Variables

Investigation 1: Swingers Part One EXPLORING SWINGERS

How to Build a Swinger For each group (pair) 1 50 cm string 1 Paper clip 1 Penny 1 Pencil 1 Meter tape per table For the class Masking tape How to Build a Swinger sheet Students will be working in pairs. Have one student pick up the supplies.

Swingers are measured in centimeters.

What did we just make? What could we do with a system like this? How many times do you think your swinger will swing in 15 seconds? How can you find out?

Exploring Pendulums Question- How many times do you think your pendulum will swing in 15 seconds? Prediction- I think my pendulum will swing ____ times in 15 seconds. Results Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average

Let’s Get Started I will be the timer you will be the counters. I will say Go and you will count silently to yourself until I say stop.

Class Results What could you change in your swinger system that might change the number of swings? Anything that you can change in an experiment that might affect the outcome is called a VARIABLE.

Vocabulary Pendulum – a mass hanging from a fixed point that is free to swing to and fro. Cycle – any motion or activity that repeats itself. Variable – anything that you can change in an experiment that might affect the outcome. Have students say and read the definition. And definitions to the word bank chart and then record in the sciencenotebook

Content/Inquiry Chart Teacher Says: “Write these questions in your notebook. Work with your lab partner to answer the questions.” What is a variable? What is a pendulum and where have you seen one? What variables might affect the number of cycles the pendulum makes in 15 seconds? The content Inquiry chart list statements that summarize students knowledge Content Inquiry charts lists concept statements that summarizes the knowledge acquired during the investigations. 1.. Variable anything that you can change in an experiment that might effect the outcome 2. A mass hanging from a fixed point that is free to swing to and from is a pendulum 3. Mass, length, and starting position

Content/Inquiry Chart Answers A variable is anything that you can change in an experiment that might affect the outcome. A mass hanging from a fixed point that is free to swing to and fro is called a pendulum. You might find a pendulum in an old clock, on a playground swing, or in a metronome. Mass, length, and angle of release might affect the number of cycles that a pendulum makes in 15 seconds.

Science Stories (Independent Work) Read and discuss What Do Scientists Do? This ends the first lesson. Now begin Part Two of Investigation 1

Investigation 1: Swingers Part Two TESTING VARIABLES click

Standard Pendulum Review the variables that they thought might affect the number of swings of a pendulum. Look at notebook entry from previous lesson. Review the setup for the pendulum: 38 cm long, one penny released straight out to the side for 15 seconds. This is called a standard pendulum system. 1. Mass, length, and starting position

What is an experiment? An experiment is an investigation designed to find out how variables affect outcomes. An experiment in which one variable is changed and the outcome is compared to a standard is a controlled experiment. Remember only one variable can be changed at a time. That is a controlled experiment.

Test the Variables of Mass Angle of Release Length of String

Teacher says: “Write this question in your notebook and work with your group to complete the responses.” Is there a relationship between the length of the pendulum and the number of swings a pendulum makes in 15 seconds? The longer the pendulum, the ____the swings. The shorter the pendulum, the _____the swings. The greater the number of swings, the _____the pendulum. The fewer the number of swings, the _____ the pendulum. 1- longer the fewer the strings Short – the greater the swing Shorter the pendulum longer the pendulum

Students make their swingers record on a T- Chart Have them hang them on the number line - 5 170 cm – 6 120 cm 7 90cm 8 70cm 9 fill the chart in Students will also need the Singers picture graph record their information for their notebook 200

Content/Inquiry Chart Teacher says: “Write this question in your notebook and work with your group to complete the responses.” Content/Inquiry Chart Which variables made no difference in the number of swings? Which variable did make a difference in the number of swings? What variables might affect the number of cycles the pendulum makes in 15 seconds? Mass and release position length As the length of the pendulum increases then the number of swings decreases or they may say: as the length of the pendulum decreases the number of swings increases.

Content/Inquiry Chart Answers Mass and release position made no difference in the number of swings. Length made a difference in the number of swings. As the length of the pendulum increases, the number of swings decreases. As the length of the pendulum decreases, the number of swings increases.

Investigation 1: Swingers Part Three Predicting Swings click

Let’s Create a Two-Coordinate Graph We have now created 3 different types of graphs- How are they different? How are they the same? Why is the picture graph useful? What is the benefit of using a two coordinate graph? click

Investigation 2: Lifeboats Part One EXPLORING BOATS

What are lifeboats and what are they used for?

