Standard 5, Objective 3

Utah Core, 3rd Grade Science

Standard 5, Objective 3 
Demonstrate that heat may be produced when objects are rubbed against one another.

1. Identify several examples of how rubbing one object against another produces heat. 
2. Compare relative differences in the amount of heat given off or force required to move an object over lubricated/non-lubricated surfaces and smooth/rough surfaces (e.g., waterslide with and without water, hands rubbing together with and without lotion). 

Demonstration:

Use the following video to introduce the ideas of friction and heat.

http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/sos/frictionheat.jsp

Activity:

Have all students rub their hands together very fast for 30 seconds. Invite students to share their observations of what they felt. Give every student a small squirt of lotion and repeat the experiment. Discuss the difference and teach the class about lubrication.

Essential Questions:

1. Think about what you know about simple machines. Which of them might produce friction?

2. What are some things you do each day that create friction?

Standard 5, Objective 1

Utah Core, 3rd Grade Science

Standard 5, Objective 1 
Provide evidence showing that the sun is the source of heat and light for Earth.

1. Compare temperatures in sunny and shady places. 
2. Observe and report how sunlight affects plant growth. 
3. Provide examples of how sunlight affects people and animals by providing heat and light. 
4. Identify and discuss as a class some misconceptions about heat sources (e.g., clothes do not produce heat, ice cubes do not give off cold). 

Demonstration:

After discussing sources of heat and light, ask kids to identify sources of light in our room. Answers include the lights, the doc cam, and the skylights. Show the kids that I have a switch to open and close the skylights. Have them predict what will happen as I hold down the switch. Demonstrate that the more open the skylight is, the more of the sun's light comes into our otherwise dark room.

Activity:

Place a pot of soil and a pot of water in a sunny spot outside. Place another two pots in a shady spot. Measure the soil and water in each spot. Make predictions about what will change in the temperatures when we return several hours later. Return and record observations.

Essential Questions:

1. What are all the primary heat and light sources in your home?

2. What are some previous misconceptions you had about heat sources? How did you correct them?

Standard 4, Objective 2

Utah Core, 3rd Grade Science

Standard 4, Objective 2 
Describe the effects of gravity on the motion of an object.

1. Compare how the motion of an object rolling up or down a hill changes with the incline of the hill. 
2. Observe, record, and compare the effect of gravity on several objects in motion (e.g., a thrown ball and a dropped ball falling to Earth). 
3. Pose questions about gravity and forces. 

Demonstration:

Watch the following Bill Nye clip which demonstrates the effects of gravity on several different objects. Discuss the similarities and differences between what happened with each object he threw off the building.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsIBz40PcQ8

Activity:

Instruct students to write three questions they have about gravity and forces on slips of paper. Place them in a box and draw questions to discuss with the class. Search for answers online for the questions we cannot answer.

Essential Questions:

1. How does the shape and size of an object affect the way it falls?

2. What do you think would happen if we placed a ball on a steep hill vs. a hill that is not steep? Explain why you think so.

Standard 4, Objective 1

Utah Core, 3rd Grade 

Standard 4, Objective 1 
Demonstrate that gravity is a force.

1. Demonstrate that a force is required to overcome gravity. 
2. Use measurement to demonstrate that heavier objects require more force than lighter ones to overcome gravity.

Demonstration:

Use the following video to explain how a force is needed (the table) to overcome gravity (pulling on the rock.) Discuss what might have happened if we had tried to use a kleenex to hold up the rock, instead of the table.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEs9J2IQIZY

Activity:

Bring in several objects of various weights. For example, you might have a penny, a large rock, a bag of flour, a dictionary, etc. Call kids up to the front to lift each of them in turn. Rank the objects in order of how much force we needed to apply on them to overcome gravity.

Essential Questions:

1. Why would you be unable to lift an elephant by yourself?

2. What are some things you do every day that overcome gravity?

Standard 3, Objective 2

Utah Core, 3rd Grade Science

Standard 3, Objective 2 
Demonstrate that the greater the force applied to an object, the greater the change in speed or direction of the object.

1. Predict and observe what happens when a force is applied to an object (e.g., wind, flowing water). 
2. Compare and chart the relative effects of a force of the same strength on objects of different weight (e.g., the breeze from a fan will move a piece of paper but may not move a piece of cardboard). 
3. Compare the relative effects of forces of different strengths on an object (e.g., strong wind affects an object differently than a breeze). 
4. Conduct a simple investigation to show what happens when objects of various weights collide with one another (e.g., marbles, balls). 
5. Show how these concepts apply to various activities (e.g., batting a ball, kicking a ball, hitting a golf ball with a golf club) in terms of force, motion, speed, direction, and distance (e.g. slow, fast, hit hard, hit soft). 

Demonstration:

Use the following video to introduce the idea of forces being balanced and unbalanced, and pulling in different directions.

http://www.visuallearningsys.com/subscription/middle_school/force_and_newtons_laws/content_clips/direction_of_forces

Activity:

Put kids in groups for the following experiment. Inflate two latex balloons to the same size. Place them side by side on the floor. Have one student blow as hard as he can on one balloon. Note how far it moves with a piece of tape on the floor. Then place a strong fan behind the other balloon and indicate how far it moves. Discuss how a stronger force applied results in a greater effect on the object.

Essential Questions:

1. What happens when two unbalanced forces are pulling in opposite directions?

2. What is one way you can apply more force if you are trying to move something heavy?

Standard 3, Objective 1

Utah Core, 3rd Grade Science

Standard 3, Objective 1 

Demonstrate how forces cause changes in speed or direction of objects.

1. Show that objects at rest will not move unless a force is applied to them. 
2. Compare the forces of pushing and pulling. 
3. Investigate how forces applied through simple machines affect the direction and/or amount of resulting force. 

Activity:

Use two broomsticks and a rope to create a simple pulley. Demonstrate how the force applied through this simple machine is much stronger than the force we can apply without it. One student pulling on the rope will be stronger than two students trying to hold the broomsticks apart. See the following document for directions:

http://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/Education/learninglabs/lab_downloads/Pulley.pdf

Activity:

After discussing the demonstration and the effect of a simple machine, have students write a short description about what happened with the demonstration. Ask them to explain what made the difference so that one child was stronger than two!

Essential Questions:

1. What is another way you could use a pulley to do work?

2. Is there any other kind of simple machine that could help pull the broomsticks together?

Standard 2, Objective 2

Utah Core, 3rd Grade Science

Standard 2, Objective 2 
Describe the interactions between living and nonliving things in a small environment.

1. Identify living and nonliving things in a small environment (e.g., terrarium, aquarium, flowerbed) composed of living and nonliving things. 
2. Predict the effects of changes in the environment (e.g., temperature, light, moisture) on a living organism. 
3. Observe and record the effect of changes (e.g., temperature, amount of water, light) upon the living organisms and nonliving things in a small-scale environment. 
4. Compare a small-scale environment to a larger environment (e.g., aquarium to a pond, terrarium to a forest). 
5. Pose a question about the interaction between living and nonliving things in the environment that could be investigated by observation. 

Demonstration:

Show the following video about how living and nonliving things depend on each other. Discuss the different organisms in the movie (grass, antelope, lion, vulture, lizard, ant, snake) and discuss the relationship and dependency between them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH3UwX3bPaM

Activity:

Lead students in a walking field trip to the nearby stream. Instruct students to look for living organisms and hints of how they might depend on each other.

Essential Questions:

1. What evidence did you see that organisms in the stream depend on each other?

2. What are some other organisms that you depend on to live?