Forces of Motion Grades 4-8

• Classroom Activities• In-Museum Activities• Chaperone Guide

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How to Use this Explorations Guide

• Give chaperones copies of Explorations student

pages and the chaperone page

• Add your own page(s). Connect with your own

special unit. You can use just one page or all.

Choose the ones that meet your needs best. Since

this Exploration is designed for a large span of

grade levels, it may be most appropriate to use it in

different ways with different grades. For the younger

grades, plan your trip to allow students multiple mo-

tion experiences at the beginning of your unit or for

application of concepts learned in the classroom.

For older grades, the activities can provide concept

application in real life examples. Provide extensions

of museum experiences back at school, especially

focusing on data patterns, further experiments, and

graphing results.

• Components are not sequential. You can start any-

where in the exhibit

• If your time in the exhibits is limited, choose just a

few stops. Don’t try to rush your students to finish

the Explorations suggestions. Some questions may

leave students with more questions. Use these as

the basis for aftertrip discussions or group research.

In This GuideExplore force and motion in the Experiment Gallery by inviting students to take on the role of scientists as they

investigate the movement of objects, changes in their speed or direction, and interrelationships between motion,

force and mass. The guide begins with an exploration to find moving things and speculate about the force causing

the motion.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

About this topic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Connecting with the classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Minnesota Academic Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

At the museum activities

Chaperone page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Student pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Teacher key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

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Newton’s CradleSo who’s this Newton guy and why do we have

his cradle? At the end of the seventeenth century,

Isaac Newton formulated three laws of motion.

The “cradle” you see on many desks and in our

Experiment Gallery allows you to play with spheres in

motion and experiment with Newton’s Laws. Play and

experimentation with real motion are key elements of

this Exploration. Because Newton’s laws of motion are

simple to state, but much research in recent years

has documented that students typically have difficulty

relating formal ideas of motion and force to their

personal view of how the world works. For example, to

say that a book presses down on the table is sensible

enough, but then to say that the table pushes back

up with exactly the same force (which disappears

the instant you pick up the book) seems false on the

face of it. …What is to be done? Students should

have lots of experiences to shape their intuition about

motion and forces long before encountering laws.

(Benchmarks www.project2061.org/tools/benchol/ch4/

ch4.htm#Motion)

MotionEverything in the universe moves. Describing,

analyzing and understanding motion underlies many

other topics in science. There are many topics in the

study of motion, but this Exploration only touches on

a few: relationships of force and motion, gravitational

motion, relationships of mass and motion, moving

air and a very brief introduction to waves and motion

influenced by magnetic forces. This Exploration does

not include breaking down motion into position, velocity

and acceleration, but if your classroom study includes

these, insert your own exhibit activities to reinforce these

concepts at the museum.

A force is a push or pullChanges in speed or direction of motion are caused by

forces. The greater the force is, the greater the change

in motion will be. The more massive any object is, the

less effect a given force will have on it. Some objects

move slowly and others move too fast for people to see

them. Students need to have opportunities to observe

and recognize forces that attract or repel other objects

and demonstrate them. Vocabulary may get in the way

if students have to struggle over the meaning of force

and acceleration. Both terms have many meanings in

common language that confound their specialized use

in science.

About this topic

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About this topic

Mass and WeightThe mass of an object is the measure of the amount of

matter in the object. The weight of an object is the force

of gravity on the object (the mass times the acceleration

of gravity). Weight changes depending on many things,

including what planet you’re on! To focus on motion, and

being able to isolate forces, mass is used in referring to

the object.

Gravity is the force that causes things to fall to earth. There is a gravitational force between all objects with

mass. This is usually not observable unless one object’s

mass is much larger than the other’s is. That is why we

can observe this with the Earth and everything on it,

since the Earth’s mass is much larger.

WavesThis Exploration includes one activity with waves in

water. The focus is on the interrelationship of the

elements of waves – wavelength, frequency and

amplitude. In water, waves are disturbances that travel

through the interacting molecules of water. Experiences

with water and watching waves will give students

mental images as they begin to study waves that are

not as easily observable, such as sound waves or

electromagnetic waves.

The Teacher Key on pg. 16 includes a website about

waves in the ocean.

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Before you visitDo an open-ended exploration of motion with your

students:

How many kinds of motion do you think you could show

using a ball? Find a clear area in the gym, auditorium, or

yard.

• See how many kinds of motion you can show

with the ball. Try different ways of getting the ball

started, and aim it in different directions. Don’t

throw the ball hard—it’s easier to see what’s

happening if it’s traveling slowly. Students can

record observations by making diagrams that

show the paths the ball took.

