Physical Science

Grade 3 Science Curriculum

Unit of Study: PHYSICAL
Suggested Time: 8 Weeks

Content Standard 4.1 The position and motion of objects can be changed by pushing or pulling.

  • The size of the change in an object’s motion is related to the strength of the push or pull.
  • The more massive an object is, the less effect a given force will have on its motion.

Essential Question: What makes objects move the way they do?


Focus Question #1 How is force related to the motion of an object?

Focus Question #2 How does the mass of an object affect its motion?

Expected performances (B8)  The student will be able to:

a. demonstrate that the position of objects can be changed by pushing or pulling.

b. describe that push or pull as a force.

c. conclude that an object’s motion (i.e. speed, distance) is related to the strength of the push or pull.

d. describe the effects of the strengths of pushes and pulls on the motion of objects.

e. define friction as a force that works against motion.

f. demonstrate that friction depends on the type of surfaces rubbing against each other and the greater the force the greater the friction. 

Expected performances (B9)  The student will be able to:

a. explain that all objects are composed of matter.

b. define mass as the amount of matter in an object.

c. use a balance scale to measure the mass of an object.

d. demonstrate that the mass of an object affects the amount of force that is needed to change its direction.

e. conclude that it takes more force to change the motion of an object with greater mass.

f. describe the effect of the mass of an object on its motion.

 

Required Activities:

1. Engage:  Students will be introduced to the unit by answering the question, “What are different ways to make objects move?”  Students will work in groups to brainstorm ways to move different objects (sled, ball, wagon, etc.)  Students record ideas using words and/or pictures.  Students will share ideas in a whole-class discussion.  (B8a,b)

Teacher notes:  It is suggested that students keep science journals/notebooks.  (Refer to teacher resource Science Notebooks, Writing About Inquiry by Brian Campbell for appropriate models for written response and scientific drawings.)

2. Using a beach ball, ask students to make the ball move from a stationary position, change the speed of the moving ball, change the direction it is moving in, and change the shape of the ball.  Students diagram the forces needed to accomplish each task.  (B8b)

Teacher notes:  Every force has a certain strength (or magnitude) and direction.  Forces affect objects in several ways.  For the beach ball challenge above, the ball moved from a stationary position by pushing (away) or pulling (towards), the speed of the moving ball was changed by pushing harder, the direction the ball was moving in was changed by a force coming from a different direction, and the shape of the ball was changed by exerting a downward force.

Safety note:  Safety glasses should be worn when working with the following activities.

3. Students will observe and record the distance and speed of different rolling balls.  Students will compare how the mass of the ball relates to the distance that it will roll.  “Rolling Balls Down a Ramp” (see Appendix, Mimosa Investigation 4.2)  (B9b,c,d,e  BINQ1,3,4,5,6,9,10)

Teacher notes:  To control the results, a carpeted surface should be used. Using a balance scale, measure mass of balls before the experiment and record in a table.

4. Students use balls of different sizes and shapes to investigate their mass in relationship to their forces. “Rolling Pushers” (see Appendix, Delta Science Module Move It!)  Lesson 3, pgs. 22 – 25  (B8c,d,e  B9e BINQ 1,3,4,5,6,9,10)

5. Students will pull blocks in baggie holders across various surfaces and use spring scales to record the force of friction for each surface.  Students will determine which surfaces have more friction.  “Block Pullers” (see Appendix, Delta Science Module Move It!)  Lesson 5, pgs. 32 – 35  (B8e,f  BINQ 1,3,4,5,6,9,10)

Teacher notes:  Forces can be measured in pounds, but in much of the world it is measured in Newtons.

6.   Students will investigate the effects of force on the movement of objects by using the following interactive website: http://classroom.jc-schools.net/sci-units/force.htm#3  (B8c)  (Technology Standard 2,5)

7. As a whole class, students will play a game of volleyball using two balls of different masses (volleyball, beach ball.)  They will then return for group discussion with follow up written response in their journal explaining how mass of an object affects its motion.  (B8d)

 

Assessment:

Student response from “Rolling Balls Down a Ramp” from Activity 3 will be used as an assessment.  Using a balance, students will measure and record mass of the balls, collect data on distance the balls rolled, and make a written statement comparing the mass of the ball to the distance rolled as supported by their data.  (B9e)

After students complete Activity 4 “Rolling Pushers,” the teacher conducts the same activity doing something incorrectly during the procedure (not aligning the slider to the base, giving the balls a push, etc.)  The students then write about what was wrong and how to improve the investigation.  (see Appendix pg. 25)  (B8d  BINQ10)

After students complete Activity 5 “Block Pullers,” the students will use the data they collected and recorded to complete a written response to the Interpreting Data question.  (see Appendix pg. 35)  (B8e,f  BINQ10)

Given two pictures or objects of different masses, students will describe in writing the relationship between the mass of an object and the force required to move it.  (B9d,e,f)


Vocabulary

• Force – a push or pull on an object

• Friction – a force between two surfaces rubbing against each other. Friction works against motion

• Mass – the amount of material, or matter, in an object or substance and is measured in grams or kilograms

• Matter – anything that has mass and takes up space

• Motion – a change in the position of an object

• Position – the location of an object

 

Optional Activities:

Activities taken from: Delta Science Module Move It!
http://wings.avkids.com/Curriculums/Forces_Motion/index.html


Resources Needed:

Student:

  • Leveled Readers - Pearson/Scott Foresman:

Forces and Motion by Arlene Block, DRA 18 (ISBN #0328158798)
Exploring Forces and Motion by Sasha Griffin DRA 20 (ISBN #0328158801)
How Things Move by Catherine Quirin, DRA 30 (ISBN #0328159255)

  • See Materials List

Teacher:

  • Delta Science Module Move It!:  Position and Movement of ObjectsTeacher Manual
  • Rubrics for Assessing Student Achievement in Science, Grades K-12 by Hays B. Lantz, Jr. (ISBN #0761931015)               
  • Science Notebooks, Writing About Inquiry by Brian Campbell (ISBN #0325005680)

Internet:

     http://wings.avkids.com/Curriculums/Forces_Motion/index.html

     http://classroom.jc-schools.net/sci-units/force.htm#3

 

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Language Arts: Write and speak to explain, reading for information in the science content area, interpreting non-fiction texts.

Mathematics: Measurement (mass and length), data collection, making tables and graphs, interpreting data.

Physical Education: Gross motor skills, flexibility, agility, sportsmanship.

Technology: Using documented sites (see internet resources) on internet.

 

PHYSICAL Materials List:

2.  Beach Ball Activity:  Balance scales, 6 small beach balls, gram weights

3.  Rolling Balls Down a Ramp:  safety lenses, golf balls, tennis balls, ping pong balls, baseballs, 4 books of the same thickness, stiff card or rules with slots , meter sticks or metric tape measures,  leveled books, safety glasses

4.  Rolling Pushers:  stiff card or rulers with slots, tennis balls, ping pong balls, styrofoam balls, wooden balls, marbles, leveled text, smooth surface mats, slider cards

5.  Block Pullers:  Spring scales, dual scale, wooden blocks, sandpaper sheets, towels, corrugated cardboard sheets OR waxed paper OR foil, gallon-size baggies

6.  Volleyball game:  Beach ball and volleyball

 

Bold face indicates CORE expected performances to be assessed by CMT.

 

Ledyard Public Schools
Approved by Instructional Council on 4/10/2006