In this STEM kit, children will be introduced to the scientist, Isaac Newton and the Laws of Motion. So who was Isaac Newton? He was a scientist, mathematician, and an astronomer. He was born on January 4, 1642 in England. He is considered one of the smartest people who ever lived. He was curious about the world and the universe and his discoveries paved the way for modern science and math. He developed the Three Laws of Motion, which explain how forces work to move things. In order to understand this theory we need to understand a few definitions.
1. Motion: This is what happens when something moves from one position to another.
2. Force: A force is anything that can change the state of motion of an object, like a push or a pull. In the example below, the boy is pushing a grocery cart. By doing this the cart is moving forward. So the force is the movement created when the boy pushes the cart.
Pulling is another kind of force. In the example below, the girl is pulling a wagon.
3. Acceleration: The act of speeding up movement.
4. Potential Energy: Potential energy is the stored energy an object has because of its position or state. A bicycle on top of a hill, a book held over your head, and a stretched spring all have potential energy. One type of potential energy is Gravitational potential energy. This is the stored energy in an object according to its vertical position or height.
5. Kinetic Energy: Kinetic energy is the energy an object has due to its motion. As long as an object is moving at the same velocity, it will maintain the same kinetic energy.
The First Law
The first law of motion states that an object at rest will stay at rest. An object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
Your soccer ball won’t move unless you kick it. Once it’s flying through the air, it will continue flying through the air unless it is slowed down by air resistance, gravity’s pull (it falls to the ground), or your foot or body making contact with it.
The Second Law
The second law of motion states that acceleration occurs when a force acts on mass. The greater the mass, the more force is needed to cause acceleration. The harder you kick the soccer ball, the faster it flies (accelerates). The larger the soccer ball, the harder you must kick.
The Third Law
The third law of motion states that: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When you kick your soccer ball, it goes flying. As your foot comes back down, your body feels the force of the kick. You must move to keep your balance.
Now that you ......
The Craft
Rubber Band Car
Materials:
Craft Popsicle sticks
Rubber bands
Heavy screws or bolts
Large plastic bottle caps
Wooden skewers
Straws
Hot glue gun
Scissors
Instructions:
1. Place two craft stick side by side and carefully hot glue one miniature craft stick about 1” from each end.
2. Cut two 1/2” straws and glue horizontally to the two longer craft stick ends (facing the same way as the miniature craft sticks).
3. Cut a straw piece about 2.6” long and glue horizontally to the opposite end of the 1” straws.
4. 1. Use the pointy end of a skewer to poke a hole through the center of each bottle cap.
5. 1. Cut two 3.6” skewers and place one through the straws. Place the caps onto the ends of the skewers and hot glue to secure. Cut a 1” and 1/2” skewer, glue the 1” piece to the miniature craft stick on the front of the car (the end with the long straw) like pictured.
6. Glue a heavy bolt on each long craft stick on the back of the car.
7. Glue the 1/2” on the back skewer of the car.
8. 1. Pull the rubber band and wrap the other end to the back underneath side of the 1/2” skewer and secure with glue.
Carefully pull the car back, wrapping the rubber band around the back skewer, once tightly wound, let go and watch your car go!
Credit: Little Bins, Little Hands. n.d. How To Make A Rubber Band Car. Retrieved from https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/rubber-band-car/
What we learned: Isaac Newton taught us that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When you release the balloon, the stretched rubber pushes the air out. At the same time, the air pushes back against the balloon with an equal force. Since the balloon is attached to your car, the air pushes the car forward.
In this kit you will find:
● The book Forces and Motion by Emily Kington
● Laminated Lesson plan/ Craft Instructions
● Rubberband Car Craft
o Craft Popsicle sticks
o Rubber bands
o Heavy screws or bolts
o Large plastic bottle caps
o Wooden skewers
o Straws
o Hot glue gun
o Scissors
Please return laminated directions, book, ruler, tape, and scissors within two weeks in the canvas bag.
Share your creation with me; I will put it on our Instagram page.
Happy Learning!
Ms. Debbie
Kit #1 Instructions:
Other books for kits:
Isaac Newton y la gravedad by Woolf
Isaac Newton and Gravity by Woolf
Isaac Newton and the Law of Motion by Bayarri
Push and Pull by Lindeen
● Laminated Lesson plan/ Craft Instructions
● Recycle Race Car Craft
Ruler (please return)
Short paper tube
4 bottle caps
2 straws
Wooden skewer
2 large marshmallows
Balloon
Scissors (please return)
Tape (please return)
Sources:
Biographies for kids. Ducksters. (n.d.). Retrieved September 9, 2021, from https://www.ducksters.com/biography/scientists/isaac_newton.php.
NASA. (2021, May 25). Newton's laws of motion. NASA. Retrieved September 9, 2021, from https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/newtons-laws-of-motion/.
Physics for kids. Ducksters. (n.d.). Retrieved September 9, 2021, from https://www.ducksters.com/science/laws_of_motion.php.
Wheeler-Toppen, J. (2017). Amazing cardboard tube science. Capstone Press.
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