SCIENCE BOX OVERVIEW
Kit #35
Name: “Balancing Act”
Grade Level: 3-4
Content Strand: Physical Science
Content Standard and Description: Forces and Motion – Students understand that forces such as gravitational, electrical, and magnetic force, influence the motion of objects.
Summary: Through a variety of games and other various teaching tools, students will learn all about the center of gravity for multiple objects. They will also learn what sorts of things affect the center of gravity, including a pan balance. With a mixture of lessons and vocabulary to go with all that, students will have fun while they learn.
Learning Cycle Lesson Plans: Here is the list of the lesson plans in this kit.
1. “Toppling Down” – This lesson lays the foundation for the entire science box by talking about gravity. Students will play with clay and other various games to learn all about balance and gravity.
2. “Over the Edge and Downward” – This lesson focuses on the center of gravity and further balance issues. Through games and other lessons, students will find the center of gravity and try to balance an object based on where the center is.
3. “Straw Balance and Creature Weigh-In” – Students will learn how a center of gravity affects a pan balance. First they will create a pan balance and then see how the center of gravity affects the balance. They will then collect data and construct graphs in order to write an overall summary of what they find.
4. “Balancing Stick” – Students will listen to a story and then try to find out how they can balance a Popsicle stick vertically on their finger. This lesson furthers center of gravity and balance and wraps up the kit with a couple of stories.
What to Expect: When finished using this science box, teachers can expect their students to know the following: Third graders will be able to investigate and describe the ways that different objects may balance or topple in various situations. The fourth graders will understand that as well as be able to investigate and describe balance points of different objects.
Evaluations: Here is what other teachers have said about this box.
1. “My students loved the activities and the literature read alongs.”
2. “Thanks so much for sharing the suitcases with our students.”
3. “….It was in good condition and very helpful. Thank you.”