1. What Goes Up Must Come Down!
Resource ID#: 154892 Primary Type: Lesson Plan
This document was generated on CPALMS - www.cpalms.org
This is a second grade science lesson that incorporates math, science, and engineering as students work in collaborative groups to investigate
gravity using real-world situations.
Students will investigate the following problem:
How can you design an invention that keeps a balloon in the air instead of letting it be pulled to the ground by gravity? Can you keep your balloon in
the air longer than the other teams?
Subject(s): Mathematics, Science Grade Level(s): 2
Intended Audience: Educators Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Internet
Connection, Overhead Projector
Instructional Time: 1 Hour(s) 20 Minute(s)
Keywords: Gravity, Force, Motion, Graphing Instructional Component Type(s): Lesson Plan,
Problem-Solving Task, Assessment , Project
Resource Collection: Collier MSP K-5
ATTACHMENTS
ExitTicket.docx
GravityRubric.xlsx
NatureofScienceRubric.xlsx
SampleDataChart.pdf
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: Confirmatory or Structured Inquiry
Learning Objectives: What will students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
Students will use the vocabulary terms to elaborate on how they will affect the activity being performed.
Students will recognize that objects are pulled to the ground unless something holds them up.
Students will be able to complete the activity using the specific tools and report their findings using formative and summative assessments, demonstrating 80%
mastery.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
The students should have prior knowledge of the following academic vocabulary:
force
motion
push
pull
gravity
The students should also understand that the Earth is a sphere.
They may understand that gravity is a force that pulls objects together; a very large (high mass) object will pull smaller nearby objects towards its center, even
though they are not touching.
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2. The students should also know that when a force is applied to an object, it can move in different directions.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
1. What is gravity?
2. What types of objects resist gravity?
3. What experiences have you had that involved gravity?
4. How does gravity impact a kite?
Introduction: How will the teacher introduce the lesson to the students?
1. Have the students sit in a circle.
2. The teacher will provide the students a beach ball and have them pass it around the classroom by hitting it underhanded.
3. After several students have hit the ball, ask students how each push contributed to the ball going up.
4. Ask guiding questions to engage students in a discussion.
"Did the ball ever fall to the ground? Why?"
"What force caused the ball to fall to the ground?"
"What caused the ball to stay in the air?"
5. Gather students together and make a KWL chart (know, wonder/want to know, learned) about gravity. Students should complete only the K and W columns for now.
Investigate: What question(s) will students be investigating? What process will students follow to collect information that can be
used to answer the question(s)?
The students will investigate the following question: "How can we use the given materials to keep the balloon in the air?"
Steps:
1. The teacher will assign a role to each student within the group. There will be a recorder, manager, time keeper, and supply manager.
1. The recorder will be responsible for making sure all students contribute to the sketch ahead of time and planning out the execution of the design.
2. The manager's job is to make sure that all students are on task and contribute, as needed, throughout the duration of the lesson.
3. The time keeper's job is to make sure that everyone is working in a timely manner, according to directions provided by the teacher.
4. The supply managers job is to gather all supplies needed for the group. In addition, he or she will make sure that all of the supplies are treated respectfully and
that the area is cleaned up at the end of the project.
2. The teacher will present the materials to the students in the separated supply bins.
3. He or she will propose the following problem to each student through a demonstration. The teacher will take out a fully inflated balloon and drop it onto the ground.
The teacher will ask, "Why did the balloon fall down to the ground?"
4. The students should use their background knowledge of gravity, force, and motion to recognize that gravity is a force that pulls things to the ground (the center of
the Earth) unless they are being held up by another object.
5. After the students have discussed and fully understand why the balloon continues to fall to the ground, the teacher will tell the students that their job today, as
scientists, is to explore and investigate a way to keep the balloon above the ground using the materials provided. However, it is important to note that the students
should not simply attach the balloon to the materials, but rather use them to generate a source of wind energy to keep the balloon afloat in the air for as long as
possible.
6. The students will be allowed to preview the materials ahead of time so that they are familiar with the supplies.
7. After previewing the materials, the students will return to their designated area and take out their interactive science notebook. Within the interactive notebook,
each student will be responsible for recording their own ideas for how they would use the materials to create a source of wind that will hold up the balloon so that
gravity does not pull it back to Earth.
8. Once students have been provided with enough time to draw and label a sketch of their invention, the team will discuss which model would work best to keep the
balloon up.
9. After the team has decided on the best model, the supply manager will go and gather the necessary supplies to build the invention. Students will work
collaboratively to create their invention and test it out as necessary. Students can use their time to restructure their invention as needed.
10. Have students draw what that are going to do with the supplies provided in order to keep the balloon in the air. Have students brainstorm with their team mates
about why they believe the model will work. Discuss what problems they may encounter.
11. Provide adequate time for the students to construct their invention.
12. Once the allotted time is up, the teacher will gather the students in a circle on the carpet or floor. Each group will have an opportunity to test their invention. The
teacher as well as the manager from each group will have a timer. Each individual with a timer will monitor the time the balloon is in the air. The recorder from
each team will be responsible for recording their team's time on the data table at the front of the room. See the attached Sample Data Chart.
Analyze: How will students organize and interpret the data collected during the investigation?
1. After each team has had the opportunity to test their invention and record their time, each student will use the class data to draw a bar graph in their interactive
notebook. It is important that each individual records the time of every group. This will provide the students an additional opportunity to practice bar graphs.
2. Use the bar graph to discuss differences in the time the balloon remained in the air and what some possible causes were for the difference in times.
3. Ask:
1. Which invention was the most successful and why?
2. What materials did the group use the most of? What materials did the group use the least of?
3. Was the group's invention light or heavy?
4. Were there any other factors that you observed, which played a role in the time difference?
5. What made one group’s balloon remain in the air longer than another group's balloon?
6. How could they have adjusted their invention in order to prolong the amount of time in the air?
7. Were there any similarities in their inventions? Differences?
Closure: What will the teacher do to bring the lesson to a close? How will the students make sense of the investigation?
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3. 1. After completing the investigation, students will come together as a class to discuss and reflect on the results and observations of their investigation. They should
discuss the bar graph and answer the guiding questions, which were made during the analysis portion of the lesson.
2. Once they have discussed their bar graphs, the class can then complete their KWL chart by filling in the L (learned) portion. "What did you learn as a result of the
investigation and discussion?"
3. As a class, you can refer back to the guiding questions during closure to determine mastery. Are students able to answer these questions:
1. What is gravity?
2. What types of objects resist gravity?
3. What experiences have you had that involved gravity?
4. How does gravity impact a kite?
4. To extend their thinking, the teacher can ask, "What additional questions could we investigate if we were to redo the investigation?"
Summative Assessment
1. Next, provide students with the exit ticket. (attached) This will be completed independently.
2. On the front, they should write (at least) one thing that they learned. On the back, they may also illustrate what they learned. This will be a summative assessment
for the lesson.
Formative Assessment
1. The teacher will use each student's interactive science notebook, discussions, and observations of students to assess progress and understanding of academic
content.
2. The students should be able to explain that gravity pulls things toward the Earth unless something is holding them up or applying an opposite force.
3. The students will also be able to generate questions, regarding the demonstrations of others and how they applied a force to keep their balloon in the air.
4. The teacher will make observations during the KWLchart completion to assist and lead student discussion and assess students' prior knowledge, understanding, and
misconceptions.
Use information gained from the KWL to lead student discussion.
The teacher will monitor for understanding.
The teacher may use the Primary Science Notebook Rubric (attached) to assess the S.C.2.P.13.3.
The teacher may use the Nature of Science Rubric (attached) to assess the SC.2.N.1.2 and SC.2.N.1.4.
Feedback to Students
Use guiding questions to provide focused feedback throughout the lesson.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Students with tactile issues may work directly with another partner.
Students with visual issues may need the images to be projected underneath the document camera so that they are larger and more visible.
Students who have difficulty working in groups may work separately.
The teacher may make vocabulary flashcards with visuals for students who need more support.
The teacher may provide sentence starters to help students organize and gather their thoughts when writing in their science notebook.
Extensions:
1. Analyze how objects would be affected without gravity by designing a situation where this occurs.
2. Have the students put pencils in a short Styrofoam cup and discuss why the cup falls over.
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Internet Connection, Overhead Projector
Special Materials Needed:
Beach ball
Balloons
Straws
Tongue depressors
Tape
Scissors
Card stock
Paper
Science notebooks
Crayons
Pencils
Document camera/projector (optional)
Computer (optional)
Markers
Chart Paper for KWL/data table
Rubrics (attached)
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4. Related Standards
Name Description
MAFS.2.MD.4.10:
Draw a picture graph and a bar graph (with single-unit scale) to represent a data set with up to four categories. Solve
simple put-together, take-apart, and compare problems using information presented in a bar graph.
SC.2.N.1.2:
Compare the observations made by different groups using the same tools.
Remarks/Examples:
Compare the observations made by different groups using the same tools.
Florida Standards Connections: LAFS.2.SL.1.1. Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about
grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in groups.
MAFS.K12.MP.5: Use appropriate tools strategically.
SC.2.N.1.4:
Explain how particular scientific investigations should yield similar conclusions when repeated.
Remarks/Examples:
Florida Standards Connections: MAFS.2.MD.4.10. Draw a picture graph and a bar graph (with single-unit scale) to
represent a data set with up to four categories. Solve simple put-together, take-apart, and compare problems using
information presented in a bar graph.
SC.2.P.13.3: Recognize that objects are pulled toward the ground unless something holds them up.
Timers (1 for each group and 1 for the teacher)
Exit Tickets (attached)
Further Recommendations:
Prepare items in separate baskets the day before and then have the supply manager gather the appropriate materials. In addition, provide each group with a bucket
containing crayons, pencils, paper, scissors, tape, etc.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Emily Conrad
Name of Author/Source: Emily Conrad, Erica Rimbert, Karen Cole
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Collier, Collier, Collier
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
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