Question: Materials:

How do different Metal ball

Golf ball
surfaces affect the Wooden ball
bounce of balls? 5 Basketballs (1 per
group)
5 Tennis balls (1 per

group)
5 Ping pong balls (1 per Bounce It!
Students will be
group)
5 Baseballs (1 per group) 3rd Grade Science
able to 5 Soccer balls (1 per
NGSS:
group)
3-PS2-2: Make observations and/or
Make observations Carpeted floor area or 5
measurement of an objects motion
rugs
about an objects to provide evidence that a pattern
Hard floor area can be used to predict future
motion. Pillow (1 per group) motion.
Use the evidence to 5 yoga mats
Purpose:
predict patterns of 5 tape measures To prove that a pattern can be used
an objects motion. Observation Worksheet to predict future motion of an
Exit Slip object.
Apply knowledge Copies of reading
regarding the material
Oakland University
motion of an object CER Worksheet
Michaela Charfauros
in real world
Shannon Love
situations.
Rachel Neumann

Engage
Have students observe a
wooden ball, golf ball, and
a metal ball for their
similarities and differences.
Pre-assessment: Ask, If I
drop the three balls at the
same time from the same
height, which ball do you
think would bounce the
highest?
Drop the balls and have
students observe the height
of each ball.
Ask questions like, Do you
think the same thing would
happen if we bounced them
on a different surface?
Why or why not?
Explore
Expand
In groups, students will
explore various types of
balls.
Students will take turns
bouncing the balls on the
hard floor and the carpet
and record the height of
the balls bounce on the
observation sheet.
Explain
Read Forces Make Things
Move by Kimberly Brubaker
Bradley, asking questions
throughout.
Pass out reading materials
about force, kinetic
energy, and potential
energy for students to
read.
Evaluate
Students will write down
important information to
share during class
discussion.
Bring out ping pong balls and
soccer balls, along with a
yoga mat and a pillow for
students to explore.
In their groups, students will
come up with a few questions
they want to explore
regarding the different balls
and surfaces. Some examples
are, What will happen if you
bounce one ball on top of
another? Will the same pattern
continue on the yoga mat and
pillow?
In their groups, they will
explore their questions and
record their data on the
observation sheet. They will
share their explorations and
findings with the class.
Pass out an exit slip with the
following questions:
o What is one thing you
learned today?
o What connections did
you make?
o What is one question
that you still have?