Push and Pull

Push and Pull

Introduction to physics: Children are exploring how things move in the world around them. They will investigate how they can change the speed and direction of objects by exerting more or less strength.

Objective: Children will investigate different forces, push versus pull, by thinking about how they can make an object move. 

Objective: Using soda bottles and a ball, children will discover that when objects collide they push on one another and can change motion.

Objective: Children will experiment with changing the speed (using different strengths) and direction of an object by pushing or pulling it.

Objective: Constructing a ramp, children will explore how they can increase the speed and distance of a matchbox car.

Objective: Examining real world objects, children will sort objects into groups (push, pull, or both) using a Venn diagram.

Introduction (Whole Group):

First, connect motion to what the children already know. Ask them, How do we move? Have children raise their hand and demonstrate. Next, drop a stuffed animal on the ground. Ask students, How can I make the stuffed animal move? They will think about their past experiences with moving objects to derive an answer. Then, explain that a push and a pull are both forces. Force makes an object move or stop moving. When we push something, we are moving it away from us. When we pull something, we are moving it closer to us. [Act out motions: push = palms out, push away from body and pull = two fists on top of each other, pull toward body with students]. Brainstorm: Create a T-chart, write down objects that can be pushed or pulled (objects at home, in the classroom, on the playground).

Small Group Instruction (Stations): 

PUSH: Soda Bottle Bowling: Children experiment with pushing a ball hard and soft to knock over soda bottles. They can compare a big push to a small push. What kind of push made the ball move the fastest? They will see how when objects collide (ball and soda bottle) they push on one another and can change motion.

PULL: Chair Pulley: Loop a light weight rope around the back of two chairs. Hang a small basket within the loop to send back and forth by pulling. They will experiment with pulling the rope hard and soft. What kind of pull moved the basket the farthest?

PUSH: Ramps and Matchbox Cars: Children create ramps using flat, rectangular wooden blocks and duplo legos. They will investigate how the height of a ramp can change how fast and far their matchbox car can go. They will also compare the distance and speed of the car on the ramp to using no ramp.

PUSH / PULL: Sort: Put out a paper bag consisting of various real world objects. Children collaborate and sort the objects using a Venn diagram (hula hoops). Children distinguish the objects putting them into groups: push, pull, or both.

PUSH / PULL / MOTION: Computer Games: Children play games to reinforce push, pull, and motion. 

Push: Piggy Push from Cool Math Games

Pull: Hook the Fish from Cookie

Motion: Josie Jump's Dance-athon from BBC

Reinforcement / Closure (Return to Whole Group):

Watch a video to reinforce pushes and pulls.

For further reinforcement, the next day, have children go on a scavenger hunt and try to find things around the classroom that they can push and pull.

Assessment

Rubric

Water Wheels

Integrate math (measuring), science / engineering (simple machines, force/motion, renewable energy), art (design), and history by constructing a water wheel! 

Wired - Can you construct a water wheel that can lift a small load?
Science Buddies - "Put Your Water to Work," exploring Hydropower!
Meet the Greens - Kids go green (water wheel featured bottom right)
History - water wheel / Types - get kids inspired (design) / Physics - water wheel

mini Pulley

materials:

empty thread spool

string

2 cups

pencil

tape

Kids construct a miniature pulley and discover how wheels can help reduce friction! Students keep one cup on the ground and have the other cup suspended in the air (both attached to the pulley). They place 20 pennies in the cup on the ground. Then, they place a few pennies at a time into the other cup. How many pennies are needed to raise the cup off the ground?

Then, they remove the thread spool. They place the string connecting the cups over the pencil. They do the same experiment above (20 pennies to one cup and add a few at a time to the other). How many pennies are needed to lift the cup off the ground?

 Kids "compare the number of pennies needed to raise the cup with and without the rotating spool." Visit Education.com for more details (experiment called SHOWTIME from Janice VanCleave's book Machines for kids)!

Construction:

tape two 6 inch pieces of string to a table

insert a pencil into an empty thread spool

attach the pencil to the hanging string

cut a long piece of string (depends on height of table) and attach to both cups

Kid Lever

Construct a lever that can be used as a balancing scale or a catapult!

materials:
4 plastic cups
ruler
straw
sturdy stick (could use a chopstick)
tape

1. Insert stick inside of straw
2. Tape straw to center of the ruler (back)
3. Tape ends of stick to bottom of 2 of your cups
4. (for balancing scale): tape the bottom of the other 2 cups to the the top of the ruler
PLAY!

You can compare objects' weight or catapult something! Check the experiment out over at Jameson's Lab!

Ramps, Angles, and Measuring

Integrate math and science by constructing ramps! Kids use blocks (or other materials on hand) to construct their ramps. Make sure all ramps are made with the same materials for accurate results. You will need to secure your ramps with duct tape.

Kids investigate how different angles can affect speed and distance of a ball!

Before you test out your ramps, have kids make a prediction. Which ramp do they think will make the ball go the farthest and the fastest? If you're working with older kids have them measure the angle of each of their ramps. Younger kids can compare their ramps by the number of blocks holding it up (example above: 5 blocks vs. 3). 

