Ca Balance TM

FOSS Balance and Motion Module
The Regents of the University of California

Can be duplicated for classroom or workshop use.
227
Dear Parents,
Balance and Motion is the new unit we are studying in science.
We will be studying the motion of objects, including vibrations
and sound. We will be observing and comparing how objects
balance, spin, and roll, and communicating orally and in
writing the things we discover. The processes of observing,
communicating, and comparing are important thinking processes
that your child will be using during our investigation of motion.
We will start by learning metric linear measurement. Well
explore the need for standard units, and work with the metric
units and tools used by scientists worldwide. Our goal is that the
metric concepts will have their own frame of reference in your childs mind, and that in
time he or she will think metric. For example, the meter is about the distance from the
foor to a typical doorknob. A pinkie fnger on a small person is about 1 cm wide.
Your child may be interested in trying some things at home. You might want to tie a
string between two chairs and see how many paper cups, craft sticks, and other objects
you can balance (use clothespins for counterweights). You could make a big mobile
by suspending a broomstick and hanging things from it, or make spinning tops out
of shafts and disks. Or make a zoomer as described on the Home/School Connection
Ill be sending home in a few weeks. Check your local toy store for tops and other
spinners. The possibilities are endless, and your child can be your guide.
Were looking forward to our new unit on balance and motion to provide lots of
learning and lots of fun!
Sincerely,
LETTER TO PARENTS
Cut here and paste on school letterhead before making copies.
SCIENCE NEWS
Investigation 1: The First Straw
No. 1Teacher Sheet
Can be duplicated for classroom or workshop use. 228
No. 2Teacher Sheet
PAPER METER TAPE
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THIS METER TAPE BELONGS TO
229
Investigation 2: Balance
No. 3Teacher Sheet
MOBILE 1 POSTER
MOBILE 2 POSTER
No. 4Teacher Sheet
231
SPINNING DESIGNS
Investigation 3: Spinners
No. 5Teacher Sheet
SPINNING DESIGNS
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TWIRLY BIRD
TWIRLY BIRD
TWIRLY BIRD
TWIRLY BIRD
No. 8Teacher Sheet
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237
Magnets on
a straw
Magnets on
a stick
Investigation 6: Magnets and Tools
No. 11Teacher Sheet
A swinging
paper clip
A swinging
magnet
Investigation 6: Magnets and Tools
No. 12Teacher Sheet
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Marny and Max wanted to estimate the length of the playground.
They wanted to know about how long the distance was for their
schools eld day.
They measured it using the wheel on Maxs wheelchair. They
measured the wheel and found it was 2 meters around. They
marked the wheel in one spot so they could tell when it turned one
time.
Together they went across the playground and counted each full
turn of the wheel.
A. If they counted 40 full turns, what is the length of the
playground?
B. Some eld-day events will be measured in centimeters. Help
Marny and Max nd out how long the playground is in
centimeters.
Hint: Marny suggested that rst they nd out how many
centimeters are in half the length of the playground, and then they
could double it.
MATH EXTENSION
INVESTIGATION 1: THE FIRST STRAW
No. 14Teacher Sheet
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
241
MATH EXTENSION A
INVESTIGATION 2: BALANCE
Jill, Joy, Randy, and Roy each
made a mobile like this one.
How many rubber bands did they use?
How many straws did they use?
How many cards did they use?
How many paper clips did they use?
No. 15Teacher Sheet
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
MATH EXTENSION B
Ms. Gifns class has 20 students.
Half the class decided to make
mobile 1, and half the class
decided to make mobile 2.
How many straws, paper clips,
rubber bands, and cards did she
need to have ready for all the
students to make a mobile?
Mobile 1
Mobile 2
No. 16Teacher Sheet
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
243
Choose a shaft
from this group.
Choose one or more
disks from this group.
Draw a new top.
What will the top
cost? Example:
INVENT A TOP !
25
10
+10
45
MATH EXTENSION A
INVESTIGATION 3: SPINNERS
No. 17Teacher Sheet
5
10
25
Short
Medium
Long
5 Small
10 Medium
25 Large
Draw a top that
will cost $1.00.
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
MATH EXTENSION B
Color the tops on the cards below. Cut the eight cards apart on the
dashed lines.
As your teacher reads the clues, line up the tops according to what each
clue tells you.
Compare your lineup with a partners and see if you agree.
red
red
blue
blue
green
green
yellow
yellow
No. 18Teacher Sheet
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
245
MATH EXTENSION BTEACHER SHEET

