WWW.TEACHERASTRONAUT.COM
Center of Gravity 5E Lesson Plan Subject / Target Grade
Level:
Science/Physics Middle Grades
Florida Standards:
SC.6.P.13.2 Explore the Law of Gravity by recognizing that every
object exerts gravitational force on every other object and that
the force depends on how much mass the objects have and how far
apart they are.
SC.6.P.13.1 Investigate and describe types of forces including
contact forces and forces acting at a distance, such as electrical,
magnetic, and gravitational.
SC.6.N.1.4 Discuss, compare, and negotiate methods used, results
obtained, and explanations among groups of students conducting the
same investigation.
Materials Needed:
Modeling Clay Unsharpened Pencil Shapes Template Scissors Paper
Clips Science Journal Novelty Pencils or Pens (odd shapes)
Objectives:
Students will... Explore the concepts of balance, counterweight
and stability. Know what factors determine whether or not two
objects of different mass will be
able to balance one another and use those factors to predict
balance.
Vocabulary Terms: Gravity Center of Gravity Mass Counterweight
Stability Balance
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs:
Visual Vocabulary/Word Wall Flexible Grouping Activating and/or
Building Prior Knowledge Graphic Organizer
WWW.TEACHERASTRONAUT.COM
Engagement: The teacher will
Tell the students how all objects behave as though their mass is
concentrated at a point called center of gravity.
Explain the correlation of center of gravity with center of mass
and point of balance. (Vocabulary terms)
Tell the student the importance of finding the center of gravity
for aircraft safety. To fly an aircraft safely, it is important to
have a balanced load.
Announce the students about the Center of Gravity activity and
will present the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D5LnnHMSNg
Exploration:
The teacher will team the students in groups of 4 and each group
will receive a zip lock bag with the supplies including the Shapes
Template (Appendix A).
The teacher will hand out a Data Record Graphic Organizer
(Appendix B) to each student. Each of them will cut it and glue it
into their science journal.
The students must work as a team but will individually record
the data in their personal science journals. Each student will mark
each shape under the predict column with the area they believe the
shape will balance. Once they observe each balanced shape, they
will mark the shape under observe and will write their explanation
in their own words. Explanation:
Once the students finish the activity and record their findings,
ask the students: Why do tall things topple over? (This has to do
with stability, which is the ability of an object to maintain its
balance after being disturbed. The reason why racing cars are
designed to be very close to the ground: less risk to tip over no
matter how fast they go.) Elaboration:
The students will try to balance the novelty pens/pencils
(Appendix C) given by the teacher with one finger and will record
their observations in their science journals.
The teacher will show the students a video on how to find the
center of mass in irregular-shaped objects:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34AhmNi-uEw
What is the importance of knowing the Center of Gravity of an
object? (Learning the center of gravity of objects help engineers
to solve problems involving large (or unusually shaped) objects
such as airplanes, cars, buildings, etc.) Evaluation:
Each student must show the completed Data Record Graphic
Organizer.