Have kids measure the distance produced by each ramp (standard or nonstandard - depending on age group). Which ramp helped the ball travel the farthest distance? Time the ball going down each ramp. Which ramp made the ball go the fastest? 

Swingers

Explore forces and motion by creating a simple machine to demonstrate energy transfer! This experiment comes from the Young Engineers' Club. Kids create two pendulums using string, modeling clay, and two chairs. Once they set up their pendulums, they experiment with energy transfer. One child holds one of the clay pendulums still, while another releases the other pendulum. When one pendulum is in swinging motion, the child releases the one next to it. What happens?! - kids will see that the pendulums will start swinging together! Energy from the first pendulum is transferred to the second one (through the string)! Visit the Young Engineers' Club for this experiment and more simple machine activities!

For another experiment that demonstrates energy transfer, check out BOUNCE!

Friction!

Featured Above:
Bottled Rice Experiment with a Pencil - Jameson's Lab
Tin Can, Marbles, and Clay - Thinking Fountain
Genie in a Bottle - Steve Spangler
Sandpaper Ramps - Lights, Camera, Learn!
Climbing Man - Science Toy Maker or Housing a Forest
Phone Book Friction + Floating Paper Air Friction, Salt / Marble Trick, Sticks, and MORE! - Cocopreme

Slingshots and Catapults

Demonstrate projectile motion, exertion, force, velocity, potential / kinetic energy, and angles with slingshots and catapults! How much force is needed to project objects of different weights? What angle will fly your object the farthest? 

As a class, or an individual homework project, have kids design a catapult or slingshot. Experiment using different amounts of force. What angle creates the best launch? Try launching objects of different weights. Did heavier objects need more force and require more energy? Measure the distance of the objects you launch!

Featured above with how to instructions:

Slingshots
Hand Held Classic Slingshot - The Risky Kids. You can also make a pvc pipe hand held slingshot, click here for instructions!
Chair Slingshot - Kitchen Pantry Scientist
Pyramid Slingshot - Visit DIY Life
Construct an oversized slingshot for water balloons, balls, toys or anything else you'd like to launch! Visit Instructables, click here and here for two different designs! You can also purchase one from SSWW (featured above).
Indoor Slingshot - Design Squad Nation

Catapults
Ping Pong Ball Scoop Catapult, as well as a wide assortment of designs, click here! 
Popsicle Stick Bottle Cap Catapult - Do It and How
Tissue Box Pencil - Disney Family Fun

There are tons of different designs for slingshots and catapults! You can use different components from various designs to create your very own unique launcher!

Playground Science

Photo Credit: Gabriel Pollard - swing / teeter totter

The playground is a fantastic place to conduct physical science experiments. Bring the kids out to explore levers / balance, pendulums / force, ramps / friction, and simple pulleys!

Teeter Totter
1. Balance - Have a bigger kid sit on one end and a smaller on the other. The obvious will happen of course! The side holding more weight will bring the lighter side up. Now, have the larger kid scoot towards the center of the teeter totter away from the seat. What happened? By changing the placement of weight on the lever, the teeter totter will begin to balance the two weights. Have two kids sit on one side and one on the opposite. Using your science skills you gained from the above experiment, try to balance out the teeter totter to make it equal. 

Swing
1. Force and Frequency - Give a student one small push on a swing and tell them not to pump. Count how many times the swing moves back and forth within one minute. Next, give a student one gigantic push (no pumping) and record the same data. Then, have a student pump their legs with no push and count. Compare your findings. Does a small or large push without pumping produce better results than using your legs to pump? Which way produced the largest number for the amount of times the swing went back and forth in one minute? via ehow

2. Twist a swing and let it fly. Time how long the swing takes to untwist. Then, have a kid sit on a a twisted swing. Have the child extend their arms and legs outward when you let go. You'll notice that the swing's speed will slow down. By pulling weight away from your body, you're slowing down the swing. Next, try tucking all the weight inward during a spin. Did you go much faster?

3. Body Position - Try sitting, standing, and squatting on a swing during a swinging cycle. How does this affect amplitude? Visit Odec to find out! 

Slide

1. Friction - Test different toys out down a slide. What moves the fastest. Now, try splashing water on the slide. Does water increase speed? Try laying down different textures on the slide (smooth surface vs. rough) and talk about friction. Check out this awesome pdf all about ramps from Peep and the Big Wide World!

Monkey Bars or Tree

1. Create a simple rope pulley! Click here to find out how! Check out this cute video from Play Time is Essential!

Pendulum Block Play

Combine architecture and science with a pendulum in the block area! via Paris Bourke

Pendulum Painting

via design verb

Mix science with art and create a pendulum painting! Make a pvc table frame or suspend from a tree outside. Then, link a plastic cup (with a hole punched in the bottom) to your frame to swing. 

Science: "A gravity pendulum is a weight on the end of a rigid or flexible line or rod, which, when given some initial lift from the vertical position, will swing back and forth under the influence of gravity over its central (lowest) point. The movement of an ideal pendulum can be described mathematically as simple harmonic motion." via Encyclopedia Kids