Grade Level: 4th

Anchoring Question/Phenomena for the unit: How does the balloon car move forward and stop, and why does it do that?


Lesson Number: 1


Desired Results

Driving Question for this week’s lesson:

  • What are the characteristics of unbalanced forces?

Connections to the Standards

Disciplinary Core Idea(s) Addressed in this Lesson:

Science and Engineering Practices Addressed in this Lesson:

Crosscutting Concepts Addressed in this Lesson:

Engineering Connections Addressed in this Lesson:

  • People's needs and wants change over time, as do their demands

Nature of Science Connections Addressed in this Lesson:

  • Science explanations describe the mechanisms for natural


for new and improved technologies. Engineers improve existing technologies.

  • Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits, to decrease known risks, and to meet societal demands.

  • When new technologies become available, they can bring about changes in the way people live and interact with one another.

events.

Other STEM Connections

  • Measuring distance traveled by cars

(Highlight or comment below which sections have specific connections)

Learning Objectives/Outcomes:

What do you want students to be able to explain in response to the specific lesson questions? (Use kids’ words).

  • What is an unbalanced force? What happens to an object that has unbalanced forces?

Timeline of Activities

  • Provide a breakdown of how long each activity will take, who will lead each segment, scheduled breaks, transitions, etc.

  • Highlight which time period should be recorded (~30-40 minutes total).

  • Add more rows as needed

Time

Students Do

Lead Teacher Does

Other Teachers Do

Notes

9:00-9:15

Arrive

Greet/Get to know

Do you have a specific set of questions or prompts?

Greet/Get to know


9:15-9:30

Get to know each other and

Get to know you questions

Facilitate discussion among




instructors


students groups


9:35-9:55

Go outside to the ramp, observe and practice sending objects down the ramp

*Use the ramp inside because its really cold outside

Demonstrates sending objects down the ramp outside, asking students to think about why and how the objects are moving in relation to the objects around them.

Facilitate observations about objects on the ramp


9:55-9:10

Watch video about unbalanced and balanced forces.

Play videos, let students fill out the



!0:00-10:30

Discuss as a class how and why the objects move.

Students can work in groups to make posters presenting the characteristics of unbalanced forces.

Inside the classroom, ask students questions about how the motion of the object (speed, direction) and how the motion changes. In relation to objects that are sitting still (ie. a book on the table) ask students to think about if any forces are acting on those objects.

Help facilitate discussion

  1. What did you see moving on the ramp outside? How did it move?

  2. Why do you think the object moved that way?

  3. How did some objects move the same? How did they move differently?

  4. What do unbalanced forces have to do with the movement of the car?

image






5. What makes a force unbalanced? What are some characteristics of unbalanced forces?

10:30-11:00

Students will use the multiple objects they have access to and compare their descent down the wind tunnel. Using the nose cones, they can compare the speed that the cars move at. After looking at the nose cone differences, students can explore the differences between wind speeds on the fan. Lastly, students can test the height of the ramp and how that impacts the speed of the cars.

Set up the wind tunnel. Demonstrate a few objects moving down the ramp while asking about the motion of the object, allow students to try moving objects down the ramp.

Set up the wind tunnel.


11:00-11:30

Using the information they learned from the wind tunnel, think about how you could modify these nose cones to move differently still. Give students desk/office supplies to test what they think might make the car move.

Allow time for students to think about their designs. Walk around and observe students, give access to materials such as index cards, erasers, pipe cleaners, pens and pencils,

Walk around and observe students, help students use wind tunnel


image



Learning Plan

  • These phases may repeat, should not necessarily happen in this order, and may span multiple days for more complex activities.

  • Add more rows as needed

Formative Assessment Plan & Evidence

What evidence will you gather to understand if all of your students met the learning outcomes you described above?

  • Students will write an explanation of their reasoning for the design of their vehicle using observations and information they learned during

5-E Learning Cycle

Engage

  • Demonstrate different objects moving down the ramp outside the ed building. They will be asked to think about and record how and why the objects are moving.

