Fifth Grade

Unit 3

Force and Motion:

May the “Forces” Be With You

Writers:

Carla Billups

Michelle Ellis

Jeff Long


I. Grade Level: Fifth Grade

II: Unit Title: Force and Motion: May the “Forces” Be With You

III. Unit Length: Nine weeks

IV. Major Unit Goal/Learning Objectives:

The learner will be able to:

o  Observe and conduct investigations in measuring position over time

o  Identify forces and how they interact with motion

o  Explain the relationship of energy and motion

o  Determine what factors affect motion

o  Use proper technology tools to build and test a mechanical model

o  Identify how simple machines solve problems

V. Objective Chart

Unit Title: Force and Motion / Number of Weeks: 9
Number / Competency or Objective / RBT Tag
4.01 / Determine the motion of an object by following and measuring its position over time. / C3
4.02 / Evaluate how pushing or pulling forces can change the position and motion of an object / C5
4.03 / Explain how energy is needed to make machines move.
·  Moving air
·  Gravity / B2
4.04 / Determine that an unbalanced force is needed to move an object or change its direction. / B2
4.05 / Determine factors that affect motion including:
·  Force
·  Friction
·  Inertia
·  Momentum / B4
4.06 / Build and use a model to solve a mechanical design problem.
·  Devise a test for the model.
·  Evaluate the results of test. / C6
4.07 / Determine how people use simple machines to solve problems / C4

VI. NC English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standard 4 (2008) – for Limited English Proficient students (LEP) English Language Learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of SCIENCE.

VII. Materials and Equipment

This is a list of all the materials necessary for the activities in this unit. What you need of each item is also listed at the beginning of each lesson plan. Each lesson will have a list of materials needed for the lesson. Please read through each lesson prior to teaching and make preparation for the necessary materials.

·  Magnets

·  Various items (Some that attract and some that are neutral.) Paper Clips, marble, etc

·  Carpet samples (If you do not have a carpet area)

·  small children toy cars

·  Strips of wood to act as planks (You can get scraps at a hardware store; try to ensure that the wood is as smooth as possible.)

·  Tennis ball

·  Softball or larger form of ball

·  Measuring tape

·  2 thick textbooks

·  1 playing card

·  1 film container (find these at photo developing areas)

·  12 quarters

·  Washers 4 per group (find these at hardware store)

·  Strong yarn or string

·  Science notebook

·  Time line made from adding machine tape

·  Meter tape or meter stick

·  Paperclip

·  Stop watch or clock with a second hand (1 per group)

·  Graph paper

·  Chair

·  Sample data table (see appendix)

·  Safety goggles

·  1 track for small toy cars

·  2 solid antacid table containing sodium bicarbonate, each broken into three equal pieces

·  Water, 100 ml

·  Sand

·  Paper towels

·  Straw

·  Balloon

·  Masking tape

·  Plastic cup (12 oz. size)

·  Penny

·  Index card

·  Various toys 1 set per group:

Rattlebacks [available from www.sciencekit.com]

Poppers [available from www.orientaltradingcompany.com]

Tops

Topsy-turvy tops

Spring-up toy

Super balls

·  Chart paper

·  Markers

·  3 pieces insulation foam tubing for pipes (The real name is extruded pipe insulation. It can be found at Lowes or Home Depot. It comes in a round tube, one side is already cut, and you will have to cut it half lengthwise on the other side. This gives you two pieces, about six feet long. Your groups will need three of these cut pieces.)

·  Marble

VIII. Big Ideas

Taken from the National Standards found at http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/6d.html#ps

“By the end of fifth grade the student will be able to discuss the following:

·  The motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion, and speed. That motion can be measured and represented on a graph.

·  An object that is not being subjected to a force will continue to move at a constant speed and in a straight line.

·  If more than one force acts on an object along a straight line, then the forces will reinforce or cancel one another, depending on their direction and magnitude. Unbalanced forces will cause changes in the speed or direction of an object's motion.”

