2nd Grade Sample STEM Activity

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

Speed and Direction Rene has a basketball and a tennis ball. He wonders which one will travel the fastest when kicked. With which student below do you agree? Why? I think the tennis ball will go faster because it is smaller and lighter.

I think both balls will go fast.

Maria

Latarsha Carlos

I think the basketball will go faster because it is bigger.

Hook Little Kicks, Big Kicks Description Students explore speed and force by kicking a ball toward a target. STEMcoach in Action Students will most likely want to perform this activity with different size balls to explore the things they discussed during the Accessing Prior Knowledge.

Materials Reusable 6 Beach balls (per group) 1 Roll masking tape 1 Pencil (per student) Consumable 1 Sticky note (per student)

Preparation 

Find a space where students can kick a ball safely. Mark three lines with masking tape on the floor: “Starting Line,” “Close Line,” and “Far Line.” Make the starting line long enough so that six students can stand side-by-side and all kick at once.



Blow up six beach balls.



Split the class into six groups.

Procedure and Facilitation Points Part One 1. One student from each group lines up at the starting line. 2. All kick the beach balls, aiming for the Close Line.

3. Then, return the balls to the Starting Line, and all kick the beach balls, aiming for the Far Line. 4. Discuss: 

What made the ball move? I kicked it with my foot. My foot pushed it.



Did you have to give the ball a big kick or a little kick to make it to the Close Line? A little kick.



Did you have to give the ball a big kick or a little kick to make it to the Far Line? A big kick.

Part Two 1. We are about to throw one of the beach balls against the wall. 2. Have students each write their name on a sticky note. 3. Students predict where the ball will go by placing their sticky note where they think the ball will end up after you throw it. 4. Students watch the teacher bounce the ball off the wall and observe where it lands around the room. 5. Discuss: 

What did the ball do? It bounced off the wall and went the other way.



Why didn’t the ball keep going straight? The ball bounced and moved a different direction when it hit the wall.



Was your prediction correct, close to correct, or not even close? Answers will vary based on where the ball ended up and where students predicted it would land.

Do 1: Scientific Investigation Procedure and Facilitation Points Part One 1. Have students work in groups of 3 or 4. 2. Discuss: 

If a rolling ball hits another ball, what do you think will happen? It will cause the other ball to move. It may make the rolling ball change directions.

3. Today we are going to explore what happens when some tennis balls collide with each other. Part Two 1. Give each group four tennis balls. 2. Students cluster three balls together on a flat surface. 3. Have students draw what the tennis balls look like in the Before section of the Student Journal: Collision Recording Table. 4. Students roll the fourth ball so that it hits the cluster of balls. 5. Students observe what happens to the cluster of balls. 6. Have students draw a picture of the way the tennis balls look after being hit by the moving ball in the After section of the Collision Recording Table. 7. Discuss: 

What happened when the tennis balls collided? They went all different directions.



If you rolled the ball harder, what do you think would have happened? The other balls would have moved more.



Did each tennis ball move in the same direction? No, they all went in different directions.

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Collison Recording Table Draw a picture of what the tennis balls look like before and after they were hit by the moving ball.

Before

After

What would happen if you rolled the ball harder?

1

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Collison Recording Table Draw a picture of what the tennis balls look like before and after they were hit by the moving ball.

Before

After

What would happen if you rolled the ball harder?

1

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Collision Student CER Check the correct sentence.

☐

Yes, the balls moved in different directions when they collided.

☐

No, the balls did not move in different directions when they collided.

Draw a picture describing the sentence.

1

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Collision Student Rubric 3

2

1

I checked the correct box.

I did not check the correct box.

I did not check a box.

I drew a picture and could tell my teacher all about my answer.

I drew a picture or told my teacher about my answer, but did not do both.

I did not draw a picture or tell my teacher about my answer.

I was actively listening and following my teacher’s instructions.

I listened sometimes, and I followed some directions.

I did not listen or follow directions.

Answer

Explain

Listening and Following Directions

2

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Collision Teacher Rubric with Sample Student Responses 3

2

1

Claim (Answer)

Checks the box next to the correct sentence. Yes, the balls moved in different directions when they collided.

