Bloom~Boltz BLOG: Force and Motion

This unit was done differently than some of our others. To really learn about force and motion, you have to experience them! So this unit is comprised of many experiments and experiences that the students reflected upon at the conclusion of the unit by creating posters for the hallway. I will include their "I learned..." statements about each experiment as I explain them.

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Motion is defined as "a change in position" so we began by learning positional words that would be used to describe movement.

Next, we started exploring force. We learned that a force is a push or a pull that makes an object move. Students were given the task of utilizing the objects from their bag (popsicle stick, straws, string, and rubberband) to move the stone. The catch was that they couldn't touch the stone with their hands! They had fun figuring out different ways to use the objects to push and pull the stone!

We also learned about another type of force. It is an invisible one that pulls objects toward the Earth: gravity! We conducted an experiment to see what would happen if we dropped a heavy ball and light ball at the same time. Students made their hypotheses:

The students used an app on the iPads that allowed them to slow down video recordings. Students recorded each other dropping the two balls and then they replayed them in slow motion to see when each of them hit. The verdict? Objects will hit the ground at the same time when dropped from the same height at the same time!

How interesting!

Next, talked about how we can slow how quickly things fall by creating parachutes!

Then, we learned about another force: friction! Students predicted which would make the best indoor ice skates: magazine page, computer paper, or waxed paper. They had a blast with this one!

The results were clear: waxed paper makes the best indoor ice-skates!

To further explore these concepts, we decided to set up stations!

Station #1: Students are learning how wheels help make work easier since the wheels roll instead of slide.

Station #2: Students explored how different surfaces affected the cars. The surfaces were waxed paper, smooth tabletop, and cloth. They discovered that the car was fastest on the smooth surface because there was less friction!

Station #3: Students are learning about how ramps affect motion and gravity. We knew that an object at rest will stay at rest unless a force, such as a push or a pull, is put on it. However, when put on a ramp, the object will move on it's own because of gravity!

Students sent cars down a ramp made with two books, then four books, then six books to see how the motion of the cars changed.

Station #4 Students explored the effect of mass on the amount of force needed by pushing an empty box and a box filled with books.

Station #5: Students sent two trucks down a ramp: one that was empty and one that was filled with heavy metal washers to observe if mass has an effect on the movement of the trucks.

Station #6: This station allowed students to see how the motion of a toy car changed depending on the amount of force they applied to it.

And, finally, the egg drop!!

Thank you for working so hard with your child to create such innovative and creative boxes!

Phase 1 of our egg drop experiment was to see if they could survive the drop from a table top.

(No worries, plenty of adult supervision was nearby as kids were standing on the table!)

Amazingly, every single egg survived!

All surviving eggs (which was all of them!) were brought to Phase 2: the balcony drop!

The THIRD FLOOR balcony!!

Here is a video I took with my phone of the last boxes being dropped!

Once given the go-ahead, students rushed to see if their eggs survived. Miraculously, the majority of them did!!!

His egg was completely smashed but he was ready to tweak his design and try it again! Truly the face of a scientist!

It was incredible how very different and unique each design was and it was clear these kids (and parents!) put a lot of time and energy into creating their boxes! Thank you!