Explore

  • Students will work in groups with their own ramps and observe how the objects move then.

Explain

  • As a class, discuss the observations from each group on the movement of the objects, students will work in table groups to complete posters detailing the characteristics of unbalanced forces.

Extend

  • Students will watch and be able to participate in demonstrations of different vehicles moving through a wind tunnel

Evaluate

  • Students use their posters and their latest observations to build a vehicle that will move the most efficiently through the wind tunnel.


class.

Accommodations and Modifications

What needs do you anticipate students might have based on prior experiences?

Materials

  • Reminder that these need to be emailed to Spencer by each Wednesday at 5:00 pm.

  • Please send as a separate email in addition to submitting this lesson plan.

  • Add more rows as needed

Item(s)

Source (including links, even if the link is just a picture)

Quantity

Balloon car

From Maker Space

1, with 4 different nose cones

Small toy car


2

Poster paper


5

Writing utensils for poster


At least 5 markers (1 for each group)

Table for windtunnel


2 tables

Textbooks


A stack 3-4

Box fan


1

Pack of index cards


A pack



Balloons


A pack

Grade Level: 4th

Anchoring Question/Phenomena for the unit: Balloon Car


Lesson Number: 2


Desired Results

Driving Question for this week’s lesson:

  • What are the characteristics of balanced forces?

Connections to the Standards

Disciplinary Core Idea(s) Addressed in this Lesson:

Science and Engineering Practices Addressed in this Lesson:

Crosscutting Concepts Addressed in this Lesson:

Engineering Connections Addressed in this Lesson:

  • People's needs and wants change over time, as do their demands for new and improved technologies. Engineers improve existing technologies.

Nature of Science Connections Addressed in this Lesson:

  • Science explanations describe the mechanisms for natural events.


  • Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits, to decrease known risks, and to meet societal demands.

  • When new technologies become available, they can bring about changes in the way people live and interact with one another.


Other STEM Connections

  • Connection to technology through PhEt simulator, engineering through lab activity (Highlight or comment below which sections have specific connections)

Learning Objectives/Outcomes:

What do you want students to be able to explain in response to the specific lesson questions? (Use kids’ words).

  • Students will be able to explain the characteristics of balanced forces.

Timeline of Activities

  • Provide a breakdown of how long each activity will take, who will lead each segment, scheduled breaks, transitions, etc.

  • Highlight which time period should be recorded (~30-40 minutes total).

  • Add more rows as needed

Time

Students Do

Lead Teacher Does

Other Teachers Do

Notes

9:15-9:30

Students are arriving

Leads getting to know you questions (written on the board)

Greet/ sign in sheet


9:30-9:40

Review unbalanced forces

Ask students what the characteristics of unbalanced forces are. What are some examples of unbalanced


…Now we are going to look at balanced forces! What do you think is going to happen?




forces?



9:40-10:00

Demonstrations/observations

Attempt to rolling things down the ramp: roll the squishy and the car

(they won’t roll because we will set the ramp up in a way where it exhibits balanced forces)


Short ramp, high fan speed, close speed to get the car to stop on the ramp. Use the right nose cone


Ask about observation and WHY after each object


Wall sits: how are you staying up? Is this unbalanced or balanced?

Walk around and encourage students to make observations or think about why object did not move

Students will make observations about the objects on the ramp and WHY they did not move

10:00-10:30

Video and powerpoint, followed by discussion about the demonstration and video

Pause and talk about portions of the video that pertain to the main point. Ask questions to check for understanding, go over the main points of the video when it's done. Lead discussion about the characteristics of balanced

Control video - pausing and starting


Walk around and listen to discussion students are having, keeping students on track with discussion


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-yzCNniwuw&t=237s

image




forces.



10:30-10:35

Bathroom/Water Break




10:35-10:50

Review the video, review last week's video about unbalanced forces. Discuss the differences between the two

Review the main points of the video, make sure to tie the points of the video to the characteristics of unbalanced forces. Remind students about unbalanced forces.