• Use some obstacles to change the way the ball

moves. Make diagrams showing the different

paths the ball took. What motion did the ball have

when you rolled it with no obstacles in its way?

What happened to the motion of the ball when it

hit an obstacle? Did different kinds of obstacles

affect the ball’s motion in different ways? Were

you able to make the ball move in a curve? How

did you accomplish it?

Review student activity pages for yourself and with your

students.

Review the schedule and your expectations for the visit

with your students. Divide students into groups.

Connecting with the classroomBack in the classroomReview the information that students gathered at the

museum by discussing the questions on the student

pages. See the answer key starting on page 13. These

activities are more explorations of motion and can be

done before the visit, afterwards, or as small group

activities. For older students, more data collection,

measurements and graphing can be introduced.

Make a trackFor each group or student: construction paper, scissors,

clay, duct tape, marble

• Think about how you could make a marble travel

in a straight line, in a zigzag, and in a circle or

part of a circle using the materials listed. Draw a

diagram of a track that you could build to show

these motions.

• Make your track with the materials. Cut out

construction paper shapes and attach them with

clay or duct tape to the top of a table. You may

also want to use clay for part of the track.

• Test your track with a marble. How can you make

the marble start moving? How can you make sure

it stays in motion? Record your observations.

• Experiment with the track until the marble shows

straight-line, zigzag, and circular motion. Think

about what you did to keep the marble in motion?

What did you have to do to the track to change

the marble’s straightline motion to zigzag motion?

What did you have to do to the track to change

the marble’s straight-line motion to a circular

motion?

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Make a parachuteFor each group or student: a plastic grocery bag,

scissors, tape, thread, 3 paper clips and a ruler.

• Cut a 30 cm square from a plastic grocery bag.

Cut four lengths of thread, each about 30 cm

long. Tape one end of each piece of thread to

each corner of the plastic square, and tie the

other ends together. Attach three paper clips to

the thread. This is the parachute.

• Hold the parachute up high in one hand and then

drop it.

• Have a partner cut a hole about 5 cm wide

in the top of their parachute. Then drop both

parachutes at the same time.

• Take the paper clips off the parachute without the

hole. Drop the paper clips at the same time that

your partner drops the parachute with the hole.

• Think about what might have pushed against the

falling parachute to change its motion? Was there

a change in the falling motion of the parachute

when it had a hole cut in it? If so, why? What

do you think would happen if you dropped the

parachute folded up? How fast would it fall? Try

it!y

Connecting with the classroom

Try some magnet activitiesGather magnets you may have in your classroom, or

ask students to bring some from home. Set aside free

exploration time to investigate what happens when

magnets are put together. Group students into groups

of 4. Each group should have a minimum of 4 magnets.

Groups can generate as many magnet observations

as they can. Share observations with the whole class.

(Caution: Do NOT place magnets on computers, monitors, television screens, computer disks, videotapes or tape cassettes.)

Test your magnets: (Ask students to make a chart

summarizing their results.)

For example:

Item tested Results

• What do magnets attract? Try coins, school

supplies, desks, chairs, floor.

• Put a magnet on a string. What happens when

brought near another magnet?

• Does a magnet work through a solid? (paper,

cardboard, book)

• Does a magnet work through a liquid? (water)

• Can a magnet change an object’s direction?

• Does it have to touch the object?

• Hypothesize: How does a magnet push or pull an

object?

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Minnesota Academic StandardsThe Science Museum of Minnesota provides a field trip destination that allows teachers and students to reinforce

Minnesota Academic Standards. Use of the materials in this Force and Motion Exploration will help you link learning

experiences to the following content standards.

Science:

Grade 5 Nature of Science and Engineering 5.1.1.2.2 Identify and collect relevant evidence, make

systematic observations and accurate measurements,

and identify variables in a scientific investigation.

Physical Science

5.2.2.1.2 Identify the force that starts something moving

or changes its speed or direction of motion

5.2.2.1.3 Demonstrate that a greater force on an object

can produce a greater change in motion.

Grade 6 Physical Science 6.2.2.2.2 Identify the forces acting on an object and

describe how the sum of the forces affects the motion of

the object.

6.2.2.2.3 Recognize that some forces between objects

act when the objects are in direct contact and others,

such as magnetic, electrical, and gravitational forces can

act from a distance.