How to Build a Boat For each group (pair) 1 Cup 2 Books 1 Pencil or Pen 1 Meter tape per table 1 Pair of Scissors Boat Building Sheet For the table 1 Cup of Pennies (1983 or newer) Water in Tubs Sponge/Paper Towels Students will be working in pairs. Have one student pick up the supplies.

How many passengers can your lifeboat hold before it sinks? Lifeboats

Exploring Boats The greatest number of pennies that our boat held was____. List the variables that might affect the # of passengers supported in a boat: Capacity of Boat 1____ ml Capacity of Boat 2____ ml

Investigating the Variable of Boat Size Let’s Construct Four New Boats 1st- All boats should be no shorter than 2cm and no taller than 4cm from base to top. 2nd- Find the capacity of each new boat. 3rd- Write the name and capacity of each boat on the side with a permanent marker.

Content/Inquiry Chart Teacher says: “Write this question in your notebook and work with your group to complete the responses.” Content/Inquiry Chart What variables might affect the number of passengers (pennies) a paper-cup boat can hold? What is capacity?

Content/Inquiry Chart Answers The number of passengers a boat can hold is affected by variables such as placement, water movement, and boat size. The greatest amount of fluid a container can hold.

Investigation 2: Lifeboats Part Two Lifeboat Inspection

Controlled Experiments- In a controlled experiment all the variables are kept constant except one, so that the experimenter can observe the effect of that one variable on the outcome. Today we are trying to find out how the capacity of the boat affects the number of passengers the lifeboat can hold.

Standard Boat Loading Procedures Place pennies gently. Place pennies evenly. Don’t shake the basins. Dry the pennies in between trials.

Content/Inquiry Chart Teacher says: “Write this question in your notebook and work with your group to complete the responses.” Content/Inquiry Chart What can you tell about the capacity of boats and the number of passengers a boat will hold? Is there a relationship? What is the difference between the independent and dependent variable?

Content/Inquiry Chart Answers The bigger the boat, the more passengers it will support. The greater the capacity, the more passengers the boat will hold. The independent variable is the variable you know before the experiment, what you are changing, plotted on the x axis. The dependent variable is what you find out by doing the experiment, and is plotted on the y axis.

Investigation 2: Lifeboats Part Two Inspecting Other Boats

Reviewing Variables Which boat held the greatest number of passengers? What variables make it possible for a boat to hold lots of passengers? What variables did you have to control? What is the relationship between capacity of the boat and the number of passengers it can hold? If you had a new boat, could you use your graph to predict how many passengers it could hold?

Share the story of Archimedes and the Crown (“Eureka. ”) Share the story of Archimedes and the Crown (“Eureka!”). Story is available in FOSS student book, fifth grade Variables Unit. Let me tell you a story…

Question What will happen to the coke and diet coke if we place them water?

Results--

Let’s explore the difference of mass in the cokes… 0 grams of sugar 39 grams of sugar

Water has 1.0g/cc density. Densities < 1.0 FLOAT Densities > 1.0 SINK

Investigation 3: Plane Sense Part One Exploring Flight

How to Build a FOSS Plane For each group 1 FOSS Plane Construction Sheet 1 Jumbo Straw 1 Super Jumbo Straw 1 Propeller 1 Hook 1 Rubber Band 1 Piece of Sandpaper 2 Craft sticks 1 Pair of Scissors To be used in the Materials Station Hole Punches Staplers Students will be working in pairs. Have one student pick up the supplies.

A System The FOSS plane flies along a piece of fishing line called a flight line. The FOSS plane and the flight line together are called the FOSS plane system. A system is a set of objects that is working together. It is often possible to study the parts of a system one at a time to find out how they affect the whole system.

Conduct Test Flights Materials Needed: 4 m Fishing line Duct tape 2 Chairs 1 Ziplock Bag If you had a piece of fishing line, could you get your plane to fly the entire length of the line?

Investigation 3: Plane Sense Part Two Investigating Variables

Challenge Get your FOSS Plane to fly. Fly your plane the entire length of the line. Figure out the minimum number of winds needed to fly your plane the entire length of the line.

FLIGHT LOG Complete Part 1-3 Variables- mass rubber bands slope of the line tension of the line propeller changes lubricants

Plane Experiments Question- How will changing the ______ affect the flight of our plane? Hypothesis- If we ______ then I think_______ because_________________. Independent Variable- Dependent Variable- Constants- Results- (Make a chart) Conclusion: