What is Flexibility?

M. Olympius, Grade 2 Lesson 4 of 7

NGSS targets:
DCI: Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the
2-PS1-2 properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.

CCC: Cause and Effect

Simple tests can be designed to gather evidence to support or refute student ideas about
causes. (2-PS1-2)

SEP: Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Analyzing data in K2 builds on prior experiences and progresses to collecting, recording, and
sharing observations.
Analyze data from tests of an object or tool to determine if it works as intended.

Student Learning Objectives

1. Students will design an experiment to answer the question What is Flexibility?
2. Students will be able to identify flexible materials as well as define flexibility .
3. Students will give a short presentation to the class and analyze why some of their materials are
flexible and why some are not.

Engage
First, hold up a yard long piece of rope and a yard long piece of wood. (Cut a 2x4 a yard long)

Ask students,

Which of these two materials is more flexible?

Why do you think it is more flexible?

What makes a material flexible?

Allow students to brainstorm but guide them towards the idea that flexibility means bending without
breaking or being able to be bent and shaped freely without breaking apart.

Create a list of flexible things that come to mind. (Rope, rubber bands, gum, leather belt, etc)

Is there a way we can measure how flexible something is?

Say: Now we will,

Create an experiment to find out which materials are flexible and which materials are not flexible.

Explore
Allow students to work in teams of 2 to 4 to design a fair test to measure the flexibility of the given
objects. Each group will be given one of each of the following materials:

One 4x4 piece of aluminum foil

One rubber band

One 4 inch piece of string

One paper clip

One 4x4 piece of cardboard

Students will now be instructed to design a test that helps them analyze each material's flexibility. They
will be instructed to bend the object in a way they best see fit (around a pencil, using the corner of their
desk, etc) and record their findings so that they can compare results with the other objects.

Say: Share your design ideas with your group and determine which design will work best.

This analyzing and recording will take place on a separate sheet of paper that is required for each student,
not each group. They will be guided by 4 categories of flexibility. The 4 categories will be written on the
board and the students will be expected to write this on their sheet of paper.

1. Very flexible
2. Flexible
3. Stiff
4. Breaks, no flexible

Explain
Once they have completed their group designed test for flexibility and categorized their materials based
on the 4 categories of flexibility, the students will present 2 of their materials to the class. They will first

explain how they tested their materials as well as identify which materials had the most flexibility and
which had the least flexibility (or broke).

Elaborate
Students will each think of two materials, that were not part of the given materials, that would also be
considered as flexible. Then they will explain in one or two sentences why they know they are flexible.
Then they will give one example of a material that is not flexible and why they know this. Again,
explaining this in one or two sentences. They will use their separate sheet of paper to brainstorm and
elaborate.

Evaluate
Formative: Students individual designs, answers and results will be handed in as an exit ticket. This is the
separate sheet of paper that has been used for the design and categorization during this lesson.

Summative: I will ask the students to answer 3 questions on their separate sheet of paper that they have
been using for their design and categorization.

1. What does it mean to be flexible?

2. Why are some materials more flexible than others?
3. Are all materials flexible?