Ask them what they remember and remind them of the main points. After discussing both types of forces, ask students to compare and contrast them.

Walk around & keep students on task

Venn diagram on whiteboards as a table

10:50-11:00

PhET simulator, students work in groups to think about different ways to move the tug-of-war players

Show students how the simulation works (changing forces, adding members, looking at the net force, etc) ask them to work in their groups to come up with a certain condition for their tug of war simulation. Test each group’s simulation on the projector.



11:00-11:10

Students work in groups to discuss the characteristics of balanced forces and come up with an example to share.

Encourages students to think about the demonstration and videos together, ask them to show what forces are acting

Walk around & keep students on task, encourage them to think about characteristics & thinking

Groups of two Provide students with

printer paper to make an example

image




on the example they are showing and why it displays balanced forces.

deeper if they finish early

One example or two

11:10-11:15

Gallery walk to see the other group’s examples. Students will write comments and questions on sticky notes on their peers’ posters.

Facilitate gallery walk and offer help with sticky notes if needed.



11:15-11:30

Students work to construct paper cantilevers that support the weight of one small stuffed animal. If they finish early and their design works, ask them to add on to it. How much weight can it hold?

Explain directions, then walk around the classroom offering advice or help when needed, making sure students stay on task.



BRAIN BREAKS

- Build a tower with a deck of cards/bathroom break




image

Learning Plan



5-E Learning Cycle

Engage



Formative Assessment Plan & Evidence

What evidence will you gather to understand if all of your students met the learning outcomes you described above?

  • We will observe how students perform on the gallery walk with their own observations and their comments to their peers, along with their participation in the lab portion of the lesson.

Accommodations and Modifications

What needs do you anticipate students might need based on prior experiences? Students may need repeated directions or extra time to complete activities.

Materials

  • Reminder that these need to be emailed to Spencer by each Wednesday at 5:00 pm.

  • Please send as a separate email in addition to submitting this lesson plan.

  • Add more rows as needed

  • Reviewing information from last week and watching a video about the topic

Explore

  • Students will learn about balanced forces through a tug-of-war simulator.

Explain

  • Students will learn about balanced forces and their characteristics through a video and slideshow

Extend

  • Students will use their knowledge about unbalanced forces to build a newspaper cantilever.

Evaluate

  • Observe student participation and understanding through discussion questions and participation in lab activities.



Item(s)

Source (including links, even if the link is just a picture)

Quantity

Cardboard ramp


1

Balloon car


2

Balloon


2

Toy Car


1

Pencils


20

Whiteboards


8

Dry erase markers


14

Dry erase erasers


8

Sticky notes


A pack

Grade Level: 4th

Anchoring Question/Phenomena for the unit: How does the balloon car move forward and stop, and why does it do that?


Lesson Number: 3


Desired Results

Driving Question for this week’s lesson:

  • What types of force are we observing?

Connections to the Standards

Disciplinary Core Idea(s) Addressed in this Lesson:

Science and Engineering Practices Addressed in this Lesson:

Crosscutting Concepts Addressed in this Lesson:

Engineering Connections Addressed in this Lesson:

  • People's needs and wants change over time, as do their demands for new and improved technologies. Engineers improve existing

Nature of Science Connections Addressed in this Lesson:

  • Science explanations describe the mechanisms for natural events.


technologies.

  • Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits, to decrease known risks, and to meet societal demands.

  • When new technologies become available, they can bring about changes in the way people live and interact with one another.


Other STEM Connections

  • Math: timing and measuring distance by the tug of war games (Highlight or comment below which sections have specific connections)

Learning Objectives/Outcomes:

What do you want students to be able to explain in response to the specific lesson questions? (Use kids’ words).

  • Students will be able to identify what types of forces they observe in the game of tug-of-war.

Timeline of Activities

  • Provide a breakdown of how long each activity will take, who will lead each segment, scheduled breaks, transitions, etc.

