. They will revisit the story Sheep in a Jeep and discuss how the terms relate to the actions that occur in the story. They will then individually use the vocabulary terms to write a set of sentences in their science journal to describe different pages/events in the story.

Focus Question How do forces change the way an object moves?


Materials Science notebook Sheep In A Jeep by Nancy Shaw “Force and Motion” vocabulary cards Scissors

Teacher Preparation1. Reproduce copies of the “Force and Motion” vocabulary cards, one set (two pages) per

pair of students. Cut the cards into sets (saving instructional time) or plan to have students cut them apart in class.

2. Review Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw, deciding how often to stop for analysis of force and motion examples

3. Prepare a class chart for collecting explanations during the read-aloud.

Classroom Procedure 1. Show students a copy of the book Sheep in a Jeep and ask them to talk to a partner about

what they remember from the story. Have a volunteer re-tell the story for the class. 2. Tell students that they are going to have the opportunity to revisit this story and apply all

the concepts they have learned so far about forces and motion.3. Give each team of two students a set of vocabulary cards and have them sort the cards

into groups (open categorization). Circulate as students work to ask them how they made their decisions about the categories and groupings of the terms.

4. Post the vocabulary terms on a chart and discuss the different ways that students organized them (words that describe objects that move; words that describe kinds of forces; words that describe the way motion can change)

5. Tell students that you are going to revisit what happened to the sheep in the jeep by reading the book aloud again. Explain that each time you stop, they will individually use



the words they learned about how force affects motion (vocabulary terminology cards) to write a sentence in their individual science journals to describing what happened.

6. Circulate as students are working and monitor their ability to use scientific terminology to communicate their understanding of how forces affect the motion of objects in the fictional scenario. Identify students with good examples to share at end of lesson.

7. Select students to share their sentences and record examples that use terminology appropriately on a class summary chart. See example below:

What is happening in the story: How forces are changing the motion of an object:

Jeep on a steep hill but will not go down. Gravity pulls on the jeep and the sheep. Friction pushes back on jeep and slows it

down. Forces are balanced because jeep is not

moving.Jeep rolls down the steep hill. Sheep get out so the jeep is not as heavy

and there is less friction. Sheep push harder to overcome friction.

Gravity pulls the jeep down the hill. Forces are unbalanced because jeep is

going faster.

8. Close the lesson by asking students to think about how they might have helped the sheep solve their problem in a different way.

9. Optional: Have students individually add a different ending for the story in their journals, using the vocabulary terms they have learned and their understanding of how forces affect motion.



Force and Motion Vocabulary Cards GameDirections: Cut out the cards below and make sentences with them.

force motion

fast friction

gravity speed

stop sheep

jeep slow

non-contact motion

pull contact

balanced unbalanced



Elaborate

Activity 10 – A Design Challenge

PurposeTo engineer a solution for a design challenge related to force and motion.

Activity DescriptionStudents are introduced to an engineering design process. They are guided through the steps of this process as they develop a model roller coaster that meets specific criteria. They analyze the process that engineers use and compare it to their role earlier in this unit as scientists.

Focus QuestionHow does the role of an engineer compare to the role of a scientist?

Duration One to two class periods

Materials Student science journals and pencils Masking tape “Engineering Design Process” poster One-inch foam pipe tubing from hardware store (four half tubes per student) Marbles (large and small options) “Engineering Design Log for Roller Coasters” Optional: duct tape Optional: cardboard refrigerator boxes

Teacher Preparation1. Most pipe insulator tubing has one side pre-cut almost all the way through. Prepare the

tubing by using your hands to completely split the pipe open. Next, use a pair of scissors to carefully cut the tube in half. After cutting a few inches, you can simply hold the scissors open and slowly pull the tube through the open blade. You'll need about four half-tubes per student.

2. Copy “Engineer Design Log for Roller Coasters” (can use as a journal entry guide or as a worksheet). If students are recording information on the handout, formatting will need to be adjusted to make room for responses.

3. Collect materials and practice making a roller coaster before the class session. (You can also include elements from around the classroom such as tables, chairs, yardsticks, string, etc.). Optional: Make the project more interesting by including refrigerator-sized cardboard boxes and duct taping them to the floor of the classroom. Turn your class into an amusement park. See examples and photos in the file Sample Photos of Roller Coaster or on this link: http://www.instructables.com/id/Marble-Roller-Coaster/.

