3rd Grade Falling Objects Gravity Experiment

Today 3rd graders investigated gravity through an experiment called "Falling Objects". To begin our lesson students participated in a group brainstorm to share their knowledge and wonders about gravity.

Each student was given a worksheet to record their predictions and data for their experiment

After students made their individual predictions we created a chart on the board to see each others predictions. Our results were:

Predictions: 
* Golf Ball: 15
* Ping Pong Ball: 4
* Same Time: 0

Without seeing a demonstration students were put into groups to experiment and record their trials. If students were having trouble deciding which hit first, I recorded a member of their group and played the video back to them on repeat so they could see the trial several times. After everyone completed their trials, recorded their data, and reported their findings we came back together to share. Boy did our data change! Not one student saw the ping pong ball hit first, but many still felt that the golf ball hit first! To bring a clearer view to the situation I demonstrated the experiment before the whole class and we watched School House Rock: Gravity. Finally we agreed that no matter the mass of the object, both items will fall to the ground at the same rate of speed.

TRIALS:

CHALLENGE: But what about on the moon!? If I were to drop a feather and a hammer on the moon what would happen? After allowing students to make predictions and turn and talk with their peers we watched a video of Neil Armstrong demonstrating the feather/hammer drop on the moon. Again we found that the two objects landed at the same time. It became clear that the acceleration an object feels due to gravity does not depend on its mass, density, composition, color, shape, or anything else.  Check it out: Feather Vs. Hammer

Ask your 3rd grader to tell you what they learned about gravity! : )

-Mrs. Henderson