Checks the box next to the incorrect sentence. No, the balls did not move in different directions when they collided.

No claim. Does not check either box or checks both boxes.

Evidence (Explain)

Draws an accurate picture and is capable of fully explaining answer to teacher. When the balls collided, they moved in different directions.

Either draws a picture or is capable of verbally explaining answer to teacher. Draws a picture of the balls moving in different directions.

No evidence. Does not attempt to draw a picture or explain the answer.

Listening and Following Directions

Always listens to teacher instructions and follows directions.

Listens to teacher instructions and follows directions some, but not all, of the time.

Does not listen to teacher instructions or follow directions.

1

Do 2: Engineering Solutions Park the Car Description Students problem-solve to determine how to move a toy car to the garage without pushing it.

Materials Printed Material 1 Story Problem (per class) 1 Student Journal: Park the Car (per student) Reusable 6 Metric rulers (1 per group) 18 Medium blocks (3 per group) 6 Toy cars (1 per group) Crayons or pencils (per student) Consumable 6 30cm X 30cm Cardboard squares (1 per group) 3 Pieces of masking tape (per group) 1 Paper (per student)

Procedure and Facilitation Points Part One 1. Allow students to work in groups of 3 or 4. 2. Read the story problem to the class. 3. You may choose to print the pages and hang them on the board for easy reference and redirection for students off task.

Part Two 1. Set up a ramp with a block and a piece of cardboard. 2. Roll the car down the ramp. 3. Use a piece of masking tape to mark where the car stopped. 4. Change the angle of the ramp by stacking another block under the cardboard. 5. Roll the car down the ramp again. 6. Use the piece of masking tape to mark where the car stopped this time. 7. Discuss: 

Does the height of the ramp change how far the car travels? Yes. The car goes farther if the ramp is steeper.



What happens when the ramp is flatter? The car does not go as far.

STEMcoach in Action There is value to having students learn from their mistakes. This teaches students the value of reflecting on their mistakes in order to grow as a learner and the importance of determination. Share with your students this process. Some of the greatest inventions burgeoned from mistakes: silly putty, potato chips, fireworks, microwaves, etc. Students need to learn that mistakes are part of the process of plan-design-test, replan-redesign-retest, etc. This process allows us to reflect and improve. No one always gets it right the first time. More information about using “Engineering Solutions” is available here.

The Problem Eduardo needs to move his car into the garage area that is 30 cm away, which is the length of 1 ruler. He cannot push the car to move it or tilt the table surface. He can only use a piece of cardboard and some blocks. How can he get the car to move into the garage?

The Challenge Help Eduardo create a system that will help him move his car into the parking spot.

Criteria and Constraints



Students cannot push the car to move it, but they can use their hands to put the car in place on the cardboard.



Students may only use the materials provided by the teacher.



Students must draw their design before building it.



The car must stop somewhere between the 24 and 30 cm marks on the ruler.



Students have 15 minutes to build and test.

Design Possible designs include ramps of different heights and cars being released from different heights.

Build, Test, and Refine Students get 15 minutes to build and test their systems. After groups have tested their systems, they take turns watching as each group successfully moves their car into the parking spot. Students then get 5-10 minutes to redesign and rebuild their system, if needed.

Share and Critique Students celebrate each design and give positive and constructive feedback.

Park the Car

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Eduardo needs to move his car into the garage area that is 30 cm away, which is the length of 1 ruler.

1

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

He cannot push the car to move it or tilt the table surface.

2

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

He can only use a piece of cardboard and some blocks.

3

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

How can he move the car into the garage?

4

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Help Eduardo create a system that will help him move his car into the garage area.

5

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Park the Car How did you help Eduardo park the car in the garage? Draw a picture below.

1

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Park the Car Student Rubric 3

2

1

I drew a picture of my structure.

I drew a picture, but it was not of my structure.

I did not draw anything.

My group made a structure to park the car in the garage.

My group made a structure, but not to park the car in the garage.

My group did not make a structure.

Everyone in my group participated and helped make the structure.

Some of the people in my group helped make the structure.

