Unit Plan-Gravity

Part one: Move it!

CCSS: K.MD.2 Describe and compare Key Questions: Materials:
measurable attributes. 1. What could we  5 toy cars
L.K.6. Use words and phrases acquired through do to get  5 12 inch
conversations, reading and being read to, and Newton’s car to sections of
responding to texts. move? toy-car
Objective: Children will be able to compare a. Push track
how far the car moves down a ramp using a the car  Stacks of
variety of techniques. 2. What are some books
Student-Friendly Objective: I will discover other ways we  10 plastic
what is the best way to make a car go fast and can get bingo
far on a ramp. Newton’s car to markers
move?  5 8 inch
a. Pull the square
car pieces of
b. Blow felt
air on  5 empty
it- wave plastic
a paper containers
behind
 5 plastic
it containers
c. Place it filled with
on a rocks or
ramp marbles
Vocabulary definitions: d. Pull it  19 copies
Forces: Pushes and pulls to make objects move. with a of Ride,
Gravity: A force that pulls everything to the magnet Newton,
center of the Earth. etc. Ride!
Friction: A force that occurs when two objects 3. Once Newton’s Student
rub together. car is moving, page.
how can we get
it to stop?
a. Block it
with
somethi
ng
b. Put it on
a rough
surface
4. How can we
get it to change
direction?
a. Pull it
in a
differen
t
directio
n
5. How could we
get it to speed
up?
a. Push
harder
b. Make it
go
downhil
l
6. How can we
get it to slow
down?
a. Put it on
carpet
b. Give it
a lighter
push
A. Low and High Ramps
Assessment Plan:
Students will be given a “Ride Newton, Ride!” worksheet that they will complete during their
experiment. The students will complete one part of the paper for each day of the lesson. This
will be handed into the teacher by the end of the lesson.
Anticipatory Set:
Vocabulary definitions:
Forces: Pushes and pulls to make objects move.
Gravity: A force that pulls everything to the center of the Earth.
Friction: A force that occurs when two objects rub together.

Instructions:
 Write words up on the board and one by one, ask the students to try and define these
words.
 Write their answers around the word.
 Once brainstorming session is done, provide the students with the real definition and
explain how we will use these words in the activity.
Instructions:
 Divide the students into groups of three or four, and tell them that they are going to
make Newton’s car move in various ways.
 Give each group a toy car, a 12 inch section of a toy-car track to use as a ramp, some
books to change the height of the ramp, two plastic bingo markers, a 8 inch square
piece of felt, an empty plastic container filled with rocks or marbles, and a copy of
Ride, Newton, Ride! Student page.
 Lead the students through the following activities and have them record their results on
the student page.
 Have the students push the car from the top of the ramp, observe how fast it moves,
and record how far it moves by placing a bingo marker next to where it stops.
 At the end of each activity have each group compare its results with the findings of
other groups.

Modeling: Questions to ponder: Materials:

