Authors: Ms. Barbara Glover and Dr. Sue Kezios Instructors: Ms. Beth Brampton, New Hanover County Schools Dr. Dennis Kubasko, UNC Wilmington

Introductions Ms. Karen Shafer – Director, Science and Mathematics Education Center MSEN SITE: Grades 3-5 Science is a nine-day institute (five days in the summer and four days during the school year) that focuses on the four major science themes that run through the NC Science Standard Course of Study for Grades 3-5.

Introductions The Institute themes include: Rock Cycle (soil properties, composition/uses of rocks & minerals, & landforms); Ecology (plant growth & adaptations, animal behavior & adaptations, & interdependence of plants & animals) Energy/Forces/Motion (light, heat, magnetism & electricity, forces & motion) Weather & Climate (water & water cycle, clouds & climate, global climate change)

Instructional Strategy Engage – The Domino Theory, Thumper Activity Explore – Energy Toys Learning Center Explain – Cartoon Elaborate – Motion Detectors Evaluate – Roller Coaster Making Connections

Engage The two kinds of energy are stored energy (Potential) and moving energy (Kinetic). The classic domino rally stores up energy or gains potential energy as the dominos are set up. As they fall they have moving or kinetic energy.

Engage Thumper is a ‘model’ for the magic trick where a table cloth is pulled off the table while leaving the dishes on the table. If the table cloth is pulled off rapidly, the dishes remain in place (inertia) because the force (a push or pull) is not transferred from the table cloth to the dishes. If the table cloth is pulled out slowly, then friction will transfer the force to the dishes and all will fall off the table. from-under-a-dinner-service from-under-a-dinner-service

Explain Please be encouraged to try out all of the toys. How did you start the toys to move? What was the push or pull? What did the toy do? Did it roll, bounce, slide, etc.? What happened just before the toy stopped moving? What do you think makes the toy stop?

Explore DRAW STARTMOVESTOP DESCRIBE I Play Therefore….. Today I play with ____________________________________ How does it start, move and stop?

Elaborate I Play Therefore I Am - Some questions you can ask to help stimulate your student’s exploration! More careful observations  Can you show me what happens?  What did you see?  How would you describe…..?  Describe the movement. Looking for other experiments  What did you do to the toy?  Did the same movement happen every time?  What else could you try? Unstick the thinking  Did you try….?  If you…, what do you think would happen?  How would … effect what you see happening?

Elaborate Look for concepts  Can you tell me what you think is happening?  What did you see that makes you think that? Some specific questions  Can you compare the start, or motion or stopping of toy A to toy B?  What is the effect of bouncing a ball harder?  What happens if you drop a ball on a pillow?  Does the rattleback behave the same if spun in clockwise and counterclockwise?  What happens if you push on one end of the rattleback?  Does the windup toy run the same length of time when on a smooth surface or held up in your hand? On a rough surface?

Evaluate Make a roller coaster that will have the following elements: hill, turn and loop. State a time limit, work in groups. The expectation is that they will explain the order of the elements, energy input and output, problems encountered, and how well were expectations met. oaster.html oaster.html

Making Connections A real life connection would be automobile accidents. Forces, motion and energy transfer have very graphic results. The type of car (mass), and the speed of the vehicle will determine the forces applied. The condition of the road, if it is icy, wet, sand, etc., would bring friction into the discussion.