No one in my group helped each other.

Draw

Build

Working Together

! ! ?

1

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Park the Car Teacher Rubric with Sample Student Responses 3

2

1

Design (Draw) Students generate ideas and create a blueprint for a possible solution to the problem.

Students discuss and create a drawing for their design. All students in group are involved in discussing and drawing the design.

Students discuss their design but do not provide drawing. All students are discussing and developing the design, but none are contributing to the drawing of the design.

Students do not discuss or create a design. Students are off topic. The group is easily distracted and is not attending to task criteria.

System (Build) Students build a system from their design and test whether it solves the problem.

Students create a system that gets the car in the garage. The design is successful and the car is moved into the garage.

The car moves past the garage or falls short of the garage. The design is not successful and the car is not moved into the garage.

Students do not create a system. A design is not completed, and the car is not moved into the garage.

Collaboration (Working Together) Students communicate and collaborate effectively by using appropriate language.

Collaboration is obvious and all students are actively participating. All students are engaged and are successfully performing the criteria.

There is some collaboration, but not all students are engaged in the process. Most students are engaged and are successfully performing the criteria. There are some distractions, and some group members are off task.

No collaboration shown. The group is not performing criteria or on task. Most or all students in the group are off task or distracted.

! ! ?

1

Extensions Art Project Pull up some examples of the work of Jackson Pollock, whose paintings initially don’t appear to have any structure or form. Students can create their own works of art while practicing patterns of movement (straight line, zigzag, up and down, back and forth, round and round, fast vs. slow). Students will use one color of paint per pattern, can ONLY use that color for that pattern, and can ONLY paint in those patterns. What may appear at the end to be a completely random assortment of patterns actually does have a form and a method. Display student artwork in the classroom or in a hallway. Obstacle Course! Create an obstacle course for students in which they have to move in the patterns (straight line, zigzag, up and down, back and forth, round and round, fast vs. slow). At the end students have to identify which pattern of movement they were modeling during the obstacle course. Time and resources permitting, you may want to set up two courses so students can race. You can set up the course using any materials, such as traffic cones, Frisbees, chairs from your classroom, or anything else that can separate the different points of the course. Debrief. Ask if direction changed. If so, how? Did speed change? How? Kinesthetic Play a game of “Simon Says” with your class. Create a motion for each pattern of movement and teach the motions to your students before the game. When you play, you will say “Simon Says Zig Zag” or “Simon Says Up and Down,” and students will need to give you that pattern of movement. If they give you the wrong motion, they are out! Discuss change of direction and speed for each pattern. Conga Line Dancing Student partners or teams make up their own “Conga Line” dance that uses simple hand claps or nursery rhyme songs for rhythm. Suggest using a combination of 4 and 8 beats or 3 and 6 beats. Students may move by stomping, sliding, or skipping to the

various directions. Make a list of symbols to help students remember what directions need to be in their line dance: straight, zigzag, back and forth, in a circle, etc. For example, the group lines up one behind the other and and moves 4 beats straight ahead, hops 4 beats to the left, hops 4 beats to the right, moves 8 beats slide zigzagging the line around the room, and finally skips in a circle for 8 beats. For fun, the other teams have to repeat their short dance. Insect Story Book Students make up a story about a little insect that is looking for a home. They can choose to be a ladybug, a dragonfly, a bee, etc. They draw what happens on each page of a short story book. The only requirement is that they have to show how their bug moves on each page using a dotted or dashed line. Model how to draw pathway dashed lines before students write their stories. Try this example of a 3 page story: “Bobby Bee needed a new home so he went buzzing straight ahead and hit a fence. That would not do. Then he went buzzing zigzag from flower to flower in the field. That would not do. Then he buzzed in a circle above the trees and found a perfect tree branch in which to make his beehive. Home at last!” Student share their story with their shoulder partners or team. STEMcoach in Action Students will have fun exploring the art of Jackson Polluck. They may want to explore other media while creating their own art such as using yarn instead of paint to demonstrate movement.