 Stack up several books and place the 1. Were you  5 toy cars
ramp on top. surprised by  5 12 inch
 Explain to the students that we will be how far the car sections of
taking the toy car and pushing down the went? toy-car
ramp, ask them what they think will 2. How do you track
happen when I release the car. think you could  Stacks of
 Push the car down the ramp and place a make the car go books
sticker where it stops. faster and  10 plastic
 Ask the students what they think will farther, without bingo
happen if I add more books and make pushing it? markers
the ramp steeper.  20 pieces
 Repeat process and place a sticker of blank
where the car stops. printer
 Ask the students about what they saw paper
and what happened when you change  Crayons
the steepness of the ramp.
Guided Practice:
 Pass out the materials for each group of students.
  Have the students follow the teacher’s example by stacking up a few books and placing
the ramp on top.
 Tell the students to place the car on top of the ramp and push it down, then place a
sticker where the car stops.
 Ensure that all the students are following directions and count 1,2,3 and release the car.
 Tell the students to now add a few more books into the stack to make the ramp be
higher. Ask the students what they remember when the car went down the higher ramp.
Ask the students to make an inference for what they think will happen.
 Have the students release the car for the second time and place a marker where it stops.
 Ask the students if their inference was correct and what they learned from this activity.
Compare the two stickers.
 Clean up the experiment.
Independent Practice:
Pass out blank pieces of paper and crayons, have the students draw a picture of a car going
down the ramp, and explain what they saw.
Closure:
Call the students back to the mat and go over the vocabulary words again. Have the students
identify where these vocabulary words took place in the experiment today.
Extension: Differentiation:
Instructions: A is an English Language
 Allow the students to experiment with changing the Learner, so the teacher will
height of the ramp. check on him often to ensure
 Have the students compare each trial with how that he is understanding the
differing the height of the ramp changes how far and instructions and have him
fast the car goes. work in a group that can
 Ask students the question: How did changing the explain the directions to him
height of the ramp affect the distance and speed that again if he needs it. There
Newton traveled? will also be printed pictures
showing what A should be
doing in his group for
reference.
Transition: Reflection:
Thank the students for all of their hard work today and explain
that Mrs. Morrison is going to explain the next activity.
B.Changing the Surface
Assessment Plan:
Students will be given a “Ride Newton, Ride!” worksheet that they will complete during their
experiment. The students will complete one part of the paper for each day of the lesson. This
will be handed into the teacher by the end of the lesson.
Anticipatory Set:
Vocabulary definitions:
Forces: Pushes and pulls to make objects move.
Gravity: A force that pulls everything to the center of the Earth.
Friction: A force that occurs when two objects rub together.

Instructions:
  Review vocabulary words.
Instructions:
 Divide the students into groups of three or four, and tell them that they are going to see
if they can alter the speed of Newton’s car.
 Give each group a toy car, a 12 inch section of a toy-car track to use as a ramp, two
plastic bingo markers, a 8 inch square piece of felt, and a copy of Ride, Newton, Ride!
Student page.
 Lead the students through the following activities and have them record their results on
the student page.
 Have the students push the car from the top of the ramp and place the piece of felt at
the bottom of the ramp to observe how fast it moves, and record how far it moves by
placing a bingo marker next to where it stops. Next, have the students place a smooth
surface at the end of the ramp and repeat same trial.
 At the end of each activity have each group compare its results with the findings of
other groups.

Modeling: Questions to Ponder: Materials:

 Stack up several books and place the 1. Did the surface  5 toy cars
ramp on top. make a  5 12 inch
 Place a piece of felt at the bottom of the difference in sections of
track. how fast and toy-car
 Explain to the students that we will be far Newton track
taking the toy car and pushing down the traveled?  Stacks of
ramp, ask them what they think will books
happen when I release the car with the  10 plastic
piece of felt at the bottom. bingo
 Push the car down the ramp and place a markers
sticker where it stops.  5 8 inch
 Review what happened and now take square
away the felt, ask the students if they pieces of
think the car will go farther without the felt
felt in the way.
 Repeat process and place a sticker
where the car stops.
 Ask the students about what they saw
and what happened when you change
the felt at the bottom.
Guided Practice:
 Pass out the materials for each group of students.
 Have the students follow the teacher’s example by stacking up a few books and placing
the ramp on top.
 Have students place piece of felt at the bottom.
 Tell the students to place the car on top of the ramp and push it down, then place a
sticker where the car stops.
 Ensure that all the students are following directions and count 1,2,3 and release the car.
  Tell the students to now take away the felt. Ask the students to make an inference for
what they think will happen to the car.
 Have the students release the car for the second time and place a marker where it stops.
 Ask the students if their inference was correct and what they learned from this activity.
Compare the two stickers.
 Clean up the experiment.
Independent Practice:
Have students find other objects around the room that can slow down or accelerate the speed
of the car going down the ramp. Have students explain how the car reacts to each object.
Closure:
Call the students back to the mat and go over the vocabulary words again. Have the students
identify where these vocabulary words took place in the experiment today.
Extension: Differentiation:
Introduce book Move It! By Adrienne Mason A is an English Language
Instructions: Learner, so the teacher will
1. Pass out the Move It! Student Page. Have students cut check on him often to ensure
out vocabulary words. that he is understanding the
2. Students will listen to book being read and it will cover instructions and have him
the vocabulary words. work in a group that can
3. At the end review the vocabulary words and worksheet explain the directions to him
with students, students should glue words to correct again if he needs it. There
definitions. will also be printed pictures
Materials: showing what A should be
 Move It! By Adrienne Mason doing in his group for
 Move It! Student Page. reference.
Glue Sponges
Transition: Reflection:
Thank the students for all of their hard work today and explain
that Mrs. Morrison is going to explain the next activity.
C.Light Weight Versus Heavy Weight
Assessment Plan:
Students will be given a “Ride Newton, Ride!” worksheet that they will complete during their
experiment. The students will complete one part of the paper for each day of the lesson. This
will be handed into the teacher by the end of the lesson.
Anticipatory Set:
The teacher will briefly go over the key vocabulary words (friction, gravity and forces) to
check and see if children still remember the definitions. The teacher will then introduce a
video about gravity that the children can sing along to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET47OtuZZkQ