  • Highlight which time period should be recorded (~30-40 minutes total).

  • Add more rows as needed

Time

Students Do

Lead Teacher Does

Other Teachers Do

Notes

9:30-9:35

Answer get to know you questions

Ask each student to share an answer to their get to know you question

Ask students questions and make engaging comments.

Slides

9:35-9:50

Work with the person next to them to complete the KWL chart. They will do the first

Students work with the person next to them to create a KWL chart with at least

Ask questions and help students with their KWL charts when necessary.




two sections of what they already know and what they wonder.

two items in the first two categories. Write students' answers to the KWL chart on the board. Ask questions to get them to think about balanced vs. unbalanced forces. Write misconceptions in the ‘K’ category and discuss them during review on slides.



9:50-10:00

Watch video of the worlds strongest man pulling the plane and

Compare the videos:

“What is different about the forces used for each video?” “Which type of force are these videos an example of?” Ask students to think about these ideas compared to a game of tug of war. Which person would you want on your team?

Ask questions and play video.

2017 World's Strongest Man | Mateusz Kieliszkowski's Powerful Plane Pull


Spongebob Squarepants Lifting Weights


Lu xiaojun Clean and jerk world record 204 kg

10:00- 10:45

Random name generator to make teams.


Or https://wheeldecide.com/

Tell students to cheer whenever they get a new teammate chosen. Students will move to somewhere else in the School of Education (or outside) and participate in a few rounds of tug-of- war. For the first round,


Time students and measure how far they went

image




students will be in their assigned groups and they should win slowly. After that, we will change the groups to make one side win quickly. Time their runs and encourage students to “beat” their previous times in the same challenge. The class should be working together on these. They should also try to tie the game. Lastly, they will do a regular round again to see who wins.



10:45-10:55

Bathroom/water break/brain break




10:55-11:10

Continue working on the KWL chart. Fill out the “L” section on the worksheet.

Once the students finish doing their worksheet, we will continue our group KWL chart. We will ask what students wrote for the “L” section and record it on our group chart.

Walk around the classroom and help students with the KWL chart when necessary.


11:10-11:30

Fill out worksheet

Use 3D printed cars with a fan and a ramp, along with a sail on the car. Compare to our last car activity and the tug-of-war activity



image


Learning Plan

  • These phases may repeat, should not necessarily happen in this order, and may span multiple days for more complex activities.

  • Add more rows as needed

Formative Assessment Plan & Evidence

What evidence will you gather to understand if all of your students met the learning outcomes you described above?

  • We will collect the worksheets and observe students during the activity.

Accommodations and Modifications

What needs do you anticipate students might need based on prior experiences?

5-E Learning Cycle

Engage

  • Play a game of tug of war just for fun.

Explore

  • Play a game of tug of war with a specific purpose.

Explain

  • Do the KWL chart to explain what happened and why.

Extend

  • Car with sail

Evaluate

  • Worksheet


N/A

Materials

  • Reminder that these need to be emailed to Spencer by each Wednesday at 5:00 pm.

  • Please send as a separate email in addition to submitting this lesson plan.

  • Add more rows as needed


Sail


Item(s)

Source (including links, even if the link is just a picture)

Quantity

Tug of war rope


1

Pencils


15

Cars and ramp



Grade Level: 4th

Anchoring Question/Phenomena for the unit: How does the balloon car move forward and stop, and why does it do that?


Lesson Number: 4


Desired Results

Driving Question for this week’s lesson:

  • What type of force are we observing?

Connections to the Standards

Disciplinary Core Idea(s) Addressed in this Lesson:

Science and Engineering Practices Addressed in this Lesson:

Crosscutting Concepts Addressed in this Lesson:

Engineering Connections Addressed in this Lesson:

  • People's needs and wants change over time, as do their demands

Nature of Science Connections Addressed in this Lesson:

  • Science explanations describe the mechanisms for natural


for new and improved technologies. Engineers improve existing technologies.

  • Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits, to decrease known risks, and to meet societal demands.