Math Connections Included Common Core Math Standards MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. K.MD.A.1 Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several measurable attributes of a single object. K.MD.A.2 Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object has “more of”/“less of” the attribute, and describe the difference.

Activity Students are expected to directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common. Materials 1 Student Handout (per student or pair of students) 1 Pencil (per student) Crayons Math manipulatives Paperclips Preparation 

Decide on a grouping format or have students work individually.



Work through the student activity.



Prepare Guiding Questions and possible student answers before beginning this activity in order to interpret student misconceptions and errors. Some examples of Guiding Questions are:



o

How can we compare numbers by matching up the sets?

o

How can we count with one-to-one correspondence?

Be prepared to use and explain key terms such as: counting by 10’s, higher, lower, taller, shorter.

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion, Types of Interactions, and Relationship Between Energy and Forces Level A

1.

Below is a chart showing the amount of feet each child can kick a soccer ball. The amount of force used to kick the ball strongly affects how far the ball will go. Look at the soccer balls below to answer the following questions.

40 20 ______ feet feet feet The ball on the right went 10 more feet than 50. Count by 10s to find out how many feet the ball traveled. Circle your answer below. A. 70

B. 40

C. 60

Circle the soccer ball above that went the farthest amount of feet. Draw an X on top of the ball that went the shortest amount of feet. 2.  Alex and Miles were taking turns pushing each other on a swing when they realized that the harder they pushed, the higher and faster the swing went. They also noticed that the sunlight was causing shadows to form beneath them. The higher the swing went, the longer their shadows were. Use a paperclip to measure the two shadows below. What is the length of Miles’ shadow in paperclips?

What is the length of Alex’s shadow in paperclips? How many more paperclips did it take to measure Miles’ shadow? A. 4

B. 3

C. 6 1

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion, Types of Interactions, and Relationship Between Energy and Forces Level A

3.  Form a group of three people using the students in your class. Next, use tape to mark a starting point on the floor next to your desk. Follow the directions in the chart. Step 1

Step 2 Distance Measure the distance you Start with your toes behind _____ pencils walked using markers (endStudent the tape. Take two giant 1 to-end) and unsharpened steps forward. ______markers pencils (end-to-end). Measure the distance you Start with your toes behind _____ pencils walked using markers (endStudent the tape. Take two regular 2 to-end) and unsharpened steps forward. ______markers pencils (end-to-end). Measure the distance you hopped using markers Start with your toes behind _____ pencils Student the tape. Take two hops (end-to-end) and 3 forward. unsharpened pencils (end- ______markers to-end). 4.  Order the distances each member of your group traveled from shortest to longest (hint: least number to greatest number).

5.  Compare how much farther student two traveled than student one. How many more pencils were needed to measure the distance student two went than student one? Complete the subtraction problem below.  

 

   

________      -­‐        ________      =      ________

 

   

2

Movement I can use words to describe the position of different objects. I can tell about the different ways that objects can move

1. Directions: In each box draw or write out an example of something that moves in the way described.

Speed and Direction Picture Vocabulary  

NGSS Physical Science  

Direction

 

The path of the object.

Engineering

 

Using science to solve a problem for people.

Motion

 

How an object moves from one place to another.

Problem

 

Something people want changed.

Situation

 

What something is like.

Solution

 

An answer to a problem.

Speed

 

How fast something is moving.

Speed and Direction

Reading Science Kindergarten: Speed and Direction Lexile: 550L

1

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

Mike is going bowling with his big brother, Mark. Since Mike is just learning how to bowl, he is using a smaller, lighter ball. Mark uses a bigger, heavier ball.

2

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

Mike tries to push Mark’s ball down the alley. He has to push really hard. The ball rolls slowly and curves off to the side. Why does he have to push so hard?

3

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

Mike watches as Mark throws his ball with a hard push down the alley. Wow! Mark’s ball rolls fast and in a straight line. Mark’s ball hits the pins and they fly in every direction.

What made the pins fly? 4

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

Now it is Mike’s turn. He throws his ball as hard as he can. It is moving very fast but it bounces up and down. It zigzags off to the side to a different alley.

