Physics Is Phun (Grades 4-5) Type I Activities

Toy Store Physics - Grades 2 & 3 (Menu draft 6/16/08)

Essential Understandings: Students will be able to describe examples of the application of basic physics concepts such as balance, sound, light, magnets, and electricity to common toys, objects, and activities.

Type I Activities: The students will….

Watch a Bill Nye Video to introduce the concepts of motion and balance.
Play with balancing toys to see how they work.
Stand and balance on one foot to feel the ways in which our body helps us balance.
Invite a gymnast to perform for the class.
Watch video clips of gymnasts performing to see how they balance.
Examine toy and baby mobiles.
Read the book “Green Fox” to learn about complementary colors.
View pictures of optical illusions.
Dress up in rainbow colors.
Watch Magic School Bus video to learn more about our eyes and sight.
Examine a variety of toys that are magnetic or use magnets.
Watch a guest artist create black and white optical illusions with a marker and paper.
Examine different types, shapes, sizes of magnets.
Invite Dr. Paul Hubner (College of Engineering) to speak on the topic of balance and motion.
Brainstorm ideas and words associated with the terms light and vision to help assess prior knowledge.
Read the book “Mirette on the high wire” to think about the ways balance is used.
Examine the affect magnets have on each other.
Observe examples of static electricity – clinging socks, balloon stuck to a wall.
Play with “Magnadoodle” or “Etch-a-sketch” type toys.
Observe Miss Huey play the flute. Give many, varied single words to describe the music or how the music made you feel.
Examine a variety of musical instruments to see how they make sounds.
Read the children’s book Opt to see many examples of optical illusions.
Explore the interest development center on magnets to stimulate interest.
Listen to a tape of Mannheim Steamroller.
Watch a guest magician perform tricks.

Type II Activities: The students will…..

Think of the many, varied, and unusual ways to transform the paper towel tube into something else. Add to your ideas to make them better. (PT)
Think of the many, varied comparisons between the ways Miss Huey made different notes with the flute and the ways different notes are played on a guitar or a trumpet.
Think of the many, varied, and unusual examples of shadow figures you could create. Add to your ideas to make them better. (PT)
Create a shadow puppet with paper and a straw, and perform a short “Shadow Show”.
Make a balancing butterfly with paper and a penny. Think of the many, varied other balancing critters you could make.
Make a bowl drum. Think of the many, varied different ways your drum can produce sounds.
Think of the many, varied, and unusual examples of ways to make music. Add to your ideas to make them better. (PT)
Use the decision making matrix to record a variety of alternative ways you could advertise your toy to potential consumers. (DM)
Work through the planning talent steps to plan the construction of a balloon racing car out of recyclable materials. (PL)
List the many, varied and unusual ways air could be used to do things around your house or school. (PT)
Make “Squawking chicken” cups to demonstrate the property of sound resonance.
Use the internet to research ancient toys from a different country and print pictures to share with classmates.
Practice an inertia trick to make a card move sideways while the penny falls downward.
Perform an investigation in Dr. Hubner’s lab to examine the effects of air pressure.
Analyze a set of optical illusions to see how shapes and colors create different effects.
Create a tic-tac-toe game using magnets and a recyclable material such as a metal tray or candy tin.
Use your communication talent #5 to make a network of ideas using many, different complete thoughts in writing about famous magicians. (C5)
Work through the planning talent steps to plan a flip book about simple machines. (PL)
Construct and play a game out of tissue paper boxes and straw rockets.
Develop a set of interview questions for Dr. Hubner about the forces of gravity, friction, and air pressure.
Think of the many, varied, single words to describe the M. C. Escher print on the wall. (C1)
Work through the planning talent steps to plan the construction of a hanging mobile to demonstrate balancing objects about the center of gravity. (PL)
Make and fly paper airplanes.
Build rainbow spinning top toys out of golf pencils and paper plates.
Think of connections to complete the following analogy: A flute is a like a magic wand because……. (SYN)
Balance a ruler on your finger and the add weights to see the effects on the balancing point.
Play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star using plastic bottles with water to create different pitch notes.]
Make balloons stick to the wall to demonstrate static electricity.
Use your communication talent #2 to orally share many, different single words to describe the ways music makes you feel. (C2)
Examine a family of musical instruments. Think of the many, varied, and unusual ways they make sounds. Add to your list to make it better. (PT)
Predict many, varied, or different effects that might occur if the world had no music. (F)
Compare yourself to a musical instrument. What kind of musical instrument are you most like? Why? (SYN)

Type III Possible Activities: The students will…..

