Latest update February 18th, 2016 8:17 PM
Aug 13, 2014 SOS2014 Force and Motion, Lesson Plans 0
Grade Level: 4th grade
Missouri Standards:
Science GLE: Strand 2:Properties and Principles of Force and Motion: 2. Forces affect motion: B. Every object exerts a gravitational force on every other object: a. Determine the gravitational pull of the Earth on an object (wgt) using a spring scale.
Project Objective:
The student will examine a spring scale and be able to identify the parts and appropriately calibrate the spring scale for scientific use. The student will demonstrate the ability to measure the force of gravity using a spring scale in Newton units and also determine the mass of each item using a balance scale. The student will evaluate their measurements for each item and analyze their data to determine if there is a relationship between mass and the force of gravity of an object.
Project Description:
Prior Knowledge Required: The students would have previously investigated Newton’s Law # 1 (Law of Inertia) and have knowledge of the different forces. This lesson is the student’s first experience with spring scales.
Engagement: Instructor will give each student a spring scale and they are instructed to draw it in their journal and predict what they think this instrument is used for. There will be a a turn and talk class discussion and comparison of their ideas of how this instrument is used.
Direct Instruction: Instructor will explain how a spring scale is used and show the graphic of the spring scale on the smart board. The students will label the parts of the illustration of the spring scale in their journals.
The class will watch a video of how to use a spring scale. Instructor will demonstrate how to measure the weight of a pair of scissors with a spring scale and the students will do the same thing using their spring scales. Teacher will instruct the students that a spring scale is used to measure the force of gravity. (Class should have already studied forces) Class will discuss how the force of gravity and mass are different. (Mass was covered in a previous matter unit). Instructor will do a quick review of using a balance scale to measure mass, although the class has already used a balance scale numerous times before in the classroom.
Independent Practice: (Explore) When Instructor is confident that the students are able to use a spring scale, give them a copy of the worksheet (table) that they are to fill out during their independent work. Show the table on the Smartboard and go over the instructions and make sure that there are no questions. The students will be in co-operative groups of 2. The students will work together to measure particular items from their worksheet using a spring scale and a balance scale, then they have five blank spots to pick their own items in the classroom to measure.
Any fast finishers will be allowed to continue to measure items throughout the classroom until all have at least 10 items.
Class should come back together to discuss the results and the relationship between the measurement in Newtons (gravity) and measurement in grams (mass). The students will complete their worksheets with their conclusions.
As a quick formative assessment the students will label a picture of a spring scale.
Materials:
Links to web sites used during the lesson:
http://www.teachertube.com/video/measuring-weight-209500 (How to use Spring Scale Video)
http://www.connectionsacademy.com/curriculum/spring-scale.aspx (Spring Scale Interactive web site)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNX7A7PK9pc (forces song explaining Newton’s Law)
http://howtosmile.org/record/4663 (How to make a spring scale)
Extensions:
Early finishers in this activity are allowed to continue measuring other items, but if there is a student that is far above the rest, there is web site with instructions for building a spring scale. Those students can use classroom materials to build their own spring scale and if time allows they can re-measure their items using their homemade spring scale and compare the results with the classroom spring scale.
Follow-up:
This lesson is mid-way in a force and motion unit. The next step is to use spring scales to measure the force to move items on various surfaces to demonstrate that friction changes the amount of force required to move an object.
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