ResourcesBook: Force and Motion Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding

Science So You can Teach It, William C.Robertson,NSTA

Press, 2002, ISBN: 0-87355-209-1

An easy to understand and fun introduction to the

basics of force and motion. Includes Newton’s laws,

clear explanations of major terms and examples of major

concepts.

Websites: The Physics Classroom

www.physicsclassroom.com

A clear and thorough tutorial on terms and concepts,

developed for high school physics students.

Benchmarks On-line- Motion

www.project2061.org/tools/benchol/ch4/ch4.

htm#Motion

Benchmarks for Science Literacy, published in 1993,

translated the science literacy goals in Science for

All Americans into learning goals or benchmarks, in-

cludes links to research, overview of topics and specific

learning goals by age level. Include many helpful sug-

gestions about introducing terms and experiences in

studying force and motion at a variety of grade levels.

Fear of Physics: Speed and Acceleration

/www.fearofphysics.com/Xva/xva.html

For further background and an online demonstration of

the elements of motion.

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Chaperone guide

Trip tips• Explorations Force and Motion helps students understand the how things move, what makes things move

and the relationships among motion, force and the size of objects.

• Encourage students to play with the motion they find in the exhibits.

• Observing motion, noticing change and what causes changes are very important.

All student pages refer to exhibit in the Experiment

Gallery on Level 3.

Find things that move!There are many things to choose from in the Gallery.

Students should choose one to complete the

investigation.

HARMONOGRAPH BIG WAVE TANK

AIRSTREAM

Very popular exhibits with long possible wait times.

Come back to these if they are very busy. They work

better if students work in pairs.

Questions are designed to allow exploration.

Finding the right answer is not as important

as looking for the right answer. It’s OK for your

group to work to together to decide how to

answer the questions. This is a popular gallery.

If one exhibit is busy, students can choose

another. If students are stuck or can’t find

something, ask any staff member in a blue vest

or apron.

Look for answers

What do you think?

Draw what you learned

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Find things that move! List them below:What’s moving? What is making it move? Can you see what’s providing the

force?

Circle one from your list to investigate further with a partner.

How fast is it moving?

too fast to see very fast fast medium slow very slow too slow to notice

Describe the motion: (for example: straight, curved, zigzag)

Does the motion change in direction and/or speed?

Describe the force that made the motion change.

Student pagesExplore Motion in the Experiment Gallery Level 3

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HarmonographDraw a cool design with two pendulums. What’s moving here? (you should find at least 5 things that are

moving)

Work with a partner. One person should move the adjustable weight pendulum and draw a pattern with

the weight in one position.

The second person changes the position of the weight on the adjustable weight pendulum and draws

their own pattern.

Compare your patterns. What did you notice?

Student pages

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Student pages

Big magnetDraw the Big Magnet here:

Look at the big panel above the Magnet. Find the metal wand and the magnetic field tracer. Use them to

explore the force of the magnet.

Metal wand

Hold it near the magnet. What do you notice?

Where is the force the strongest?

Magnetic field tracer Hold it near the magnet. What do you notice?

On your magnet sketch, draw where the force can be detected by the tools you used. What moved in

the Magnetic field tracer?

Why is there a warning about watches, credit cards ? and pacemakers??

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Student pages

Surf’s Up! The big wave tankWhat kinds of waves push a surfer to shore? Use the controls to make the best waves for surfing. Draw

the tank with your “perfect wave”.

What control setting did you use for?

Wave frequency

Wave height

Slope of the bottom

Change the force of the wave. What did you change?

How did that change the motion you observed?

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Student pages

Small PlaneTry these challenges:

• Make the plane fly parallel to the bottom of the case.

• Make the plane go as high as it will go.

• Put the plane on the bottom of the case.

Keep track of where the settings are for each of the controls

Fan speed Elevator control

Plane flies parallel to the bottom of the case.

The plane as high as it will go.

The plane on the bottom of the case.

From your experiments,

What makes the plane move? Or another way to ask the question: where’s the force?

How did you make the plane change its altitude?

AirstreamWhat is moving?

Predict: If you put a large, light balloon over the airstream tube, would it move differently than the ball?

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Find things that move! List them below:What’s moving? What is making it move? Can you see what’s providing the

force?

Circle one from your list to investigate further with a partner.

How fast is it moving?

too fast to see very fast fast medium slow very slow too slow to notice

Describe the motion: (for example: straight, curved, zigzag)

Does the motion change in direction and/or speed?

Describe the force that made the motion change.

Teacher keyAllow 15 minutes for students to find things that move.