1. Design and create simple toys that use magnets. Donate the toys to a local pediatrician to have available for sick children to play with in their waiting room.

2. Write and illustrate a creative story about an animal who becomes an award winning gymnast. Read the stories to children who are in a local hospital or at Children’s Hospital.

3. Plan and present a magic show for families and children at Children’s Hospital. Students will….

1. Think of what you are going to plan so someone will know what your project is.

2. Think of all the materials and equipment you will need for your project.

3. Think of all the steps needed to complete the project and put the steps in order.

4. Think of any problems that could keep you from completing the projects.

5. Think of ways to improve your plan.

4. Plan and host a Physics Carnival using toys and games they have constructed. Students will….

1. Think of what you are going to plan so someone will know what your project is.

2. Think of all the materials and equipment you will need for your project.

3. Think of all the steps needed to complete the project and put the steps in order.

4. Think of any problems that could keep you from completing the projects.

5. Think of ways to improve your plan.

The carnival can be used as a fundraiser. Visitors could pay a quarter to play each game and the money raised could be donated to a local charity such as an animal shelter or humane society.

Physics is Phun - Grades 4-5 (Menu draft 6/16/08)

Essential Understandings: Students will be able to relate common events, objects and phenomenon to related, basic concepts of physics such as sound, balance, optics and forces.

Type I Activities: The students will….

List the many, varied and unusual ideas that come to mind when you hear the word – physics. This will help assess their prior understandings of physics concepts and vocabulary.
Read excerpt from “Maniac Magee” (chpt. 6) to think of the many, varied, and unusual ways that sound images are incorporated into the passage.
Show movie clip of hunters with their ear to the ground. Make many, varied predictions about the reasons for the hunters’ actions.
Watch Bill Nye video on “Sound” to develop a better understanding of the ways in which sound waves travel.
Observe Miss Huey play the flute. Give many, varied single words to describe the music or how the music made you feel.
Watch clips of gymnasts doing balancing feats. Think of the many, varied, and unusual ways the gymnasts work to maintain their balance.
Watch clips of Olympic athletes. Think of the many, varied, and unusual ways the athletes seem to defy gravity.
Play with balancing toys and think about the many, varied, and unusual ways they maintain their balance.
Have a guest gymnast come and perform some balancing tricks for the students to observe.
Draw a picture of an athlete in action and tape it to the learning center board.
Watch a Bill Nye video on “Optical Illusions” to develop a better understanding of the ways in which our eyes and brains can be fooled.
Watch a shadow puppet show. Describe the ways shadows can be produced.
Watch clips of famous magician acts. Think of the many, varied, and unusual ways the magicians make these tricks happen.
View pictures of optical illusions. Think of the many, varied, and unusual ways the pictures use light, shapes and colors to trick your eyes and your brain.
Watch a magician to perform a show with tricks for the mind and the eye.Give many, varied single words to describe the music or how the music made you feel.
Read the picture book Green Fox to learn about complementary colors.
Explore the interest development center on optics and light to stimulate interest.
Feel the force of wind (moving air from a fan) and describe its affects.
Watch the teacher demonstrate the ways moving air can lift and hold objects.
Watch PBS program on the history of flight. Make many, varied predictions about the ways in which flight in 2050 might be different from flight in 2008.
List all things that fly. Think of the many, varied, and unusual differences between the flying objects.
Listen to Dr. Paul Hubner (College of Engineering) speak on the topic of forces and flight to develop a better understanding of the ways in which forces create the ability to fly.
Use productive thinking to list a flying object that begins with each letter of the alphabet.

Type II Activities: The students will….