Instructions:
 Divide the students into groups of three or four, and tell them that they are going to see
if they can alter the speed of Newton’s car.
 Give each group a toy car, a 12 inch section of a toy-car track to use as a ramp, two
plastic bingo markers, an empty plastic container, an identical plastic container filled
with rocks or marbles and a copy of Ride, Newton, Ride! Student page.
  Lead the students through the following activities and have them record their results on
the student page.
 Have the students hold the containers in their hands so they can feel that one is much
heavier than the other.
 Have each group place the empty container at the end of the ramp, then release the car
from the top of the ramp and see how far the container moves.
 Have students place the heavier container at the end of the ramp and repeat the same
trial. Have them mark how far the heavier container moves.
 At the end of each activity have each group compare its results with the findings of
other groups.
Modeling: Questions to Ponder: Materials:
 Stack up several books and place the 1. Did the  5 toy cars
ramp on top. container  5 12 inch
 Ask a student to volunteer and come up. move? sections of
Ask them to try and lift the empty 2. What made it toy-car
container vs. the heavy container. Ask move? track
the difference. 3. What do you  Stacks of
 Place an empty container at the bottom think will books
of the ramp. happen when  10 plastic
 Explain to the students that we will be we do the same bingo
taking the toy car and pushing down the thing but markers
ramp, ask them what they think will replace the  5 empty
happen when I release the car. lighter plastic
 Push the car down the ramp and place a container with containers
sticker where it stops. the heavier  5 plastic
 Ask the students what they think will container? containers
happen if I place the heavier container 4. Which tub filled with
at the bottom instead. needed the rocks or
most force to
 Repeat process and place a sticker marbles
move?
where the car stops.  19 copies
5. What is in it?
 Ask the students about what they saw of Ride,
6. Which needed
and what happened when you change Newton,
the least force
the container at the bottom. Ride!
to move? Student
page.

