Lesson Materials

Per Student

• science notebook

Per Class

• Heavier and Lighter Objects Demonstration

  • Bin of assorted objects

  • 1 rectangular support block

  • 1 wood ruler

  • 2 mini plastic springs

  • 2 objects of different weight that can clip onto springs

• Our Growing Ideas chart

• Gotta-Have-It chart

• Meet the Artists: Using Science in Art (book in slides)

• digital scale

• Word Catcher cards

  • weight

  • gravity

  • force

Per Group

• Equal Weight Sculpture Challenge

  • 1 rectangular support block

  • 1 wood ruler

  • various other objects of different weights

  • several washers of various size and weight

  • digital scale

Prep

Review 

• Lesson Plan

• Slides

• Assessment

Prepare 

• Create bags or bins for the Equal Weight Sculpture Challenge. The assortment of “other” objects can include blocks, washers, and items already in the classroom that can be easily weighed. Groups can share digital scales, if necessary.

• To clean up materials after the sculpture building, have students place the items back into the bins. All the items will be used again throughout lessons 4-8.

• This unit requires using digital scales that measure whole grams (no decimals). If using scales that are .1 or .01, additional support will be necessary for students to obtain weight in whole numbers. Consider taping over the decimal places on the scales so that students record only the whole number.

• You will need the following charts from Lesson 2:

  • “Our Growing Ideas” chart

  • Gotta-Have-It chart

•  Have ready a print copy of Meet the Artists: Using Science in Art (in slides) or plan to project the slide deck to read this text aloud. Portions of this text are divided across many different lessons. Here is how to prepare for using the text for the unit:

  • Lesson 3: Read about Walter Wick and George Rickey.

  • Lesson 4: Read about Alexander Calder and Jade Oakley to motivate hanging sculptures that balance.

  • Lesson 5: Read about Yoku Nishikawa and her approach to hanging mobiles.

  • Lesson 10: Read about Takis and using magnets to make sculptures.

• Locate or print the weight, gravity, and force Word Catcher cards and be ready to post them during the lesson. 

• In this lesson, students will continue to use the word balance with an everyday meaning of something that stays upright or steady and does not fall over. They will not use the word balance in a science context to describe forces until lesson 5. For this lesson, students are focused on developing ideas related to the downward forces acting on the sculpture, but not any opposing balancing forces (lessons 6 & 7).

• Please review the general safety protocols for demonstrations and hands-on activities found here: General Safety Guidance for Building Activities.