Lesson 3: Rolling Objects
Grade: 3rd
Topic: Rolling Objects
Lesson # 3 in a series of 6 lessons
Brief Lesson Description: Using the EPE Model, students will experiment and observe how different forces act upon objects. These forces will be flicks or blown air on ping pong balls and golf balls.
Essential Question(s):
Why do spherical objects roll?
How to these objects begin to roll, and when do they stop?
Learning Outcomes:
Students will learn that spherical objects will begin to roll when a force is applied.
Students will learn that the greater the force applied to a spherical object, the farther it will roll.
Students will learn that the lighter the object, the farther it will roll.
Students will learn that friction is the force that results in the spherical objects stopping.
NYS Science Standards:
S1.1 Ask "why" questions in attempts to seek greater understanding concerning objects
and events they have observed and heard about.
5.1d The amount of change in the motion of an object is affected by friction.
Background Information
Materials:
Prior Student Knowledge:
Possible Preconceptions/Misconceptions:
LESSON PLAN
Opening Activity – Access Prior Learning / Stimulate Interest / Generate Questions:
Lesson Description & Probing Questions:
EXPLAIN: Concepts Explained and Vocabulary Defined:
Vocabulary:
Have students record the following vocabulary words in their journals, defining them based on the class discussion.
Extensions:
Assessment:
Topic: Rolling Objects
Lesson # 3 in a series of 6 lessons
Brief Lesson Description: Using the EPE Model, students will experiment and observe how different forces act upon objects. These forces will be flicks or blown air on ping pong balls and golf balls.
Essential Question(s):
Why do spherical objects roll?
How to these objects begin to roll, and when do they stop?
Learning Outcomes:
Students will learn that spherical objects will begin to roll when a force is applied.
Students will learn that the greater the force applied to a spherical object, the farther it will roll.
Students will learn that the lighter the object, the farther it will roll.
Students will learn that friction is the force that results in the spherical objects stopping.
NYS Science Standards:
S1.1 Ask "why" questions in attempts to seek greater understanding concerning objects
and events they have observed and heard about.
- S1.1a Observe and discuss objects and events and record observations
- S1.1b Articulate appropriate questions based on observations
5.1d The amount of change in the motion of an object is affected by friction.
Background Information
Materials:
- 1 golf ball per group
- 1 ping pong ball per group
- 1 ruler or measuring tape per group
- Task cards
- Science notebooks
Prior Student Knowledge:
- Pushes and pulls learned from lesson 1- unequal forces causes motion
- Gravity learned from lesson 2
Possible Preconceptions/Misconceptions:
- Lighter objects will roll farther than heavier objects.
- The harder you hit an object, the farther it will travel.
LESSON PLAN
Opening Activity – Access Prior Learning / Stimulate Interest / Generate Questions:
- As a class, we will discuss our prior knowledge about forces.
- What did we learn in our first lesson with Tug of War?
- What creates motion?
- Why do spherical objects roll?
- Does anyone know why objects stop moving?
- Then, we will create EPE tables in our science notebook. The teacher will show how to make one on the board, so that the class have a model to recreate in their notebook. As a class, we will talk about the EPE model and how it Is used. Focus on explaining that the children will be filling out the tables within their groups, and not as a class. We will share our ideas at the end, but it is up to the students to experience the phenomena, and to come up with patterns and explanations.
- Next, the teacher will ask the class to get in groups of 2 to 3 students (these groups may be formed by the teacher based on ability/behavior if needed). Once groups are formed, the teacher will hand out the task card to each group. See attachment at the end of lesson plan for the task card.
Lesson Description & Probing Questions:
- Each group will have a 1 ping pong ball, 1 golf ball, and 1 ruler/measuring tape.
- Based on the task card, they will predict how each object will roll, and discuss as a group.
- Next, they will experiment with the 2 different objects. They will flick the objects using soft flicks compared to hard flicks. They will also blow on the object and see if that will get it to roll. Again, comparing a soft blow and hard blow.
- When comparing the objects and how they fall, they will also record patterns that they find between the objects, and how they fall. Patterns should include:
- Light objects roll faster than heavier objects
- Heavier objects stop slower than lighter objects
- The harder the force used, the further the object will roll
- Using their ruler/ measuring tape, the groups can measure how far the objects rolled when different forces were applied. These measurements can be used to support their patterns observed.
- On the task card, it will say to brainstorm explanations for these observations and patterns. It will also say that we will discuss as a class, so they are not left to figure it out alone.
EXPLAIN: Concepts Explained and Vocabulary Defined:
- As a class, discuss the experiences and patterns found during the activity.
- How did you compare how these objects rolled?
- What was different between the two balls?
- What did you think was going to happen when you flicked/blew on the objects?
- What measurements did you record?
- What patterns did you find?
- What does weight have to do with force?
- Now, ask the class to share their predictions on explanations for the experiences and patterns found.
- The teacher will now begin to explain the force of friction, and how it acts upon all rolling objects.
- While gravity is pulling down on the object, friction is acting upon the object as it rolls.
- The greater the friction, the slower the object will roll and the shorter the distance it will roll.
- Questions:
- Where else could we see friction in real life?
- (Soccer ball rolling, car tires on road, ice skates)
Vocabulary:
Have students record the following vocabulary words in their journals, defining them based on the class discussion.
- Friction- the rubbing of two objects against each other, slowing down the moving objects.
Extensions:
- Like the previous lesson, have students write a brief paragraph from the point of view of a rolling object. This time, the student is not bound to using one of the objects used in the lesson. The student can choose any rolling object, as long as they show their understanding of the concepts within the passage.
Assessment:
- Observations of questions and thoughts throughout the lesson
- Collection of journals with a checklist to determine understanding of lesson and concepts
Checklist for Journals:
- Student participated in journal entries for the lesson
- Student created an EPE model and contributed to all three sections
- Student recorded experiences based on their experimentation
- Student recorded logical patterns based on their experimentation
- Student recorded explanations and vocabulary based on class discussion
- Student created a passage from the point of view of a rolling object.
- Student used vocabulary from this lesson and previous lessons, showing understanding.