National Research Council. (1996). National science education standards. National Committee on Science Education Standards and Assessment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

IX. Unit Notes

Vital information needed by the teacher prior to teaching is discussed in the content overview, as well as embedded within each lesson.

Content Blast, showing connection (flow chart):

(Content overview is located after Global Content.)

X. Global Content

NC SCS Grade

/ 21st Century Skills / Activity
Communication Skills
LA: 2.05, 2.09,4.02
MA: 4.01, 2.01 / Conveying thought or opinions effectively / Lessons: A,B,C,E,F,H
LA: 2.05,2.09, 4.02
MA: 4.01 / When presenting information, distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information / Lessons: B,D,F
LA: 2.05, 2.08, 2.09, 4.02, 4.03
MA: 1.03, 4.01
G: 1.08, 1.04, 1.06 / Explaining a concept to others / Lessons: A,E,F,H
Interviewing others or being interviewed / Lessons:
Computer Knowledge
Using word-processing and database programs / Lessons:
Developing visual aides for presentations / Lessons:
Using a computer for communication / Lessons:
Learning new software programs / Lessons:
Employability Skills
LA 1.02, 2.02, 2.05
ESL: 3.06 / Assuming responsibility for own learning / Lessons: A,B,G,H
HL: 3.02, 10.01
LA: 1.04 / Persisting until job is completed / Lessons: A,B,G,H
LA:1.04, 2.02, 3.05 / Working independently / Lessons: B,G,H
Developing career interest/goals / Lessons: C
Responding to criticism or questions / Lessons: C,D,I
Information-retrieval Skills
Searching for information via the computer / Lessons:
Searching for print information / Lessons:
Searching for information using community members / Lessons:
Language Skills - Reading
LA: 2.05, 4.08 / Following written directions / Lessons: A,B,C,D,F,I
LA: 3.05 / Identifying cause and effect relationships / Lessons: A,B,C,D,F,I
Summarizing main points after reading / Lessons:
Locating and choosing appropriate reference materials / Lessons:
Reading for personal learning / Lessons:
Language Skill - Writing
LA: 5.01-5.08 / Using language accurately / Lessons: C,H
LA: 3.01-3.03 / Organizing and relating ideas when writing / Lessons: A,C,D
Proofing and Editing / Lessons:
Synthesizing information from several sources / Lessons:
Documenting sources / Lessons:
Developing an outline / Lessons:
LA: 2.09 / Writing to persuade or justify a position / Lessons: C,I
Creating memos, letters, other forms of correspondence / Lessons:
Teamwork
HL: 10.01-10.03
G: 7.07, 1.04 / Taking initiative / Lessons: A,C,E,F,I
HL: 10.01-10.03
G 7.07, 1.04 / Working on a team / Lessons: A,C,D,E,F,I
Thinking/Problem-Solving Skills
LA: 4.02, 4.03 / Identifying key problems or questions / Lessons: B,C,D,F,I
LA: 2.09 / Evaluating results / Lessons: A,B,D,E,F,G,I
M: 2.02 / Developing strategies to address problems / Lessons: A,B,C,D,F,I
LA: 2.2, 3.05 / Developing an action plan or timeline / Lessons: B,F,G

Force and Motion Unit Content Overview

Objects store energy as a result of their position. Stored energy is referred to as potential energy. If you think about a bow, in its usual position without an arrow, the bow has no stored energy, thus it has no potential energy. When the bow is drawn, there is stored energy, as a result of its position. This is potential energy; it is stored in the drawn bow. Gravitational potential energy is the energy stored in an object as a result of its vertical position or height. The energy is stored as the result of the gravitational attraction between the Earth and the object. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. When an object has motion, it has kinetic energy. Mechanical energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion or its stored energy of position. It can be either kinetic or potential energy.

Forces

A force is defined as a push or pull. When you write, for example, you are exerting a force on your pencil because you push or pull it across the paper.