4. Set up your system for computer projection.


http://www.instructables.com/id/Marble-Roller-Coaster/


5. Locate and preview a video of a roller coaster ride. Make sure that it is not blocked and select the start and stop point for segment to be used. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WpNSImh6Z8 (first part only, before man speaks)http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/i-didnt-know-that/idkt-roller-coaster-testing

6. Preview the roller coaster simulation and review the directions.http://archive.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/BalanceandMotion/activities/rollercoaster.htm

Classroom Procedure1. Ask students if they have ever ridden on a roller coaster. Ask volunteers to share what

they like best about riding on a roller coaster.2. Show students a short video of a real roller coaster in action. Ask students how they think

they are designed. What are the required elements for a good roller coaster? What are some limits for the way it is designed? List these on the class chart. Examples of videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WpNSImh6Z8 (first part only, before man

speaks) http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/i-didnt-know-that/idkt-roller-coaster-

testing (select appropriate section)3. Show students a simulation for building a roller coaster and try different models to see

how they work. Ask students how they decided which option to try. How did their decisions compare to what they listed about good roller coaster design? Were there parts that were required to make it work? Explain that these expectations are called Criteria. Were there limits for the designs? Explain that these are called Constraints. Label the items on the class chart as Criteria and Constraints. Simulation website: http://archive.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/BalanceandMotion/activities/rollercoaster.htm

4. Tell students that today they will be working as teams of engineers who have been given a design problem to solve. “You have been asked to design and build a model roller coaster that will be both fun and safe.”

5. Display an enlarged copy of the Engineering Design Process (see below). Go over all of the stages. Ask: What is the challenge? What do we know about force and motion that can

help us solve this challenge? What are the criteria (must be included)? What are the constraints (limits for your design)?

Imagine: Think of a number of possible designs that might work. Describe why you think each will work. Decide which one you think is best.

Plan: Make a sketch of the design. List the materials you will need. Locate a good place for your model.

Create: Follow your plan to build a model of your design. Test it! Keep notes in your journal.

Improve: Make your design better and test it again. Keep notes in your journal.


http://archive.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/BalanceandMotion/activities/rollercoaster.htm

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/i-didnt-know-that/idkt-roller-coaster-testing


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WpNSImh6Z8

http://archive.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/BalanceandMotion/activities/rollercoaster.htm





6. After discussing the stages, ask students why the diagram is drawn in a cycle. Have them compare this process to what they did as a scientist. How is it similar? Different?

7. Show students the materials they will be using (foam pipe tubing and marbles). Demonstrate how the marble can roll in the rubber tubing. Model for students how to use the masking tape to attach the tubing pieces together and/or to walls, chair, or other objects around the room.

8. List the criteria (the roller coaster must have at least one loop and the marble must be able to start at the top and safely land at the end, and not fall off the track or get stuck in the middle) and constraints for their design (how much tape you will allow each group for their model, how many pieces of pipe tubing they can use or the length they can have, the locations available for their team model production, the time they have for building their model) and display on a class chart.

9. Show students the “Engineering Design Log for Roller Coasters” that they will be using to record their progress in this design process. Tell them that you will want to check their work after each step.

10. Monitor student journal entries to make sure students are following all the parts of the design process. Check for how well students are making connections between their designs and what they have learned about force and motion (gravity, friction, balanced and unbalanced forces, mass, etc.). Ask questions such as: Do you want the forces to be balanced or unbalanced in your design? Why? How will you fix this?

11. When groups have finished testing their final design, have teams demonstrate their models and explain why they work (using force and motion terminology) to the class. Be intentional about the order that you select for student presentations. Build the presentations toward the team having applied the deepest understanding of force and motion to their model design.

10. Close the lesson by telling students they will have the opportunity to solve a new design challenge during the next lesson. In order to learn from this experience, they need reflect on how their team worked together. Sample journal prompts: What was the best part of working with your design team? What was the hardest? If you try to solve a challenge like this all over again, what would you do the same

way? What would you do differently?

Optional: Students can set up a larger amusement park roller coaster model in the classroom using large pieces of cardboard and/or boxes. This would allow for more loop and turns in the track.





Evaluate

Activity 11 – Playground Inquiry and Design

PurposeTo apply an understanding of how forces affect the motion of objects to playground design.

Activity DescriptionStudents will examine their school playground and analyze how the force and motion principles they learned affect the ways the playground does or does not meet their needs. Students take the role of a team of mechanical engineers and apply these principles to the job of designing playground modifications that make the area more fun and still safe for students to use.

Focus QuestionHow does what I know about force and motion help me design a better playground?


