Lesson 1: Exploring Gravity

Objective:

By the end of this lesson, the children will be able to understand the basic concept of gravity and observe how it affects objects around them through various hands-on activities and games.

Materials Needed:

Introduction:

Begin by asking the children if they know what makes things fall down when they drop them. Introduce the concept of gravity by explaining that gravity is the force that pulls objects towards the Earth. Use simple language and gestures to help the children understand the concept.

Activity 1: Gravity Drop Test

Provide various objects of different shapes and sizes such as balls, toys, blocks, and feathers. Encourage children to predict which objects will fall faster when dropped from the same height. Let them test their predictions by dropping the objects one by one and observing the results. Discuss with the children why some objects fall faster than others and how air resistance affects the falling speed of objects.

Activity 2: Tower Building

Instruct the children to work together to build the tallest tower they can using the blocks provided. Discuss why the towers are able to stand up and how gravity affects them when the towers are knocked down. Objects fall over when the force of gravity acting on them creates an imbalance in their center of gravity and base of support. Tall towers stay up because their design and construction are carefully planned to withstand the forces of gravity by distributing weight effectively and using strong materials and structural elements.

Activity 3: Ramps

Set up a simple ramp using a piece of cardboard or a wooden board. Place different objects (such as toy cars or balls) at the top of the ramp. Demonstrate how gravity pulls the objects downward when they are released from the top of the ramp. Encourage children to experiment with different objects and observe how gravity affects their movement down the ramp. Alternatively, a marble run may also be used to demonstrate that the marble moves down and through the marble run because of gravity. The steeper the ramp, the greater the gravity will be, resulting in objects going down the slope faster.

Activity 4: Floating and Sinking

Fill a large container with water and gather various objects that can either float or sink, such as rubber toys, plastic bottles, metal spoons, and wooden blocks. Have children predict whether each object will float or sink before placing them in the water. Observe and discuss how gravity affects whether an object floats or sinks based on its density and weight.

Activity 5: Gravitational Pull with Magnetism

Introduce magnets to the children and show them how magnets attract certain objects. Discuss how magnets have their own force of attraction, similar to how gravity pulls objects towards the Earth. Allow children to explore different objects to see which ones are attracted to magnets and discuss why certain objects are attracted while others are not.

Activity 6: Moon Gravity

Show pictures or illustrations of the moon to the children.

Explain how the moon has its own gravitational force, but it is much weaker than Earth’s gravity.

Encourage children to imagine what it might be like to walk on the moon and how the weaker gravity would affect their movements. Show a video clip of astronauts walking on the moon.

Conclusion:

Recap the concept of gravity by asking the children what they learned. Emphasize that gravity is what keeps us on the ground and pulls objects towards the Earth. Encourage them to continue exploring and asking questions about the world around them.

Note: Ensure safety during the activities and provide adult supervision at all times. Adjust the activities as needed based on the children’s attention span and engagement level.