Unit Plan Part 3:

Lesson Plans (15/50 pts)

1. At the end of this unit, the students will be able to describe how pushes and pulls can
have different strengths and directions.
2. At the end of this unit, the students will be able to explain how pushes and pulls can
affect the speed or direction of an object.
3. At the end of this unit, the students will be able to analyze the effects of various
attributes of a ramp on the speed of an object.
Guiding Question: How do pushes and pulls affect the movement of objects?
Big Ideas and Scientific Principles: Pushes and pulls are forces that can act upon objects.
Pushes and pulls will move an object in the direction of the force applied. If you apply more
force to an object, it will move farther if the weight stays consistent. Heavier objects will require
more force to move than lighter objects. If you apply equal force to a moving object, the object
will stop. When an object encounters an obstacle it will either stop, change direction, or knock
the obstacle over depending on the force and weight of the object and obstacle. When two
objects that are moving collide, they will both change direction or one of them will stop.
Overall Time Estimate: 30 minutes per lesson (1 hour total for these two lessons)

Lesson Plan 1: Weight of an Object

Connection to I-AIM Section and Function:

Weight of an
object

Students will push and pull objects of various

weights and compare which is easier or harder to
move.

Experiences

Explore Ideas about Patterns

Students Explain Patterns

As a group, we will record which objects were
easy to move and which were harder, and look
for common factors among the objects.
Students will explain what factors made the
objects easier/harder to move.

Patterns

Compare Student and Scientific

Ideas
Explanations

Materials:

10 small boxes filled with gravel and pipe cleaners attached to the edge of one side

 Interactive Student Handbook (1 per child, attached to this document)

Push Pull cards (1 set for each student, attached to this document)
Introduction (10 minutes)

We will begin by explaining expectations for our large group discussion. Students should be in
learning position with their eyes on the speaker, whoever that may be. We will then ask the
whole group on the circle carpet, What do pushes and pulls do? Support the open discussion
but allow the students to come up with the responses.
Bring up this image on the smart board and ask questions like, What do you see in this picture?
What speed is the cart moving? Why do you think the boy is pushing the cart? Allow open
discussion and encourage participation by drawing name sticks. Rephrase their thoughts as
necessary.

Once discussion has come to a close, pull up an image of a still red wagon. Ask, Is this wagon
moving? How can you tell? Probe responses and begin to describe that we will be investigating
how wagons move.

 Your job today will be to determine how we can make things move and how weight can change
the way items move. We will be breaking up into groups of five for these investigations. Each
group will be at their own table (hopefully) with an adult depending on the amount of parent
volunteers we have that day. I will be looking for students who are working hard and staying
focused, this is a very exciting activity that I really think you will enjoy!

Main Teaching Activities (10 minutes)

After we have split up into our groups we will pass out materials and ask students to find a quiet
place to work in the classroom. I will go over behavior expectations and let the students know
which verbal cues I will be using to grab their attention. When that cue is given they should put
their eyes on me and turn their voices off. Once the students are settled at their tables we will get
started.
I will ask the whole class to make predictions about what will happen if they push or pull the
small boxes. They will discuss their thoughts within their groups and then share out to the class.
After a few minutes of discussing they will investigate by pushing or pulling the boxes gently.
They should talk about what is happening.
Next, I will ask the class, If you push the wagon harder, what will happen? If you pull the
wagon harder, what will happen? They will discuss predictions and then investigate. I will be
walking around the room monitoring engagement and behavior. They will record their findings
on this sheet. I will have this sheet on the document camera and read through it with the students.

 As I am stopping at each center to engage discussion, I will ask students to come up with their
own what if questions and give them time to explore and investigate their own questions about
pushing and pulling the boxes. Have students share out their questions and findings.
I will give students a 5 minute brain break and let them Walk, Talk, Drink, Think around the
classroom. This is something we do frequently in my room. While they are taking their break I
will fill some of the boxes with more gravel.
Once students are sitting back at their seats I will ask the whole group if the boxes look the same
still. Though they look the same, we are going to find out how they are different. I will ask
students to investigate how the boxes are different.
I will let students explore for a few minutes and come to their own conclusions. Once they have
done this they will share with the class. As we discuss I will ask these probing questions:
Which wagon is harder to push or pull?
Which wagon is easier to push or pull?
Why do you think one wagon is harder to push or pull than the other one?
Look inside your wagons now. What do you see?
Compare the wagons. Hold one wagon in one hand and the other wagon in the other hand.
Which wagon is heavier?
Have students share out answers and engage in a discussion about what connects pushes, pulls
and the weight of an object. What do pushes and pulls do?

Conclusion (7 minutes)

I will pass out the cut up push/pull cards to each student. If we have enough time, they will each
get a turn to draw a card and act out how the item they drew is pushed or pulled without using
words within their table (see cards on the next page)

 Students will then each get this worksheet to paste the items in their correct categories based on
whether or not they are pushed or pulled. This will be an independent assessment that will help
me further my planning.

