STANDARDS: SCI.4.4.3 2010
Investigate how changes in speed or direction are caused by forces: the greater the force exerted on an object, the greater the change.
ADAPTATIONS:
EXTENSION: Teacher can show the video on http://www.pbs.org/opb/circus/classroom/circus-physics/activity-guide-pendulum-motion/. This link shows a different type of pendulum, a human pendulum. Students can explore humans as motion.
Expansion: A game like this could be used for several types of order of operation problems, for example: multiplication. Students could, instead of trying to add for zero, multiply to find pairs.
There's power in positive numbers, but negative numbers are equally important! Practice adding positive and negative numbers using a card game and you'll master this tricky concept in no time. Work together with your child, or play competitively, as you gauge his level of understanding. You'll see your child's confidence grow as his speed increases.
CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.A.1 Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing.
These activities are great to get more parents involved at home with their children's learning. The supplies needed to play these games makes it very easy to do at home. Great for ELL students because it helps equip parents with the same terms and activities being performed in class.
Website provides a list of games that can be played at home or in school to reinforce basic math facts, fluency, and speed in recalling the facts. All games can be played with dice or playing cards.
This is an experiment that is fun to do in class, but it needs to incorporate the scientific method and discussion of the laws of physics in order to be educational. I would start by explaining Newton's Laws of Motion to the class, writing them on the board, and having students copy them down in their science notebooks. Then, after they understand the Laws of Motion, set up the egg experiment and talk about what will be going on. Have the students draw the initial set-up in their journals, then have them make predictions about what will happen when the experiment is conducted. All of this should be recorded in the journals. Finally, do the experiment (it would be best if students could work in small groups so that they can conduct the experiment for themselves). Have them record what happened with words and pictures and identify if their hypothesis was correct or not. Then explain how this experiment uses the Laws of Motion.
This activity could be adapted for special needs kids by allowing them to observe the teacher conducting the experiment rather than doing it themselves. They could try it by themselves first, but then they should watch the teacher do it so that they are certain to see the experiment conducted correctly.
5.NS.1 Make predictions and formulate testable questions.
5.NS.4 Perform investigations using appropriate tools and technologies that will extend the senses.
This activity can be used to introduce Newton's first and third laws of motion to children. First law: If an object experiences no net force, then its velocity is constant: the object is either at rest (if its velocity is zero), or it moves in a straight line with constant speed (if its velocity is nonzero).
Third law: When a first body exerts a force F1 on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force F2 = −F1 on the first body. This means that F1 and F2 are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
5.MD.1 Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g.,
convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real world problems.
Although I really like how this activity involves all aspects of trip planning, it could be adapted for less-advanced students by simply having them measure rather than calculate out travel time. Students could still come up with the total distance, but travel time could be turned into a group activity that the class and teacher solve together until students become more confident in their abilities.
A more advanced activity which uses maps and measurements and incorporates multiplication and calculation of travel time. This activity is a great application of real-world skills!
STANDARDS: SCI.4.4.3 2010
Investigate how changes in speed or direction are caused by forces: the greater the force exerted on an object, the greater the change.
ADAPTATIONS: Students who are more bodily kinesthetic can design their own roller coaster.
EXTENSION:Teacher can have students simulate the visual effects of a roller coaster through http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiP0D7kX_4c&noredirect=1. The teacher can bring the roller coaster to the class.