Find It Quickly!
Find It Quickly! |
The Wind Blows Submitted by: Rebecca Schende and Melissa Patel Grade Level(s): 2 Subject(s):
Duration: 45-60 minutes Description: Students will experiment with leaves, feathers, paper, and tissue to determine which is carried farthest by the wind. They will measure the distances and compare the results. Goals: Students will understand that wind is moving air by observing moving objects. Students will be able to determine how strong the wind is blowing by the distance traveled by different objects. NSS standards: Earth Science Objectives: By experimenting with various materials, students will be able to apply their knowledge to predict the outcome of a similar situation on a prediction sheet. Materials: Procedure: Focus Phase: How do we know when air is moving? Discuss how we use our senses to determine if the air is moving. Can we see the air moving? What can we observe that tells us that the air is moving? Discuss dust particles, moving grass, flags, etc. Is it windy outside today? How do you know that? What are some common things you see being blown by the wind? Why do you think some objects move farther than others? Record on the flip chart. Show the class a piece of paper and a tissue. Have students label a folded piece of paper "Paper" and "Tissue". Have the students predict which will travel the furthest and why. Challenge Phase: Students will test their prediction by testing different materials including paper and tissue. Students will stand on a marked line in front of a fan and drop each item to see how far they will travel. In groups, students will measure the distance traveled by each material on their data sheet. They will rank which objects traveled the farthest based on the data collected. Does the size of the object matter? (It is possible that students will want to explore the effects of different wind speeds.) Do light objects behave differently than heavy objects? Does the shape of the object matter? Concept Introduction: Students will regroup and share how they ranked their objects. Record the class findings on the board (1-4). If any rankings differ, ask why that may have happened. Use refocusing questions if needed (such as: What did you notice about the different sizes? What did you notice about all the objects that ranked in the "least farthest" category or the "farthest" category?) Ask again which object traveled farther, the tissue or the paper and why. Have students record the results on their prediction sheets. Did you prove your prediction to be true? On the flip chart, list what discoveries were made about observing the wind. Concept Application: Show the class a styrofoam ball and a large marble. On the back of their prediction sheet, ask the students to predict which object will travel the farthest and why. Assessment: Students will demonstrate their understandings by:
|