Children do a hands-on exploration and then sing a song about what happens to an object when it is dropped and when it is placed at the top of a ramp.
Are you ready to drop your object? 1, 2, 3 . . . Go!
Gravity is a force that makes objects fall down.
Materials
- Soft toy or object for each child to drop (stuffed animal, bean bag, foam block, sponge, doll blanket, etc.)
- Length of cardboard to make into a ramp
- Small block to slide down the ramp
- Gravity Song: Lyrics (PDF)
- Chart paper
- Markers
Preparation
- Practice singing “Gravity Song” (see PDF) to the tune of “London Bridge.”
Directions: Lesson 2
Circle Time: Introduction
- Give each child an object that won’t break, bounce, or roll when dropped. Have children stand up and let go of the object on the count of “1, 2, 3 . . . Go!” Possible discussion ideas:
- What happened when you dropped your object?
- Which direction did it go: up, down, sideways?
- What made it stop moving? (the floor) Why do you think that happened? Encourage others to agree/disagree or share other ideas.
- What do you think would happen if we tried this experiment again? Do you think something different would happen?
- Have children repeat the experiment, perhaps swapping objects. Have them compare what happened. Ask discussion prompts such as: Did the same thing happen this time? Did all the objects fall down again? Did the floor make the objects stop?
- Ask children what happens if they roll out of their bed. Which way do they fall? Do they ever fall up? Invite children to share their thinking about what makes things “fall down” instead of “falling up.” After eliciting children’s thinking, share the idea of gravity. Gravity is a force that makes objects fall down.
- Have children join you in repeating the word gravity with dramatic voice and gestures. Then sing “Gravity Song” to the tune of “London Bridge.” (The word gravity substitutes for London; the word pulls substitutes for Bridge.)
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Chorus:
Gravity pulls things down, down, down.
Down, down, down. Down, down, down.
Gravity pulls things down, down, down.
Gravity pulls things down. -
Verse:
Pick up a toy and let it go.
Down it falls. Down it goes.
Pick up a toy and let it go.
Gravity pulls things down. - Repeat chorus.
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- Hold a piece of cardboard at a slant and tell children that you made a ramp. Explain that a ramp is a surface with one end higher than the other, like a slide. What could we use to hold up one end of this ramp?
- Let children suggest different things to hold up one end of the cardboard and choose one to create a relatively steep ramp. Hold up a small block and discuss how it will move on the ramp. Possible discussion ideas:
- What do you predict will happen if we put this block in the middle of the ramp? Which way will it slide? Why do you think that?
- Record the children’s prediction on chart paper or on the board by drawing a sketch and adding arrows.
- Place the block in the middle of the ramp and release it. Refer children back to the sketch you drew of their prediction. Possible discussion ideas:
- Was our prediction correct? Which way did the block slide?
- Did we push the block to make it slide down the ramp?
- Repeat the experiment several times if there is disagreement or uncertainty about whether the block was pushed.
- What made the block move down the ramp? (gravity)
- Invite children to join you in singing a second verse of “Gravity Song.”
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Verse:
Put a block on a ramp and let it go.
Down it slides. Down it goes.
Put a block on a ramp and let it go.
Gravity pulls it down.
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