  • When new technologies become available, they can bring about changes in the way people live and interact with one another.

events.

Other STEM Connections

  • Math: measuring velocity

  • Technology: Video and stopping with dots


(Highlight or comment below which sections have specific connections)

Learning Objectives/Outcomes:

What do you want students to be able to explain in response to the specific lesson questions? (Use kids’ words).

Timeline of Activities

  • Provide a breakdown of how long each activity will take, who will lead each segment, scheduled breaks, transitions, etc.

  • Highlight which time period should be recorded (~30-40 minutes total).

  • Add more rows as needed

Time

Students Do

Lead Teacher Does

Other Teachers Do

Notes

9:00-9:30

Arrive

Greet/Get to know

Greet/Get to know


9:30-10:30

Observe and make their own

Demonstrations:

Help with demonstrations




demonstrations. Students will drop two objects (one coffee filter and one variable object) and compare their speeds. Students will crumple up coffee filters and test their falling speeds in comparison to the other objects.

Drop two balls (stress ball and baseball) and show how things drop at the same speed because the force pulling down on them is the same. Show students how to record the experiment.

Demonstrate how to drop and record the speed of drops.

Drop a coffee filter next to a heavier item such as a baseball. Set up three stations with two different objects each (one coffee filter and one variable object per station). Crumple up a coffee filter and drop it with the baseball, ask students why the objects move at the same speed now.



10:30-10:45

Contribute measurements to classroom data

Put students data on the board

Help look at students’ data to share with teacher that is writing


10:45-11:15

Coffee Filter Lab: Students will drop coffee filters from the height of a meter stick, the goal is to reach a terminal velocity

with the coffee filter moving

Coffee Filter Lab:

Give students coffee filters, tape measures, and stopwatches. Using the coffee filters and stopwatches, students will

Walk around and make sure students stay on task and know what they are doing


image



at the same rate. Students will take turns dropping their coffee filters off of the balcony.

work with partners and take turns dropping their coffee filters off the balcony.



11:15-11:25

Watch as teacher plays video

Play video of coffee filter lab and pause every few seconds and make dots

Walk around and make sure students are on task


11:25-11:45

Watch demonstration

Air Resistance Demonstration:

Tube with vacuum pump, show the tube with air in it first then vacuum the air out, show how objects move at the same speed.

Help with demonstration


11:45-12:00

Pickup




image

Learning Plan



5-E Learning Cycle

Engage

  • Exploring different stations and dropping different objects.

Explore



Formative Assessment Plan & Evidence

What evidence will you gather to understand if all of your students met the learning outcomes you described above?

  • Collect worksheets

Accommodations and Modifications

What needs do you anticipate students might have based on prior experiences? None

Materials

  • Reminder that these need to be emailed to Spencer by each Wednesday at 5:00 pm.

  • Please send as a separate email in addition to submitting this lesson plan.

  • Add more rows as needed

  • Coffee filter lab

Explain

  • Video and demonstration

Extend

  • Air tunnel with vacuum pump

Evaluate

  • Collect worksheets

Item(s)

Source (including links, even if the link is just a picture)

Quantity

Stop watches


5



Coffee filters


1 package (at least 15-20)

Stress ball


1

Tennis ball


1

Basketball/soccer ball/volleyball/baseball


Whatever you can find

Pencils


20

Meter sticks


5

White board markers


1 pack

Vacuum pump and tube



Grade Level: 4th

Anchoring Question/Phenomena for the unit: How does the balloon car move forward and stop, and why does it do that?


Lesson Number: 5


Desired Results

Driving Question for this week’s lesson:

  • How can I make a car that goes fast?

Connections to the Standards

Disciplinary Core Idea(s) Addressed in this Lesson:

Science and Engineering Practices Addressed in this Lesson:

Crosscutting Concepts Addressed in this Lesson:

Engineering Connections Addressed in this Lesson:

  • People's needs and wants change over time, as do their demands for new and improved technologies. Engineers improve existing technologies.