Think of the many, varied, and unusual ways to transform the paper towel tube into something else. Add to your ideas to make them better. (PT)
Create a musical instrument using a straw and show a way to create different notes.
Draw a picture of a never before seen musical instrument and show the type of music produced by this instrument without using words.
Think of many, varied single words to describe a musical instrument. (C1)
Think of many, varied comparisons in the form of a simile between sound and light. (C3)
Plan a flipbook about types of musical instruments both ancient and modern. (PL)
Construct a Pan Pipe using straws of different lengths to produce sounds of different pitch.
Use plastic bottles to create sounds of different pitch and play a common tune.
Construct “Squawking Chicken” cups to demonstrate the property of resonance.
Create their own “String Gongs” out of coat hangers, pie plates, etc. to show amplification.
Describe the many and varied comparisons between the ways Miss Huey played the flute and the ways Dr. Strong played the cornet.
Create a buzzing/humming critter with your paper towel roll. (Ex. Bumble Bee Kazoo)
Work through the decision making process to decide which type of musical instrument you will construct. (DM)
Examine a few musical instruments. Think of the many, varied, and unusual ways they make sounds. Add to your list to make it better. (PT)
Use the internet to research different gymnastic feats and stunts. Using many, varied complete thoughts in written language, make a network of ideas showing the ways gymnastics is influenced by balance and gravity. (C5)
Make many, varied predictions about the causes for Sir Isaac Newton to build a physics museum. (F)
Demonstrate ways to balance different objects by resting and sliding them on a meter stick.
Create and demonstrate your own balancing critter using paper and pennies for weights.
Construct spinning tops using golf pencils and small paper plates decorated to produce an optical illusion while spinning.
Practice and perform yo–yo tricks for their classmates.
Research and report on the history of a physics toy such as a spinning top, yo-yo or rocket.
Create a unique, balancing mobile to demonstrate the center of gravity.
Pretend you are a magician. Think of the many, varied tricks you could perform for your audience. Add to your ideas to make them better. (PT)
Analyze a set of optical illusions and predict the ways light, shape, and color create the illusion.
Make the following analogies: A magic wand is like a ______because it can make things disappear. (SYN)
Construct homemade kaleidoscopes that produce unique color and light effects.
Think of the many, varied comparisons between optical illusions seen in class and those found in nature. Add to your ideas to make them better.
Draw and demonstrate “Ghost” optical illusion diagrams.
Think of many, varied single words to describe the M. C. Escher print on display. (C1)
Demonstrate the ways in which transparent colored films overlap to produce different colors.
Practice making a coin disappear by flipping away a support card.
Think of the many, varied, and unusual items you could make from a yellow pipe cleaner. Add to your ideas to make them better. (PT)
Think of many, varied single words to describe optical illusions. (C1)
Think of many, varied comparisons to magic in the form of a simile. (C3)
Practice the hole in the hand optical illusion.
Think of many, varied single words to describe optical illusions. (C1)
Give many, varied single words to describe how you might feel in a world without toys. (C2)
Create flying paper strips and identify the forces at work.
Develop a questionnaire to interview Dr. Hubner on the ways in which forces affect different flying objects.
Make many, varied predictions about the effects of a world without the flight as a means of transportation. (F)
Show your understanding of forces and flight by comparing and contrasting the flight of a bird with that of an airplane.
Use their understanding of aerodynamic forces to create and demonstrate a paper airplane.
Have a race with balloons taped to a straw to show Newton’s Laws of Motion.
Plan out the construction of a balloon powered race car for maximum speed and distance. (PL)
Think of many, varied single words to describe the feeling of flying. (C2)
Use your communication talent #5 to make a network of ideas using many, different complete thoughts in writing about the history of flight. (C5)
Perform an investigation in Dr. Hubner’s lab to examine the effects of forces and pressure.
Use straws and cups of water to simulate the air pressure forces in a spray bottle.
Use your communication talent #6 to show in a non-verbal way, the thoughts, feelings, and needs of the Wright brothers as they tried to think up a new flying machine. (C6)
Complete the analogy: What would you be like if you were a flying machine? (SYN)

Type III Possible Activities: The students will use their physics knowledge and imaginations to….

1. Construct a musical instrument from creative, yet common household materials and perform a concert for residents of a nursing home using their instruments. Students will….

1. Think of what you are going to plan so someone will know what your project is.

2. Think of all the materials and equipment you will need for your project.

3. Think of all the steps needed to complete the project and put the steps in order.

4. Think of any problems that could keep you from completing the projects.

5. Think of ways to improve your plan.

2. Create a 3-dimensional, musical map to show unique instruments from around the world. Use the map to help teach a lesson to younger children at a summer camp or Vacation Bible School.

3. Create a presentation (slide show, brochure, story board, etc.) of the ways in which athletes apply physics principles to their activities. Present this to young kids attending a summer sports camp or specialize the presentation for handicapped athletes and show at a local Special Olympics event. Students will…

1. Think of many, varied things you could do. (Alternatives)

2. Think of the varied questions to need to ask about these things you could do. (Criteria)

3. Use your answers to help you make a decision. (Weighing)

4. State your final decision. (Decision)

5. Give many, varied reasons for your decision. (Reasons)

4. Write and illustrate a creative story about an animal who becomes an award winning gymnast. Read the stories to children who are in a local hospital or at Children’s Hospital.