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HarmonographDraw a cool design with two pendulums. What’s moving here? (you should find at least 5 things that are

moving)

Work with a partner. One person should move the adjustable weight pendulum and draw a pattern with

the weight in one position.

The second person changes the position of the weight on the adjustable weight pendulum and draws

their own pattern.

Compare your patterns. What did you notice?

Teacher key

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Pendulum with fixed weight, pendulum with moveable weight, pulleys, red arm, blue-gray arm, pen,metal rods connected to the pen, etc.

Answers will vary, e.g., the designs are different when: putting the weight in different places, starting thependulums at different times, making one go faster than the other does at first. Also, they both slow downand finally stop. The interrelationship of the motion of the pendulums, as friction damps the motion, createsthe patterns. The patterns can be considered a mathematical depiction of the motion of the coupledpendulums. It is another way to describe the motion. Note: Patterns take a few minutes to draw.

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Teacher key

Big magnetDraw the Big Magnet here:

Look at the big panel above the Magnet. Find the metal wand and the magnetic field tracer. Use them to

explore the force of the magnet.

Metal wand

Hold it near the magnet. What do you notice?

Where is the force the strongest?

Magnetic field tracer Hold it near the magnet. What do you notice?

On your magnet sketch, draw where the force can be

detected by the tools you used. What moved in the

Magnetic field tracer?

The small magnet in the field tracer responds to the magnetic field in the big magnet. Magnetic force is not just between the white plates, but can be felt and shown surrounding the black encased magnet.

Why is there a warning about watches, credit cards ? and

pacemakers?

The strong magnetic field (not just between the white plates) can influence the magnetic or electrical parts ofthese items.

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Teacher key

Surf’s Up! The big wave tankWhat kinds of waves push a surfer to shore? Use the controls to make the best waves for surfing. Draw

the tank with your “perfect wave”.

What control setting did you use for?

Wave frequency

Wave height

Slope of the bottom

The Rubber Ducky acts like the surfer. It gets pushed best by a “breaking wave”. That is formed when thefloor of the tank does NOT slope gradually, but has a bump in the middle (board # 3). Exploring the bestwave may take a long time, especially if there are many other visitors at the tank. Compare surfing results. Ifno one was there long enough to try many combinations, ask students to find information on waves, slope,and force.

For more on science and surfing: http://www.exploratorium.edu/theworld/surfing/Along the US Pacific coast, the sea floor off the coast changes very abruptly. This creates a steep slope, as theocean rapidly becomes shallower. This causes the waves to break, away from the shore and provides surferswith “radical waves.” Off the coast of Hawaii, tropical reefs create a sudden change in the floor depth producingthe same results.

Off the US East Coast, the Atlantic Ocean’s floor rises slowly towards shore. This cause waves to roll great distancesand break close to the shore.

Change the force of the wave. What did you change?

Either changing the height (more force) or the frequency (change in force frequency)

How did that change the motion you observed?

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Teacher key

Small PlaneTry these challenges:

• Make the plane fly parallel to the bottom of the case.

• Make the plane go as high as it will go.

• Put the plane on the bottom of the case.

Keep track of where the settings are for each of the controls

Fan speed Elevator control

Plane flies parallel to the bottom of the case.

The plane as high as it will go.

The plane on the bottom of the case.

From your experiments,

What makes the plane move? Or another way to ask the question: where’s the force?

Moving air from the fan

How did you make the plane change its altitude?

Changing the speed of the air and/or changing the shape of the airplane’s tail (elevators) Did the twoseem related? Yes. The forces involved in flight of airplanes are complex AND interrelated.Students canstart to observe a complicated system of motion, forces and interrelationships.For more on flight, try this website: www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/UEET/StudentSite/dynamicsofflight.htmlAsk the students to make paper airplanes and include “elevators” like the ones on this small plane. Does itchange the motion?

AirstreamWhat is moving?

The ball, a stream of air when the button is pushed.

Predict: If you put a large, light balloon over the airstream tube, would it move differently than the ball?

Bring a balloon or two for students to try out at the Airstream exhibit. It should react differently because ofthe mass difference. Try making the balloon close to the same size as the ball, then smaller and larger too.Supervise students when they are trying this. Please do not use small balls.The force of the moving air works in similar ways to the Small Plane exhibit and has similarities to airplaneflight. The pressure is lower in a moving fluid than in a stationary fluid. This effect is called theBernoulli effect. A ball balances in the stream of air from the blower. The ball is strongly held in the lowerpressure stream of air, allowing it to overcome gravity forces as the airstream moves.

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