Materials Student science journals and pencils “Engineering Design” poster Construction paper Crayons or colored pencils Poster board (one sheet per team of 3-4) “Engineering Design Log – Playground” Optional Written Assessment

Teacher Preparation1. Assign ahead of time students to teams of 3-4.2. Create a class list of possible playground issues related to force and motion (see examples

below).3. Copy “Engineer Design Log – Playground.” (Use as a journal entry guide or as a

worksheet. If students are recording information on the handout, formatting will need to be adjusted to make room for responses.)

Classroom Procedure1. Tell students you have a friend who has been asked to help a school improve its

playground. The students at the school do not think the one they have is fun and parents do not think it is safe. Your friend wants advice from students who not only know about playgrounds but also understand how things move and know how to work as engineers.

2. Take students out to the playground and have them make a list of the equipment and play surface areas available. Compile the list on a class chart.

3. Tell students that before they start their design work, they need to review what they have learned about force and motion and how these principles are related to having safe fun on a playground.



4. Ask students to sketch in their notebook one piece of playground equipment or an area from their class observation list. Tell them to use their force arrows and labels to illustrate an example of how forces affect motion for that area or item. Model one example for students: Draw a diagram of a stick figure sitting on a swing with equal size arrows pointing up and down. Label it: gravity pulls student down, chain pulls student up. Repeat figure on swing moving with appropriate force arrows and labels (pushing or pumping versus gravity with length of arrow reflecting speeding up or slowing down or staying the same).

5. Circulate as students draw and label their examples. Select a few students to share their examples with the class. Use this sharing as an opportunity to correct any lingering misconceptions about the relationship between applied forces and the resultant motion.

6. Assign students to teams of 3-4. Explain that they will be working as a design team and their job is to use what they know about force and motion to present recommended playground designs. Each member of the team will design a different piece of equipment or area to solve one of the playground problems. They will combine their ideas into a team poster to share the class. The class will review the presentations and provide feedback.

7. Post a list of playground problems that need to be solved and the directions for the activity. Have each team select a set of problems they each want to try to solve, one problem per team member (teams of four will have identified four different problems).Note: Suggest problems that relate to what students have learned about friction, mass of objects, gravity, etc. Sample problems: There is a track around the play area for racing but when it rains, students slip and

fall a lot. The playground has only one slide. It is too fast for the younger students and too slow

for the older students. The teeter-totter is not fun because it gets stuck with one person on the ground all the

time. The merry-go-round is too hard to push to make it go round in circles. The swings are too hard to push or pump to make them go higher. The area for playing kickball does not work because the ball keeps getting stuck in

the grass.8. Review the design process and explain that even though each student engineer will have

one problem to work on, they should talk to their design teammates for ideas and recommendations. Have students record their ideas in their student journals. When teams are finished, have them post their combined recommendation for the rest of the class to review and critique.

Note: Use this project as a summative assessment performance task. Assess students on how well they applied their understanding of force and motion to their proposals as well as how well they followed the engineering design process.

Journal Prompts for Engineering Design Process Stages:



Ask: What is the challenge? What do we know about force and motion that can help us solve this challenge? What are the criteria (must be included)? What are the constraints (limits for your design)?

Imagine: Think of a number of possible designs that might work. Describe why you think each will work. Decide which one you think is best.

Plan: Make a sketch of the design. Share your sketch with your teammates for feedback.

Create: Follow your plan to draw a labeled model of your design. Include how your design will solve the problem. Put your team member designs together on a combined poster for presentation to the class.

Improve: Review all of the different team designs and write notes in your journal for suggestion for improvements.



Engineering Design Log: Playground DesignName: _________________________ Team__________________________

Ask:a) What is the challenge you have selected?

b) What do you know about force and motion that can help you solve this challenge?

c) What are the criteria (must be included)?

d) What are the constraints (limits for your design)?

Imagine:a) What are some different possible design solutions?

b) Why do you think each will work?

c) Which one do you think is best and why?

Plan:a) Make a sketch of the design.

b) Share your sketch with your teammates for feedback.

Create:a) Follow your plan to draw a labeled model of your design on

construction paper. Include how your design will solve the problem.

b) Put your team member designs together on a poster for presentation to the class.

Improve:a) Review all of the different team designs.

b) What are some suggestions for improving your design?



Science Scope on Atlas Rubicon Curriculum Manager: http://oaklandk12.rubiconatlas.org/public/

Oakland Schools: http://www.oakland.k12.mi.us/


http://www.oakland.k12.mi.us/

http://oaklandk12.rubiconatlas.org/public/

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