This math extension requires students to use logic and understanding of position to put
tops in the order suggested by the clues. After students have colored and cut apart the top
cards, read each set of clues and have students line up the tops. Pause after each clue long
enough for students to rearrange their tops.
TOP LINEUP 1
Clue 1. There are fve tops in a line.
(No action needed.)
Clue 2. Two tops are red. Two tops are blue. One top is green.
(Students select tops from total group.)
Clue 3. A red top is in the front of the line. Two blue tops are at the end of the line.
(Students line up a red top in front, place two blue tops at the end, leaving space
for tops that will go in between.)
Clue 4. A red top is in the middle of the line.
(Students decide where to place the fnal two tops that are red and green.)
Answer from front to back of the line: red, green, red, blue, blue.
TOP LINEUP 2
Clue 1. There are two red tops, two blue tops, two green tops, and two yellow tops.
Clue 2. One blue top is frst in line. One blue top is last in line.
Clue 3. Two red tops are just in front of two yellow tops.
Clue 4. One green top is just behind two yellow tops in the line. One green top is just in front
of two red tops in the line.
Answer from front to back of the line: blue, green, red, red, yellow, yellow, green, blue.
No. 19Teacher Sheet
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
Draw two runways that a marble might roll through from top to
bottom.
Which one do you think is longer? ___________
Find out which is longer. Tell how you found out.
Start
Start
End
End
Investigation 4: Rollers
No. 20Teacher Sheet
MATH EXTENSION A
INVESTIGATION 4: ROLLERS
Runway A
Runway B
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
247
No. 21Teacher Sheet
MATH EXTENSION B
Use the runway pieces above to make the long runway shown
below. Use a measurement tool to help you. Make the long runway
at least three different ways. Label the pieces you use.
How many different ways can you make the long runway?
Example
A
B
C
A A A A A
C
1
2
3
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
Dear Parents,
This activity deals with the need for
standard units of measure. Work with
your child to make a list of ve objects
to measure. Then both of you measure
each object using some part of a hand.
For example, you might use a
thumb-to-pinkie unit to measure the
length of a table.
Have your child ll in the chart below,
then answer the question at the bottom
of the page. Be sure to write names in the column headings.
OBJECT UNIT
(STUDENT) (HOME PARTNER)
Look at the chart above. Do you think its a good idea to use parts of your
hand as a measuring unit? Why or why not?
HOME/SCHOOL CONNECTION
INVESTIGATION 1: THE FIRST STRAW
No. 22Teacher Sheet
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
249
Try this!
Compare standing on one foot with your eyes
closed and with your eyes open.
Which is easier? Why do you think that might be?
Compare standing on one foot, standing on two feet, and sitting
on the oor.
Which do you think is the most stableeasiest to maintain
balance without falling over? Why do you think that might be so?
Stand with your heels against a wall. Now bend over to pick up an
object on the oor.
What happens? Why do you think it happens?
Try to get up from a chair without moving your hands or leaning.
What happens? What do you need to do to get up?
Dear Parents,

In class, we have been exploring balance. Weve learned
how to balance all kinds of shapes by adding clothespins,
which act as counterweights. Here are some fun
movements to explore together and some questions to ask
your child that might lead to interesting discussions about
balance, weight, and counterbalance.
No. 23Teacher Sheet
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
ZOOMERS. Traditional zoomers are made from a button and a piece of
string. The string is strung through the button holes and tied to make a loop.
When you twirl it around to put a twist in the string and pull it tight to unwind,
the button will spin.
TOP. Cut a 13- or 15-cm (5- or 6-inch) circle from
a piece of cardboard. Poke a hole in the center big
enough for a pencil or felt-tipped pen.
Some things to try
Add more cardboard disks to the top.
Compare zoomers made with a big and a little button.
Add a spinning design to a top or zoomer.
(The best way to see the spinning design on a zoomer is to reorient the
zoomer by bringing one hand in front of your face and moving the other
hand away from you. Make the zoomer go fast or slow and watch the
design change.)
Make tops from different materials.
Try anything you can think ofbe curious!
What did you make?
What did you try?
What happened?
No. 24Teacher Sheet
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
251
Look for things that roll or spin in your home or neighborhood. Rollers and
spinners might be found in any room of the house, in a tool box, in a toy box,
or outside. Two examples are given to start off your hunt.
Rollers
car wheels
Spinners
water going down the drain
No. 25Teacher Sheet
Name __________________________________ Date ________________
INVESTIGATION 5: BACK AND FORTH
Make good vibrations. Put together a tinkers band with family and friends.
Make as many different kinds of sounds and as many pitches as you can with
everyday objects around the house. Try to make a diatonic scale.
do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do
Here is a list of things to try out for the band.
Bottles, with and without water
Bowls, glasses, and pitchers
Tin cans
Cook pots and fry pans
Lids for cook pots and fry pans
Bolts or pieces of pipe hanging from strings
Pieces of wood
Strings, wires, or ropes pulled tight
Make a list of the items you used to make each sound.
Play some tunes, either solo or in a combo with friends and family. Turn on
the radio or some recorded music and play along. Make a sound recording of
your own musical efforts. Bring the recording to class. Have other students
listen to the different sounds and record them on a chart.
Investigation 5: Back and Forth
No. 26Teacher Sheet
Name __________________________________ Date ________________

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FOSS Balance and Motion Module

The Regents of the University of California

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