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Overview: Children will construct simple models to investigate balance and the concept of center of gravity.
Booklink: Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully, Putnam and Grosset, 1992. ISBN 0-698-11443-4
Science Activity Link: Children design and construct two different balancing devices. Through design and redesign techniques, they investigate different factors that affect balance.
Objective: Children will construct different objects that they can balance on the end of their finger. They will also explore variables affecting balance.
Science Processes and Content: Processes-making models, observing, communicating, predicting, inferring, manipulating variables, and formulating hypotheses. Content-systems and subsystems, position and motion of objects, balance, and gravity.
National Science Education Standards: Unifying Concepts and Processes, (1) Science as Inquiry, (2) Physical Science, (5) Science and Technology.
Materials: Per student: 1 craft stick, thin wire (pre-cut lengths of thin florist wire works best), "weights", such as washers, nuts, or paperclips, two straws, a 1-2" diameter Styrofoam ball, one toothpick, a ball of clay approximately 1" in diameter, book Mirette on the High Wire
Procedure:
Read the book Mirette on the High Wire. Ask the children what they think this book has to do with science. Follow up with a discussion on balance. Have the students stand on one foot, having them observe what they do to keep their balance. What changes do they make in their body to keep balanced? How are their movements like Mirette's?
There are two different balancing challenges included in this activity. They are both designed to have the children try different things to get an object to balance. Trial and error or design-redesign should be strongly suggested.
Seal Trick: Supplies per student: Styrofoam ball, two straws, a toothpick, clay. Challenge: Using the supplies, make an object that you can balance on the tip of the toothpick on the end of your finger. Caution should be used with the toothpick.
Trapeze Terry: Supplies per student: craft stick (draw a face on the one end of the stick) wire, weights. Challenge: Can you get Trapeze Terry to balance on the end of your finger... vertically? Horizontally? Challenge the children to come up with other ways of balancing Terry. What would happen if you used different weights or a craft stick or tongue depressor?
As a follow-up, have the children describe or illustrate how balance is important in their daily lives. (Riding a bike, skate boarding, skiing, boating, surfing, etc.)
Related Books:
Starring Mirette and Bellini by Emily Arnold McCully, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1997. ISBN 0-399-22636-2
The Science of Gravity by Neil Ardely, Dorling Kindersley, 1992. ISBN 0-15-200621-4
Gravity-Simple Experiments for Young Scientists by Larry White, The Millbrook Press, 1995. ISBN 0-7613-0089-9
Janice VanCleave's Gravity, John Wiley & Sons, 1993. ISBN 0-471-55050-7
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