Guided Practice:
 Pass out the materials for each group of students.
 Have the students follow the teacher’s example by stacking up a few books and placing
the ramp on top.
 Have students place empty container at the bottom.
 Tell the students to place the car on top of the ramp and push it down, then place a
sticker where the car stops.
 Ensure that all the students are following directions and count 1,2,3 and release the car.
  Tell the students to now replace the container with the heavier one. Ask the students to
make an inference for what they think will happen to the car.
 Have the students release the car for the second time and place a marker where it stops.
 Ask the students if their inference was correct and what they learned from this activity.
Compare the two stickers.
 Clean up the experiment.
Independent Practice:
Provide each table group with Tupperware full of rocks, coins, cotton balls and paper clips.
Have the students take turns in their table group pushing these items across their desk. Have
the students look at the Tupperware containers and answer the questions:
 Which tub needed the most force to move?
 What is in it?
 Which needed the least force to move?
 What is in it?
Closure:
Call the students back to the mat and go over the vocabulary words again. Have the students
identify where these vocabulary words took place in the experiment today.
Extension: Differentiation:
Read book: Newton and Me by Lynne Mayer A is an English Language
Ask questions: Learner, so the teacher will
1. How does page 6 relate to what we learned with check on him often to ensure
movement on different types of surfaces? that he is understanding the
2. How does page 11 relate to what we learned about how instructions and have him
height affects how fast and far the car went? work in a group that can
explain the directions to him
again if he needs it. There
will also be printed pictures
showing what A should be
doing in his group for
reference.
Transition: Reflection:
Thank the students for all of their hard work today and explain
that Mrs. Morrison is going to explain the next activity.
Part two: Roller Coasters
CCSS: K.MD.1 Describe and compare Key Questions: Materials:
measurable attributes. 1. What do you  6 ft. length
L.K.6. Use words and phrases acquired through think the cup is of foam
conversations, reading and being read to, and for? insulation
responding to texts. a. To to fit a 1
Objective: Students will be able to construct catch inch pipe
rollercoasters and understand how the forces of the ball (split
gravity affect it. or to lengthwise
Student-Friendly Objective: stop the ) with a
I will be able to build a rollercoaster and ball plastic 20
explain how it works. from oz. cup
rolling taped to
away. the end
2. Can you make  Ball
the ball roll (foosball or
from one end large
of the track and marble)
stop in the cup?  Penny
3. Can you make  Key
the ball roll  Notebook
Vocabulary definitions: faster? paper
Forces: Pushes and pulls to make objects move. a. Raise  Book
one end
Gravity: A force that pulls everything to the  Dry sponge
much
center of the Earth.  Bar of soap
higher
Friction: A force that occurs when two objects  Heavy
rub together. than the
shoe
other.
4. Can you make  Lightweigh
the ball roll t shoe
slower?  2 identical
a. Raising rubber
one end bands
slightly  My
higher Rollercoast
than the er handout
other.  Crayons
5. Can you make  Dropping
the ball go over races
a hill on your student
rollercoaster? page
a. Bend  Falling
the objects
middle quiz
up.
6. Did the ball fall
off? What
 made it fall off
the
rollercoaster?
7. What causes
the ball to go
down the track?
a. Gravity

A. Rollercoaster Design
Assessment Plan:
Students will be given the Falling Objects quiz on the last day of this unit to assess their
knowledge of gravity throughout this unit.
Anticipatory Set:
Read the book Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee.
Instructions:
 Ask students prep questions: Have you ever been on a rollercoaster? What was it like?
 Read the book
 Ask the questions on page 27:
o How would you feel if you were on this rollercoaster?
o What do you think your face would look like if you were riding this
rollercoaster?
Instructions:
 Place students in groups of 3-4.
 Pass out the materials to each group.
 Have two students hold up the pipe piece of the rollercoaster and one student roll the
ball down the rollercoaster.
 Have students make inferences on what will happen to the ball when it goes down the
rollercoaster.
 Have students try and create hills and loops with the rollercoaster to experiment with
gravity.
 Clean up the experiment.
Modeling: Questions to ponder: Materials:
 Hold up a piece of foam pipe insulation 1. What do you  6 ft. length
with a plastic cup taped to one end. Tell think the cup is of foam
them this will be the track. for? insulation
 Show students a ball and tell them that a. To to fit a 1
this will be the rollercoaster car. catch inch pipe
 Caution students not to throw the ball or the ball (split
push it down the track, they should or to lengthwise
simply release the ball and let it roll. stop the ) with a
 Model rolling the ball down the ball plastic 20
rollercoaster. from oz. cup
rolling taped to
away. the end
2. Can you make  Ball
the ball roll (foosball or
from one end large
of the track and marble)
stop in the cup?  My
3. Can you make Rollercoast
the ball roll er handout
faster?  Crayons
a. Raise
one end
much
higher
than the
other.
4. Can you make
the ball roll
slower?
a. Raising
one end
slightly
higher
than the
other.
5. Can you make
the ball go over
a hill on your
rollercoaster?
a. Bend
the
middle
up.
6. Did the ball fall
off? What
made it fall off
 the
rollercoaster?
7. What causes
the ball to go
down the track?
8. Gravity