5

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

“Mike, since you are a beginner, just roll the ball down the alley,” says Mark. Mike pushes his ball down the alley. This time it rolls the whole way. Mike knocks down two pins!

6

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

Mike waits for his ball to return. It slams to a stop when it hits the end of the ball return. “Good push, Mike!” says Mark. “Roll another ball and try to knock down some more pins. Push it harder.”

7

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

This turn Mike takes his time and pushes the ball as hard and straight as he can. The ball rolls quickly down the alley and hits the pins. Five fly through the air!

8

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

Mark takes his turn. The ball rolls quickly. This time his ball spins in a curve down the alley and strikes the pins. All ten go down!

9

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

“Wow! How do you make it spin and curve?” asks Mike. Mark laughs and says, “I will teach you how to do that as you get better. It is your turn again.”

10

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

Mike thinks to himself, “I bet I can make the ball spin and curve.” He tries to turn the ball to the side as he pushes it. Oops! The ball flies out of his hands and hits a chair.

11

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

The ball bounces off the chair and hits the floor. Next the ball bounces up and hits the table and knocks over Mark’s drink.

“I am sorry, Mark,” says Mike. “I tried to make it spin and curve, like you do.” “It is okay,” says Mark. “Try again.” 12

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

So Mike practices a few more times. “You are getting better,” says Mark. “Why don’t you try to push my ball this time?” Mike pushes Mark’s ball. This time he pushes it hard and straight. The ball rolls down the alley and hits the pins. Four fall over!

13

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

“Good push, Mike!” says Mark. “I think you are going to be a good bowler. Next time we will find you a bigger, heavier ball.”

“Thank you for taking me bowling. I like this game. And I really like it when the pins go flying everywhere!” 14

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

Speed and Direction Comprehension Questions

Reading Science Kindergarten: Speed and Direction Lexile: 550L

15

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

1 A different title for this story could be:

A B C D

Mike Spills a Drink How a Ball Bounces The Bowling Lesson Two Brothers Biking

16

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

2 Another word for fast used in the story is:

A B C D

curve quickly bounce straight

17

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

3 All of these are ways that the ball moved except:

A B C D

straight up and down hard curve

18

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

4 Why did Mike have to push Mark’s ball harder? A B C D

It was bigger and heavier. It was smaller and lighter. so it would bounce so it would roll straight

19

Speed and Direction Forces and Motion

5 What happens when we push something? A B C D

It starts or stops moving. It moves faster or slower. It changes direction. all of these things

20

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Scenario You and your best friend are playing a game that involves a ramp and two baseballs.

Your goal is to make the

2nd ball go as

FAR as possible.

You can adjust the ramp now that it is your turn.

DRAW A LINE

to show

how far you think BALL roll after BALL

2

will

1 hits it.

Prompt Which picture shows how you should set up the ramp to make the second ball travel the farthest?

Claim: Picture

Evidence:

shows how I should set up the ramp to make the second ball travel the farthest. Draw a picture about why the ramp you chose will make Ball 2 go the farthest.

1

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Speed and Direction CER Student Rubric 3

2

1

My claim was correct.

I made a claim, but it was incorrect.

I did not make a claim.

I gave evidence that helped me make my claim.

I gave evidence, but it didn’t have anything to do with my claim.

I did not give any evidence.

Claim

Evidence

2

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

1

What will make the wagon move?

A

B

C

Put in a ball.

Take off the wheels.

Pull the handle.

1

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

2

The ball is rolling. What can you do to make the ball stop? A

B

C

Roll another ball.

Turn the lights off.

Let a fan blow it. 2

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

3

Students rolled a ball down a ramp.

Which change made the ball roll the other way? A

B

C

3

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

4

A student pushed a ball and it rolled on the floor like this.

How did the ball move when the student pushed it harder? A

B

C

4

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

5

Two balls roll together. They hit each other.

The balls will change -

A

B

C

size.

color.

direction. 5

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

1

What will happen to the speed of the toy car as it crashes?

The car will 2

When you throw a ball against a wall, the ball comes back to you. You are changing the of the ball.

1

Speed and Direction Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

3

If you throw a ball harder, it goes

And you have changed the speed!

2