2nd Grade Explores Ramps!

2nd grade has been investigating what happens when objects roll down a ramp.  They first used wheels to make different types of rollers that would roll around the corner, back and forth as well as a wobbly roller.  They then tried to create new "tricks" with their wheels.

These wheels roll straight.

It's hard to make one wheel roll straight. It
wobbles and falls.

A lot of time was spent readjusting
the clothespins to keep the ramp up!

Around the corner!

Sometimes the axel needs to be cut once it
starts to bend.

 The next investigation involved rolling cups.  This was a bit trickier.  The first challenge was rolling the cup off the ramp and "parking" underneath.  For the second one, the cup needed to roll off the ramp and fall upside down. Lastly, they needed to figure out how to roll the cups straight down the ramp.  This involved using masking tape to keep the cups together!

We are ending the unit by manipulating runways for a marble to roll through.

Down the hill, up the hill and back down
again.

Around the corner.

 The ultimate challenge...using more than one runway!

Three runways!

Working together!

2nd Grade Spins!

We have moved onto the second part of unit....motion!  After watching the classic top video by Ray and Charles Eames https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ-VFMymEiE the 2nd graders designed a top that spun the fastest and one that spun the longest. Everyone gets two large red disks, 2 small yellow disks and one green shaft.

It can be tricky to get the disks where
you want them on the shaft.

The contest to see which top spins the fastest!

Techniques used to start the top
differ - fingers or palms.

We discovered that for the top to
 spin, it needs to balance.

How many disks make the best top?

A good design!

Sometimes the shaft breaks, but then we get to test if the
 length of the shaft makes a difference in the way the top spins.

A winner!

The tops keep spinning even when they bump
into objects!

Standing definitely makes it spin faster!

At the end of class, we drew our best designs and explained
why it worked better than other designs.

2nd graders also investigated what happens to designs when they spin.  Two designs were provided for each student to spin.  There was also a blank design, so everyone could create their own spinning design.

 Awesome spinning design!

The two designs totally looked different
when they were spinning.

Trying to have the fastest spinning design.

A new design.

The above design spinning.

It's hypnotizing.

The design is too light to spin without a disk.

Balancing with 2nd Grade!

2nd grade has been investigating how to make an object stable while balancing it.  They first found the balancing point of the crayfish - closer towards the nose of the crayfish than the tail. Then they tried to determine if using clothespins let you balance the crayfish in more ways.  They wondered if they counterweight was helpful and if so, why and how did it help?

Always fun to get the crayfish to balance on
it's nose!

Can you walk and balance at the same time?

Balancing while writing!

It makes a difference how high up the clothespins are
on the object.

Finding new ways to balance the crayfish is fun!

If the clothespin weight is too high, the crayfish
won't balance.

Balancing on your finger is fun.

Is this balanced or leaning?

It is so hard to get the crayfish to balance
on it's side!

Balancing a Pencil on the Tip!

2nd graders have their biggest balancing challenge when trying to balance a pencil on its tip on top of a craft stick!  Can it be done?  Let's see!


First, the 2nd graders tried to figure out how to balance a paper pencil with an arm holding onto the pencil. They quickly discovered that one has to use clothespins to give it the needed weight to balance.

The placement of the clothespins is so important.

This pencil is balancing right on the tip.

With both clothespins below the balancing point,
the pencil balances the best.

We can even balance the pencil on our fingers!

Once everyone was able to balance the paper pencil....onto the next challenge, balancing a real pencil on its tip!  Now, in addition to the two clothespins, everyone also had a malleable wire to use when trying to balance the pencil!

Where to put the clothespins...on the pencil?

Where should the wire go?

Will this work?

Yes!  The pencil is balancing on its tip!

It's tricky to get the wire and the clothespins just right!

Yay!

I reminded the classes that balancing the paper pencil held a clue!

So exciting to finally figure it out!

Hard at work thinking about weight, counterweight and balance. 

Can it be done?  Yes it can!