Lesson Plan 2: Bumping

Connection to I-AIM Section and Function:

Bumping

Students will push on objects such as coins

on the table and explore what happens
when the coin hits something. They will
explore against the "wall", another object
that is the same, and a different kind of
object.
Students will record what happens in each
experience on a recording chart that is
provided. We will share this data as a class

Experience

Elicit Initial Student Ideas

Patterns

Explore Ideas about Patterns

and compare results.

Students will pair off to come up with a
reason for what they observed.
Explanations

Compare Student & Scientific

Ideas

Materials:
Chips ( per table group)
Stiff Material to create barrier (1 per group)

Paper towel tube (1 per group)

Student Text (1 per child)
Student worksheets (1 of each per child-attached at end of lesson)
Powerpoint with Picture

Introduction (5-7 minutes)

We will begin by quickly reviewing large group discussion rules. Reminding students to raise
hands, refrain from blurting and to respect others ideas and listening to everyones thoughts.
Introduce todays topic by reviewing the last Weve been talking a lot about moving and
pushing and pulling, but today were going to switch it up a little to what happens when objects
hit each other.
I will show the class a picture and ask questions to prompt discussion. These questions will
include What do you see in this picture? How will the ball move? What will happen next?
Where do the pins go? This will open discussion and I will use various talk techniques to
prompt conversation such as drawing sticks, think-pair-share and answering each others
questions. Rephrase student thoughts and ask prompting questions when necessary.

 Wrap up the discussion and introduction by moving to the exploration activity. Today, youre all
going to experiment with some bumping activities. We will be working in table groups to bump
some different objects and see what happens. Im looking for students to use materials
respectfully and safely throughout this activity!

Main Teaching Activities (15 minutes)

Students will break up into their table groups and materials will be passed out. I will review
procedure for working in small groups, such as raising hands for questions, using a voice level 1
and listening for more directions.
I will ask students to set one chip in the center of their field. Once they have all done so, I will
ask them to brainstorm what might happen if that chip were to bump the outside. Ill allow
discussion time and then ask for an answer from several students.
Ill model how to move the chip on the document camera, and then tell students Now its your
turn! Each person should take a turn bumping the chip against the wall. Youll put your finger
on the chip and push it to make it move to bounce along the wall. Make sure to watch what
happens each time and see if its the same. Once you see whats happened, draw arrows on your
first page of your packet to show what you saw. When youve finished, put your pencil down so I
know youre ready for the next step.
The students will engage in the activity while the adults in the room walk around and monitor,
asking questions and supporting students completing the activity properly and working on their
first sheet of their packet.
Once students have finished, Ill get their attention and ask for some volunteers to share what
they saw, asking questions such as What happened when the chip touched the wall? How fast
was the chip moving? How did you show the path? Once student can bring their paper to the
document camera to show how they drew the chip moving.
Next were going to use two chips to see how bouncing looks. The chips will look like this (show
chips on document camera). before you set up your chips, predict and discuss with your group
what you think will happen when the chips bump. Give a minute or two for discussion. Now lets
find out! Put your finger on one chip and push it into the other chip. Everyone will get a turn.

Once youve watched everyone push the chips, draw on your page 2 what happened when the
chips bumped.
Teachers and adults walk around and monitor activity and ask questions.
Once students have finished, Ill redirect attention and ask some questions such as What
happened when the chip bumped the other chip?What happened to the other chip? How fast did
they move? Who would like to come show how they drew both chips moving? Invite volunteer up
to the document camera to show how they drew the chips moving on page 2. Brainstorm with
your table why the chips moved in different directions? Ask for a few answers out loud.
Say Okay one more experiment. This time were going to use a tower. Set up a paper towel roll
instead of another chip. What do you think might happen? Lets find out. Put your finger on the
chip and push it towards the tower. Let everyone have a turn. Watch what happens to the chip
and draw where it moves on page 3 of your packet.
Teachers walk around to monitor and support student learning.
Get students attention back to whole group and say Okay lets talk about what we saw. What
happened to the tower if you pushed the chip hard into the tower? Did anyone push your chip
into the tower gently? What happened? What happened to the chip after it hit the tower?Who
would like to show how they drew this? Invite another volunteer up to the document camera to
show how they drew their tower.

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Conclusion (3-5 minutes)

I will ask students to clean up their tables, placing materials together and putting their packets in
a set out bin and then have a seat at the carpet.
We will then have a quick wrap up discussion. I will ask the questions What did we learn about
bumping today? What happens when objects bump? Support class discussion by rephrasing
questions and asking students supporting questions based on their answers.
Say Today we learned so much about objects bumping or colliding. When objects bump, the
push into each other which can make them change directions sometimes. It might stop
something, or make it move again. Were going to keep working on pushing and pulling and
bumping in our next few lessons as well!