Page 79 - EdViewptsSpring2019-web

formance expectation K-PS2-1. Plan Third Grade – Motion tigations to be able to explain, “How
and conduct an investigation to com- and Stability: Forces and are energy and motion related?” This
pare the effects of different strengths Interactions series of lessons prepares students
or different directions of pushes and to meet the performance expectation
pulls on the motion of an object. Third grade learning experiences fo- 4-PS3-1. Use evidence to construct
The goal in science is to help students cusing on motion and stability: forces an explanation relating the speed of
move from sensory/physiological expe- and interactions build on kindergarten an object to the energy of that object.
riences to quantifying their experiences understanding of pushes and pulls and A motion machine which has a spring
in order to explain the how and why of motion to help students understand launcher that propels balls (brass,
phenomena. After connecting kinder- the effect that balanced and unbal- steel, acrylic, wood and rubber) down
garteners to phenomena of motion that anced forces have on the motion of an eight foot long clear tube is used
they encounter, such as throwing or an object in order to be able to meet to answer the question, “Where does
kicking a ball, remote control cars are the performance expectation 3-PS2-1. the energy come from to propel the
used to help students understand that Plan and conduct an investigation to ball through the tube?” to help stu-
motion can be described as an object provide evidence of the effects of bal- dents understand that the compressed
moving from one point to another and anced and unbalanced forces on the spring stores energy that is transferred
to demonstrate how students can motion of an object. to the ball when the spring is released.
measure the distance between the The tug of war activity is used to Students are divided into groups of
starting point and the ending point, thus extend prior physiological experiences four to conduct investigations with
comparing the motion of different cars of pulling to physiologically experience the motion machine and the assorted
to answer the question, “How far did no movement of the rope and move- balls to generate an understanding
each car travel?” Arrows are used to ment of the rope in one direction or that balls with different masses (same
show direction of travel and to dem- another. Asking students, “How can volume) will travel at different speeds
onstrate how motion involves moving we create balanced forces on the when the same energy is applied to
away or towards the students. This rope? How can we create unbalanced the balls (the compressed spring,
helps students understand that motion forces on the rope?” requires them to when released, applies the same force
can be described in terms of distance apply their understanding of forces to every time). Students determine the
and direction. the system to describe the effect of speed of the balls qualitatively by not-
ing which ball traversed the tube the
Tug of war is an engaging learning forces on the motion of the rope. To fastest. Students answer the ques-
experience that is used to help stu- extend student thinking, four students tions, “How do we store more energy
dents physiologically understand pulling are challenged to lower a ring with inside the motion machine?” and “If we
forces. The parameters of the tug of war resistance bands over a cone – this compress the spring more, once we
game are changed to demonstrate vari- requires students to work together release it will the ball will go faster or
ous strengths of pulls, and students use to create balanced and unbalanced slower?” To help students understand
arrows to predict the direction the rope forces to move the ring over the cone the difference between qualitative
will travel in each of the different scenar- without touching the cone. versus quantitative data and to show
ios. For example, the teacher chooses To move the students from the physi- students how quantitative data can be
six children to be on one side of the rope ological (qualitative feeling of force) used as a tool to understand science,
and three to be on the other side of the to quantifying the forces in the sys- students quantify the speed by using a
rope. The teacher asks, “In which direc- tem, a fifth student records the forces stopwatch to measure the time it takes
tion do you predict the rope will travel applied on spring scales attached to for each ball to travel down the eight
and why?” The students predict that the each resistance band. By quantifying foot clear tube. Students organize this
rope will move towards the six students the forces generated, students come data to reveal patterns that suggest re-
because the six students can pull with to understand that measuring a force lationships between mass and speed.
more force than three students. using Newtons is the same principle Ultimately, the students will use the
Students are then asked to throw bean as any measurement comparing to a evidence/data gathered during their
bags of the same mass with a small, standard. When a student stretches investigations to construct an explana-
medium, and a large force so that they the spring and reads the numerical tion relating speed to energy.
make the connection between strength quantity (in Newtons) from a calibrated
of force and distance the bean bag spring, it is the same as placing a ruler Coherency
travels. Students measure the dis- on an object and measuring the quan- The K-4 learning progression de-
tance the bean bag travels with each tity of length units. scribed in this article depicts how
force to make the connection that the Fourth Grade – Energy learning experiences surrounding
larger the force, the further the bean physical science disciplinary core
bag will travel. Students are chal- Fourth grade connects the concept of ideas (motion and stability: forces
lenged to explain, “How can I make energy to forces and motion. Energy and interactions and energy) build
the second bean bag land farther is both a disciplinary core idea and K-4 coherency in understanding
away than the first?” a crosscutting concept in the NGSS. forces, motion, and energy, while
Students engage in a series of inves- also building student mathematical

Educational Viewpoints -77- Spring 2019