Investigation 1 Part 3: Water on a Slope

Essential Question What factors influence the movement of water?

What You Will Learn What happens to beads of water when they are placed at the top of a slope. Which moves faster down a slope, small water domes or big water domes. Whether water moves faster on a steep slope or a gentle slope.

Vocabulary Slope – a slanted surface Flow – the movement of a liquid over a surface Tell your partner the meanings of slope and flow.

Part 3 Water on a Slope What might happen to a raindrop that falls into a stream flowing down a mountainside? Talk to your partners. Reporters - share.

Task We are going to observe what happens when drops of water are placed on a slope or slanted surface. A slope is a slanted surface. Tell your partner what our task is and what a slope is.

Directions Watch as I demonstrate the task. Create a slope by propping one end of a tray on a book. Lay waxed paper on the tray to create a smooth surface. Use droppers to drop water on the waxed paper. Observe the behavior of the drops. Return the water to the plastic cup when it collects at the bottom of the tray.

Directions Cont’d You will work in groups of four to do this task. Getters will get a tray with materials for their group when I say “materials.” Managers, please make sure everyone in your group gets a turn and is on task. Make sure the waxed paper is dried between races. Reporters, be ready to share your group’s observations.

Directions Create a slope by propping one end of a tray on a book. Lay waxed paper on the tray to create a smooth surface. Use droppers to drop water on the waxed paper. Observe the behavior of the drops. Return the water to the plastic cup when it collects at the bottom of the tray.

Suggestions Drop drops on top of each other. Drop drops from different heights. Compare the speed of different sizes of beads on the slopes. Find out if one bead can chase and catch another bead. You have five minutes. Begin.

Share Results Talk to your partners about what happens when water is placed on a slope. Reporters, share the results. Make sure all students agree that water flows downhill when placed on a slope.

Attention If you had a race between two water domes, which one would get to the bottom of the slope first? Share your thoughts.

New Task Let’s set up dome races to see what will happen if we have a race between water domes. Watch as I demonstrate the task.

Directions Prop one end of the tray on a book. Hold up the other end of the tray so that it is level. Make several water domes of different sizes across the book end of the level tray. The domes will contain one drop, two drops, three drops, and so forth. Lower the other end of the tray and observe. Guess which dome will make it to the bottom of the tray first.

Start the Races Managers, please dry the waxed paper between races. Make sure everyone has a turn. You have five minutes. Begin.

Attention Now do your races by setting up domes of increasing sizes across the top of the waxed paper. Put 1 drop, 2 drops, 3 drops, 4 drops, 5 drops. You may also use other sized domes. Observe the results of these races. You have five minutes. Begin.

Share Results Reporters, which dome usually reached the bottom first. Raise your hand to share any other observations you made during the water-dome races.

Attention What would happen to the speed of the water domes if you increased the slope of the tray? Talk to your partners. Share.

New Task You will do the water-dome races again. This time you will use two books for your slope. Talk to your partners about how the change in slope affects the water-dome races.

Share Results Reporters, be ready to share your group’s results.

Clean Up Collectors – please return all of the materials to the materials station. Make sure the water is back in the plastic cup. Dry the equipment.

Student Sheet No. 4 You have five minutes to complete this response sheet. Remember that this sheet will be graded.

CONTENT/INQUIRY Water flows down a slope. Bigger domes of water move down a slope faster. Water flows faster down a steep slope. Teach your partner.

Vocabulary Review Slope – a slanted surface Flow – the movement of a liquid over a surface Tell your partner the meanings of slope and flow.

What You Learned Today Water flows down a slope. Bigger domes of water move down a slope faster. Water flows faster down a steep slope.

Essential Question What factors influence the movement of water? The size of the water-dome. The steepness of the slope.

Response Sheet Water Observations Follow along as I read the directions to Student Sheet #5. Complete this sheet to the best of your ability. It will be graded.