Sometimes there are two forces acting together. If two people are pushing a table across the floor in the same direction, the two forces are added together. Adding these two forces together is called the net force. In the case of the two people pushing the table, the net force is unbalanced. When there is an unbalanced force there is a force that changes an object’s motion or causes it to accelerate. This can be shown with arrows; the wider arrow is the stronger of the forces.

Two forces can also act in opposite directions. When the forces are equal and act in opposite directions, they balance each other out. There is no net force in this case. Using the example of two people pushing on a table, if there is a person on each of the opposite ends of the table and they are both pushing on the table with an equal amount of force, they balance each other out to a zero net force. This means the table will not accelerate.

When there are separate forces that are not equal and one force is more powerful than the other, they will not balance out to zero net force. Because there is one force stronger than the other, the weaker force is not strong enough to balance the other end. They are pushing in opposite directions but one of them is pushing with a greater force. The motion will occur in the direction that the stronger force is moving. If two people are pushing on opposite ends of the table and one is pushing with more force, the table will accelerate in the direction that the person with the stronger force is moving.

Newton’s Laws of Motion

Newton’s First Law

If there is a ball in front of you that is just sitting there, it will stay there until you kick it or until another force acts on it. Why is that? It is inertia. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist any change in its motion, that means the object does not want to move or if it is moving, it wants to keep moving. Newton’s First Law of Motion is also called the Law of Inertia. This law states that an object at rest will remain at rest unless there is an unbalanced force acting on it. An object in motion will keep moving until there is an unbalanced forced acting on it.

When two people are pushing the table in the same direction, it is easier to keep it moving once it starts to move than getting the table to move initially. This is because of inertia.

Newton’s Second Law

Newton’s Second Law of Motion explains how force, mass, and acceleration are related. The law states acceleration equals force divided by mass. When something accelerates it gains speed. When someone is driving and putting their foot on the gas pedal to gain speed, they are accelerating. If two people are pushing two tables, one a very heavy table and the other a very light table, the person pushing the light table will move it across the room faster than the one with the heavier table. That is because the lighter table has less mass. Students in fifth grade do not need to work with the formula, but they need to understand the concept of the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration.

Newton’s Third Law

This law states that “for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction.” Whenever objects interact, they exert forces upon each other. This means that there is a pair of forces acting on the interacting objects. Forces always act in pairs, equal and opposite action-reaction force pairs. A bird uses its wings to fly by pushing the air down. The air reacts by pushing the bird up. The size of the force on the air equals the size of the force on the bird; the direction of the force on the air is opposite the direction of the force on the bird. This action and reaction pair makes birds fly.

Other Forces

Some surfaces, like ice, are so slick it is easy to slip and fall. Others are so rough that it is difficult to slide things across them. All surfaces have irregularities that make up textures on the surface. Some textures you can see and others cannot be seen. Friction is caused by the irregularities getting caught on one another as two surfaces rub against each other.

Friction acts as a force acting in the opposite direction of an object’s motion. Friction slows things down and can cause them to come to a stop. Friction helps us to move around as well. Without friction it would be difficult to move around on some surfaces. Friction can change its force based on the surfaces of the objects sliding together and how hard the surfaces are being pushed together. Besides slowing things down, friction also creates heat. If you rub your hands together they get warm because of friction.

When you hold something up and let go, it falls because of gravity. Gravity is the force that pulls things towards Earth. The force of gravity acts between all objects. Gravity is an unbalanced force on a falling object, so when objects are dropping in a free fall, (with no other forces acting on the object), they will accelerate at a rate of 9.8 meters per second per second. So, in theory all objects would fall at the same rate. On Earth however, when something is dropped another force, air resistance is a force that acts upon the object as well. Air resistance is an opposite force acting on the falling object. Air resistance causes an object to fall slower. Air resistance is not the same on all objects because they have different surface areas. Objects with larger surface areas have more air resistance but that doesn’t necessarily mean they fall slower, the object’s weight also plays a factor. Weight is a measure of the force of gravity on an object. When a falling object’s air resistance equals the force of gravity upon that object, the object will still fall, but will stop accelerating. This is called terminal velocity.