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Getting Geared Up!
Students create their own Power Point presentation displaying clip art pictures of simple machines and telling how each machine makes tasks easier. They break into small groups and review information on simple machines from website and...
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Four Forces of Flight
Students explore the four forces of flight. They investigate the four forces of flight: lift, drag, thrust and weight (gravity). They experiment with flight-testing various objects commonly found around the house and constructing paper...
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Falling
Students should describe the path that the motion would take as well as what might begin or stop the motion. The common characteristic of all the motions that students have experienced directly is that one or more forces are acting on...
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Color Dots 3
Students make simple observations, test mixtures, and make generalized inferences from their observations. They observe bleeding of colored inks with water.
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Simple Machines
Fifth graders study how simple machines can help us alter forces and discuss the term mechanical advantage. They then identify dysfunctional simple machines and discuss in groups how the dysfunctions will decrease the effectiveness of each.
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Friction and Machines
Fifth graders experimentally determine the relationship of friction to the functioning of machines. They demonstrate that rollers can decrease frictional force and increase speed and research to discover other ways that friction can be...
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Scientific Investigation- Magnets
Students conduct a scientific investigation to determine if a magnet attracts paper clips through different materials. Students write out their procedures, collect data and present it in a table or chart, and analyze their results.
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What Goes Up Must Come Down!
Students hypothesize about the nature of falling objects, design an experimental test to answer the question using everyday objects, analyze data to form conclusions, and infer that mass does not affect the speed of falling objects. This...
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Getting Help, but for More Work?
Fifth graders discuss prior knowledge of slope and force. They relate steepness of slope to the force needed to get an object up the slope. Students read from their text the information about inclined planes. They answer the questions...
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StarDarts
Learners divide into groups of four or five and distribute materials to design StarDarts by drawing and cutting out 6-8 cardstock stars, each about one and a half inches across. They decorate their stars with phosphorescent paint...
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Design Weather Instruments using LEGO Sensors
Students design and create a LEGO structure that will house and protect a temperature sensor. They leave the structure in a safe spot and check the temperature regularly and chart it. After the students have built their structures, the...
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Mystery Boxes
Students make observations about Mystery Boxes that their teacher has made up and describes the motion of the object inside the box and hypothesizes it's shape based on their observations.
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Measurement: Length, volume, and temperature
Students determine the temperature of the water in a cup, measure the length of a piece of cardboard, and measure out an appropriate volume of water. This task assesses student's abilities to perform measurement and reporting skills.
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Mystery Card 3
Students will make a circuit on a mystery card. They will connect wires, bulbs, and battery to form an electrical tester. After students learn how to make one following the directions, they can create their own mystery card by...
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Keep Cool
Pupils design an experiment to determine which type of container would be best to use to keep drinks cool on a hot day. Students test paper cups, styrofoam cups, and metal cans by filling them with ice water and they use a thermometer...
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Mystery Card 2
Students make a circuit on a mystery card. They then use an electrical tester to determine where electricity flows between circles on the card. They will connect wires, bulbs, and a battery to form an electrical tester.
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Mystery Card 1
Students test their knowledge of electrical conductors and circuits by constructing an electric tester and using it to determine where electricity flows between circles on a mystery card.
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Force of Air - Does Air do Work ?
Learners use a balloon, cardboard support, and wooden ping pong channel to complet an experiment to answer the question "Does Air do Work?" They complete a worksheet to demonstrate knowledge of the concept after the lab.
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A Change of Scene
Students are challenged to create optical illusions using using cut-outs. The activity provokes thoughtful discussion about scale.
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Perching Parrot
Learners explore the concepts of center of mass and static equilibrium by seeing how non-symmetrical objects balance. They also analyze why all forces on an object must cancel out exactly for an object to be stationary.
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Water Displacement
Students formulate a hypothesis using critical thinking skills. They use an orange to examine the displacement of water as the orange sinks or floats.
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Altering Climate in the Classroom
Students experiment with moderating temperature extremes in the classroom. They experiment with ways to vent and block air.
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Monster Magnet Rally
Students explore the properties of the N and S poles on a magnet. They attach small bar magnets to the top of "match box" cars and attempt to crash them into each other. They each write a summary describing their findings.
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Fish Tank Optics: Learning How Light Travels
Students examine light waves and see how they travel. They explain that light moves in waves, which can bounce off of or go through materials. They use a flashlight to shine on a variety of objects.