Second Grade Physicists

This week the second grade students studied simple concepts of physics - force and
motion. Students began the week with an introduction to some "physics
vocabulary" (force, motion, inertia, gravity, and friction), and used
playdoh to demonstrate that force and motion can change an object.

Our second activity included a motion walk, so students could identify objects in
motion and attempt to identify the force that was causing it to move.

The activities all the pictures are from are the ramps. Students used gravity to
pull a truck up a ramp. On the first day the ramp had a smooth surface. Working
in teams, students experimented and recorded their data. Then, as a class, we
compiled all the data so the students could see that all of the numbers fell
within a very close range, and that the data was extremely consistent. The
second day with the ramps we changed the surface. The classes predicted if the
amount of force needed to pull the truck up the ramp would be more or less than
it was when the surface of the ramp was smooth. Using an identical format for
testing and data collection, the students worked in teams to experiment and
collect data. We even discussed variables in experiments, and made sure each
team had the same truck they had on the first day so the only variable would be
the surface of the ramp.

The kids were all WONDERFUL. We had such a great week, and all of the classes did a
fantastic job exploring physics!

Enjoy the pictures!