Guided Practice:
 Pass out the materials for each group of students.
 Have the students follow the teacher’s example by having two students holding up the
pipe rollercoaster and have one student roll the ball.
 Ensure that all the students are following directions and count 1,2,3 and release the
ball.
 Have the students explain what they saw.
 Ask the students how they can make the ball go faster? Have students make inferences.
 Have the students release the ball for the second time to try and make the ball go faster.
 Ask the students if their inference was correct. Repeat trials for making ball go
slower/over a hill.
 Ask students what they learned from this activity.
 Clean up the experiment.
Independent Practice:
Students will be given the My Roller Coaster page. Students will be asked to draw a
rollercoaster using what they learned from making their own model rollercoasters. They can
make as many hills and loops on their rollercoaster as they wish, as long as it is still realistic.
Closure:
Have the students clean up and come back to the mat. Ask them about their experience today
and the rollercoasters they created. Ask the questions:
 What do you need at the beginning of the ride to get the rollercoaster moving fast?
o A high hill
 Can a second hill be higher than the first hill?
o No
 Where on the track does your rollercoaster car move the fastest?
o The bottom of the hills
 Where on the track does your rollercoaster car move the slowest?
o Going up the hills
Extension: Differentiation:
Instructions: A is an English Language
 Pass out printer paper and crayons to each of the Learner, so the teacher will
students and have them draw a picture of what their check on him often to ensure
face would look like on a rollercoaster. Have them that he is understanding the
share with the class. instructions and have him
work in a group that can
explain the directions to him
again if he needs it. There
 will also be printed pictures
showing what A should be
doing in his group for
reference.
Transition: Reflection:
Thank the students for all of their hard work today and explain
that Mrs. Morrison is going to explain the next activity.
B.Dropping Races
Assessment Plan:
Students will be given the Falling Objects quiz on the last day of this unit to assess their
knowledge of gravity throughout this unit.
Anticipatory Set:
Read the book I Fall Down by Vicki Cobb.
Instructions:
 Ask students prep questions: (Look at title and picture) What do you think this book is
about? What’s the name of the force that is always pulling things down? (gravity)
 Read the book (read pages 1-17) explain that we will read the rest next time.
Instructions:
 Explain to students that there is a force that pulls everything toward the ground. On
Earth, it is impossible to escape the pull of this force. It affects everything we do every
day of our lives. In the case of the model rollercoasters, the force pulled the ball back
to the ground.
 Explain to the students that we will read the book, I Fall Down by Vicki Cobb to
explain this more.
 After reading the book, hold a penny and a key in each hand and ask the students what
will happen when you open your hand.
 Pass out tennis balls, marbles, paper clips, pennies and books to students.
 Have students experiment with dropping races to see which object hits ground first
when both are released at same time.
Modeling: Questions to Ponder: Materials:
 Hold a penny and a key in each hand 1. What’s the  Penny
and ask students what will happen when name of the  Key
you open your hand. force that is  I Fall
 Ask students to watch closely and see always pulling Down by
which object hits the ground first. things down? Vicki
 Open hands and have key and penny (gravity) Cobb.
drop to the ground. 2. (Holding penny  Tennis
and key in one balls
hand) What  Marbles
will happen if I  Paper clips
open my hand?
 Pennies
a. The
 Books
penny
 Dropping
and key
races
will fall
 3. What causes student
them to fall? page
a. Gravity
pulls
them
down
4. Which one will
hit the ground
first?
Guided Practice:
 Students will be placed in their table groups of 3-4
 Pass out all of the supplies and the dropping races student page.
 Teacher will explain to students that they will be practicing dropping objects and
seeing if when we release these objects, they will hit the ground at the same time.
 Students will perform with the teacher, dropping the objects at the same time and
observing if they hit the ground at the same time.
 Students should discover that the result of all the races is in a tie.
 Refer back to pages 16 and 17 that heavy objects fall at the same rate as lighter objects.
 Explain that even a feather can fall as fast as a bowling ball but sometimes the air is
fighting the feather and causes it to fall slower.
 Explain that we will test that next time.
 Clean up experiment
Independent Practice:
Have students try and find four other objects in the classroom that they can have dropping
races with and test the theory that they will result in a tie.
Closure:
Call the students back to the mat and review what we learned today. Ask students what they
saw happen to the objects we dropped, and why they both hit the ground at the same time.
Review gravity.
Extension: Differentiation:
Ask students where gravity is not applied (space). Have A is an English Language
students draw pictures of astronauts and space, and what they Learner, so the teacher will
think it looks like. check on him often to ensure
that he is understanding the
instructions and have him
work in a group that can
explain the directions to him
again if he needs it. There
will also be printed pictures
showing what A should be
doing in his group for
reference.
Transition: Reflection:
Thank the students for all of their hard work today and explain
that Mrs. Morrison is going to explain the next activity.
C.Falling Objects
Assessment Plan:
Falling Objects Quiz
The falling objects quiz will be given to the students. The answers are:
1. C
2. B
3. B
4. B
5. A
6. B

