Science Investigations
The students complete several lab activities from two published physical science curriculums,
Dr. Newton's Physical Science: Matter and Motion and Invitations to Science Inquiry.

Theresa structures all the following investigations in the same way. She begins the period with a brief demonstration, usually a discrepant event, and then initiates discussion about the principle demonstrated. Students then work in groups to complete a set of short investigations. Each group receives a shoebox with the needed supplies. The period ends with brief summaries of findings from each group.

Newton's First Law of Motion: Students set-up, observe, and describe results in terms of inertia for the following four activities:

1. Money Going Nowhere--Flick a card resting on a glass from under a coin.
2. Checker Inerita--Flick a checker toward a stack of checkers.
3. Inertia Breaks a Pencil--Compare the difference when striking a pencil hanging over a table slowly and fast.
4. Egg Inertia Challenge--Compare the spin of hard and soft boiled eggs.

Newton's Second Law of Motion: Students complete two small group explorations and a homework assignment on the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration:

1. Newton's Acceleration Ramp--Construct a tabletop ramp with a grooved ruler raised on one end with a 1" block. A bar magnet is placed to one side of the low end. Compare and describe in terms of Newton's Laws, the distance and location where three balls stop rolling: a marble and a small and a large ball bearing.
2. The Earth Obeys the Laws--Spin a styrofoam ball attached to a string tied on a nail that is pushed in the halfway into a ball. Go outside and compare the path of the ball when you whirl the ball gently to when speed up the rotation and the ball leaves the string.
3. Satellites Also Obey the Laws (homework)--attach a ball rigidly to a string that is threaded through a spool. Add weights to the end of the string. Observe and explain what happens when you spin the ball slowly and stop and then repeat spinning it rapidly.

Newton's Third Law of Motion: Students carryout two investigations of action and reaction.

1. Balloon Rockets--Thread about 10m of string through a straw and tie one end to the ceiling. Have a student hold the other end of the line at the floor. Blow up a balloon, hold the air inside while taping it to the straw. Release the balloon. Repeat the activity with a horizontal string with some slope. Observe and discuss what occurs.
   
   Balloon Rocket Handout
   
   
2. Match Missles--Wrap a match in tin foil and lean it at an angle against a paper clip. Heat the wrapped match head with another lit match.Observe and discuss what occurs.

   "The balloon rockets and the match missiles are the students' favorites; they get plenty of experience with collecting data, measuring and using the formulas for speed as well as exploring Newton's Laws." --Theresa Maves

Velocity, Acceleration, and Gravity: Students complete three investigations of falling objects:

1. How Fast and How Far Does It Fall? Toss a ball as high as you can and time how long it takes to fall from the highest point. Calculate final velocity (assuming no air resistance): Velocity = g (acceleration of gravity) x time. Calculate distance it fell: Distance = g(TxT)/2
2. Falling Fun--Try to catch a ruler falling between your thumb and index finger. Record the inches. Convert inches into falling time.
3. Will Paper Fall Like Stone? Predict and compare the time it will take to drop a book, a piece of paper, and a paper resting on top of the book.
4. Falling Pennies--Flick a folded card with two pennies on it. Observe the rate of the two pennies falling in different directions.

   "The Falling investigations are the most intriguing and thought-provoking activities for the students. We had the best class discussions." --Theresa Maves