PART 1: MOTION CARD

GAME
1. Divide students into pairs and review steps 1 through 3 of the activity.
Distribute the Motion Cards to each pair.
2. Instruct students to complete the activity as you circulate to address
questions and guide students to stay on task as needed.
3. Come together as a class and discuss the activity using the
following questions to guide the discussion:
o How were your drawings different from your partner’s? How
were they similar?
o What did you include in your drawings to show that an object
was in motion?
o How do you know in real life when an object is in motion?

Walk across the room and ask students how they know you are
moving. Illustrate another motion, such as raising your hand or
jumping up and down. Guide the discussion toward defining the
term, reference point. We know that an object is moving when we
compare it to an object that appears to stay in place. That object is the
reference point. Almost anything near the moving object can be used
as a reference point. For example, when you walked across the room,
 you can use a point on the floor as a reference point. You can also use
a clock on the wall.

Ask students whether it would have been easier to draw the objects in
motion if they could have drawn two pictures. Why or why not?

Review the definition of motion: a change in position of an object

when compared with a reference point.

MOTIVATION
Begin this lesson with a fun activity that will motivate and engage your
students. In this activity, students should find all of the different ways to move
a ping-pong ball from one location to another. (Other rolling objects, such as
superballs or small toy cars would be equally suitable.)

Pose this question: "How many different ways can you make the object go
from one place to another?" Have students work in pairs or small groups to
explore all of the possible ways to make the objects move. If possible, have a
variety of materials available for this investigation, such as: flat pieces of
cardboard or wood, books, string, straws, etc.

Allow students to share and discuss how they were able to get the object to
move. Encourage students to record their observations and results on
the Making It Movestudent sheet. Create a class list of techniques for moving
objects: pushing, pulling, kicking, throwing, sliding, rolling, dropping, blowing,
etc.

In each case, have students consider these questions:

 What is the effect on the motion of the object?
 Does the object move faster? Slower?
 What is the direction of the motion? Does the object move in a straight line?
Zigzag? Round and round? Back and forth?
 Does it change direction?
Encourage your students to return to the "drawing board" and keep
experimenting. Then ask students:

 Which of the methods you used required the use of other materials?
 Compare other solutions used. Which methods made the object go fast?
Required the object to leave the floor? Made the object go zigzag?
 How did you get the object to move?
 Can you think of another object that could be moved in the same way? What
makes you think so? How is the object you're thinking of like the one you've
already moved?
 Can you think of an object that could not be moved in the same way? Why
not? How could you move that object?

DEVELOPMENT
Discuss the movement of rolling objects, asking students:

 What kinds of objects can roll? What do these objects have in common?
 How can you start an object rolling?
 How can you stop an object from rolling?
 Can you think of a way to make something roll in an exact path? (build a
track) What other things move on a track?

Tell students that they will try to build their own track for the ping-pong ball,
marble, or toy car using cardboard tubes and masking tape. Continue to have
 students work in pairs or small groups. Give each group a ping-pong ball,
marble, or toy car and a selection of cardboard tubes. Ask students, "How
could you make the objects move using the cardboard tubes and masking
tape?" "Where do you think the object will go?" Write down students' answers
on a large sheet of paper or a blackboard at the front of the room. Now have
students test their ideas. Students will create a track that will be used to stop
the ball as close to an exact position as possible. Provide students with a
measurable distance for which to aim, so that they can test and adjust their
structures as needed. Again, encourage students to record their observations
and results on the Making It Move student sheet.

Ask students to consider these questions:

 How can you build the track to slow the ball down?
 Speed it up?
 Make it go further?
 Make it go a shorter distance?
 Turn a corner?
Consider posing other challenges, such as:

 Build the fastest track possible.

 Build the slowest track possible.
 Build a track that will allow the ball or car to dip down to a lower point and then
go to a slightly higher point.

ASSESSMENT
Ask students to complete this assignment:
 Draw a picture of the structure you built. Explain what it does and how it
works, using words and/or pictures.
 Draw a picture to show what you could do to the structure to make the ball (or
car) go faster.
 Draw a picture to show what you could do to the structure to make the ball (or
car) go slower.