Anticipatory Set:
Read the book I Fall Down by Vicki Cobb.
Instructions:
 Ask students prep questions: (Look at title and picture) What do you remember from
last class? What did we do? (gravity)
 Finish reading the book
Instructions:
 Finish reading the I Fall Down book and ask students what they learned from the
astronauts and the videos we watched.
 Drop a piece of paper and a book at the same time to show how air resistance can
affect the rate of which items fall down.
 Show students the videos of a bowling ball and a feather falling at the same rate.
 Break students into groups and have them test out which object hits their hand harder, a
dry sponge or bar of soap.
Modeling: Questions to Ponder: Materials:
 Review with students the concept of 1. What do you  Falling
objects falling at the same rate, even if think would Objects
they are different sizes and weights. happen if I put Quiz
 Take a book and a piece of paper, and the paper on  Book
drop them at the same time from the top of the book  Paper
same height. Students will observe that and dropped  Soap
the paper falls more slowly. Explain them together  Sponge
that because the paper is lighter and so that the book  Heavy
more spread out, air “fights” against pushes the air shoe, light
gravity. out of the way? shoe
 Ask: What do you think would happen 2. What would
 Rubber
if I put the paper on top of the book and happen if we
bands
dropped them together so that the book took away the
pushes the air out of the way? air? Like in
 Have students make predictions. space?
 Place the paper on top of the book and 3. Which hits
drop them together. The book and paper harder, the
land together, because the book is sponge or
“fighting” the air, not the paper. soap? Why?
  Explain to the students that we will a. Soap
watch a video showing what happens if (heavier
we took away the air resistance. )
Bowling ball vs feathers video: 4. Which shoe is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74MUjUj heavier?
7bp8 a. The one
Explanation: that
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyeF- stretche
_QPSbk s the
rubber
band
the
longest.
5. How much
would you
weigh without
gravity?
a. Nothing
Guided Practice:
 Pass out the materials (heavy shoe, light shoe, rubber bands, soap and sponge)
 Have students work with their partner and have one student drop the soap into their
partner’s hand.
 Now repeat the experiment with the sponge.
 Ask students to explain the differences between the two.
 Which hits harder, the soap or the sponge? Why?
 Have students test out which shoe is heaviest. Students should see that when they
release the shoe, the heavier one should pull on the rubber band more than the lighter
one. Ask students:
 Which shoe is heavier?
o The one that stretches the rubber band the longest.
 How much would you weigh without gravity?
o Nothing
 Have students clean up the experiment.
Independent Practice:
Have students complete the Falling Objects Quiz. Turn into teacher when completed.
Closure:
Have students return to mat and explain everything they learned over this unit. Go over
vocabulary one last time.
Extension: Differentiation:
Have students brainstorm answers to questions: A is an English Language
1. Which rolls faster, a heavier ball or a lighter ball? Learner, so the teacher will
2. Which surface lets a ball roll fastest? check on him often to ensure
3. Which falls faster, a feather or a sheet of paper? that he is understanding the
4. How can you slow the fall of an object? instructions and have him
work in a group that can
explain the directions to him
 again if he needs it. There
will also be printed pictures
showing what A should be
doing in his group for
reference.
Transition: Reflection:
Thank the students for all of their hard work today and explain
that Mrs. Morrison is going to explain the next activity.