Nature of Science Connections Addressed in this Lesson:

  • Science explanations describe the mechanisms for natural events.


  • Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits, to decrease known risks, and to meet societal demands.

  • When new technologies become available, they can bring about changes in the way people live and interact with one another.


Other STEM Connections

  • Building cars - engineering

  • Taking averages - math


(Highlight or comment below which sections have specific connections)

Learning Objectives/Outcomes:

What do you want students to be able to explain in response to the specific lesson questions? (Use kids’ words).

  • Students will be able to build a car that is as fast as possible based on the things they’ve learned about aerodynamics, force, and drag.

Timeline of Activities

  • Provide a breakdown of how long each activity will take, who will lead each segment, scheduled breaks, transitions, etc.

  • Highlight which time period should be recorded (~30-40 minutes total).

  • Add more rows as needed

Time

Students Do

Lead Teacher Does

Other Teachers Do

Notes

9:00-9:30

Answer Get to know you questions

Greet/Get to know

Greet/Get to know


9:30-9:40

Review Balanced and Unbalanced forces

Use slides to review balanced and unbalanced forces. Ask students to recall






the demonstrations and definitions of balanced and unbalanced forces from week 1, reiterate the connection. Ask students to recall how air resistance and gravity impact an object



9:40-9:50

Watch video, discuss

Play a video about race cars, have a discussion


What Makes Formula 1 Cars Go So Fast? | BYJU’S Fun Facts

9:50-10:05

Experiment with nose cones. Send each type down the ramp three times and take the averages of the times (or just record times if they don't know averages). They will record averages in charts on their worksheets and write about the differences in times based on the nosecones used. (ie. What was the fastest? Why do you think so?)

Demonstrate to students how to change the nose cone on the balloon cars, explain the experiment of sending cars down a ramp and timing the car to see which nose cone is most effective



10:05-10:15

Share findings with the class

Put class data on the chart, discuss students’ written responses



10:15-10:25


Introduce the car building project to students. Explain



image




what the materials are (cardboard circles, wooden sticks, straws, etc). Tell students their goal is to create the fastest car using their knowledge about balanced and unbalanced forces and air resistance.



10:25-11:00

Building cardboard cars

Answer questions, make sure students are on track, help with struggling students

Answer questions, make sure students are on track, help with struggling students


11:00-11:10

First round of car testing, observe and think about revisions to make based on observations

Help students test their cars, address common problems (expecting wobbly wheels and problems connecting things)



11:10-11:20

Make revisions on cardboard cars

Help with revisions on cars. Help students test their cars again when they are finished revising until the cars are complete.



11:20-11:35

Bracket competition

Using a bracket, students race cars against each other until there is a winner.

Discuss the properties that made this car the fastest



11:35-11:45

Review Game

Review Game



image


Learning Plan

  • These phases may repeat, should not necessarily happen in this order, and may span multiple days for more complex activities.

  • Add more rows as needed

Formative Assessment Plan & Evidence

What evidence will you gather to understand if all of your students met the learning outcomes you described above?

  • We will observe students as they make the cars.

Accommodations and Modifications

What needs do you anticipate students might have based on prior experiences? None

5-E Learning Cycle

Engage

  • Watch video about race cars

Explore

  • Experiment with nose cones

Explain

  • Share findings

Extend

  • Build cars

Evaluate

  • Racing cars

image

Materials


Item(s)

Source (including links, even if the link is just a picture)

Quantity

Blank Paper


At least 20

Cardboard rectangles

Can be varying sizes, at least 3x5 inches

16

Cardboard circles


64

Skewers


32

Masking Tape


Two rolls

Balloon Cars and Nose cones


6 cars, all the nose cones

Stop watches


5

Hot Glue Gun and Sticks


One gun, five sticks

Paper Clips


20

Rubberbands


50 rubberbands

Paper cutter


1

Ramp Cardboard (the cardboard we used to make our wind tunnel ramp)


4



Box Fan


1