Module TL Extension I
Forces, Friction, and Facilitating Investigations
In your Next Gen PET class, you should have analyzed the teacher’s and
students’ actions in a video about testing aspects of a parachute that can be
changed in ways that would impact the rate at which it falls. In this activity,
you will be conducting a short activity with a group of elementary school
students based upon a lesson plan provided below. You will practice
engaging students in planning and carrying out investigations, Practice 3 of the
NGSS. The grade level expectations for Practice 3 are below.
Carrying Out Investigations
“Students should have opportunities to plan and carry out several different kinds of
investigations during their K-12 years. At all levels, they should engage in
investigations that range from those structured by the teacher—in order to expose an
issue or question that they would be unlikely to explore on their own (e.g., measuring
specific properties of materials)— to those that emerge from students’ own
questions.” (NRC Framework, 2012, p. 61)
Grades K-2 Expectations
Grades 3-5 Expectations
Planning and carrying out investigations to
answer questions or test solutions to
problems in K–2 builds on prior experiences
and progresses to simple investigations,
based on fair tests, which provide data to
support explanations or design solutions.
Planning and carrying out investigations to
answer questions or test solutions to
problems in 3–5 builds on K– 2 experiences
and progresses to include investigations that
control variables and provide evidence to
support explanations or design solutions.
 With guidance,
plan and conduct an
investigation in collaboration with peers
(for K).
 Plan
and conduct an investigation
collaboratively to produce data to serve
as the basis for evidence to answer a
question.
 Evaluate
different ways of observing
and/or measuring a phenomenon to
determine which way can answer a
question.
  Make
  Plan
and conduct an investigation
collaboratively to produce data to serve
as the basis for evidence, using fair tests
in which variables are controlled and the
number of trials considered.
  Evaluate
appropriate methods and/or
tools for collecting data.
  Make
observations and/or
measurements to produce data to serve
as the basis for evidence for an
explanation of a phenomenon or test a
design solution.
observations (firsthand or from
© 2015 Next Gen PETLC
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Module TL Extension I
media) and/or measurements to collect
data that can be used to make
comparisons.
  Make
predictions about what would
happen if a variable changes.
Test two
Make
observations (firsthand or from
media) and/or measurements of a
proposed object or tool or solution to
determine if it solves a problem or
meets a goal.
different models of the same
proposed object, tool, or process to
determine which better meets criteria
for success.
Make
predictions based on prior
experiences.
To prepare for this lesson, you may want to review the video of children in a
classroom carrying out several investigations related to designing a
parachute. The video can be found here.
http://www.eie.org/eie-curriculum/resources/slow-and-steady-wins-racegrade-3-stillwater-mn
(Optional: If you are interested in how this relates to the final design of their
parachutes, you may watch the video of the class meeting that follows this
here
http://www.eie.org/eie-curriculum/resources/designing-parachutegrade-3-stillwater-mn.)
In the video, the overarching (engineering) problem that the children are
solving is to design a parachute. This engineering problem led them to
several questions that they could then investigate. The children in the video
test three variables: 1) Canopy material, 2) Canopy size, 3) Suspension line
length.
In each investigation, the children only change one variable. What variables
do they keep constant across all three investigations?
Your task is to lead a small group of children through the design of an
investigation to test at least one of the two variables, canopy size or
suspension line length. (Although the type of canopy material can also be
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Forces, Friction, and Facilitating Investigations
investigated, it requires getting different materials and could be more
difficult to do). Although you might do this activity in an elementary
classroom (that would be super), most likely you will work with children
outside the classroom at someone’s home. The payload on the parachute
should be at least 7 feet above the floor to get good results. In the Resources
listed below there is a video showing how to make an ‘arm extender’ so the
child can drop the parachute from a greater height.
Read through “Parachutes: Elementary School Activity” to give you
important background on the experiment that will done and the materials
that you will need to have available. When you actually work with the
children, you will each need to fill out your own Individual Instruction Form
that will guide what happens during your instruction. You should do the
final write up as an entire group. The final group report should be a summary
and synthesis of all the individual experiment forms. You may all do your
instruction together with a group of four or more children, or you may work
independently, each person working with a small group of at least two
children, or you may work in pairs, working with two or more children. [It
would not be a productive experience for either you or the child to do this
with a single child. The idea is for the children to collaborate with each other.]
In any case, your whole group needs to collaborate to compare your
experiences and write up the final report. The instructions for the group
report are provided in the separate document: ‘Instructions for Planning and
Submitting Experiment Activity.’
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Module TL Extension I
Learning Goals (NGSS)
We include learning goals for both Kindergarten (K-PS2-2) and third grade (3PS2-1, 3-PS2-2) as examples.
K-PS2-2 Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to
change the speed or direction of an object with a push or a pull.* [asterisks in the
NGSS indicate performance expectation related to engineering design]
3-PS2-1 Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of
balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
3-PS2-2 Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to
provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.
Disciplinary Core Ideas (Kindergarten)
 Pushes and pulls can have different strengths and directions (K-PS2-1) (KPS2-2).
 Pushing and pulling on an object can change the speed or direction of its
motion and can start or stop it (K-PS2-1) (K-PS2-2).
 A situation that people want to change or create can be approached as a
problem to be solved through engineering. Such problems may have many
acceptable solutions.
Disciplinary Core Ideas (3rd Grade)
 Each force acts on one particular object and has both strength and a
direction. An object at rest typically has multiple forces acting on it, but they
add to give a zero net force on the object. Forces that do not sum to zero
can cause changes in the object’s speed or direction of motion. (3-PS2-1).
 The patterns of an object’s motion in various situations can be observed and
measured. When that past motion exhibits a regular pattern, future motion
can be predicted from it. (3-PS2-2).
 A situation that people want to change or create can be approached as a
problem to be solved through engineering. Such problems may have many
acceptable solutions.
Practices
 Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering).
 Planning and carrying out investigations.
 Analyzing and interpreting data.
Science for the Teacher
Friction is a force that slows objects down. It is a result of the interaction between an
object and the tiny bumps and irregularities of the surface it travels on or between
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Forces, Friction, and Facilitating Investigations
the object and the fluid (e.g., air, water) that it travels through. The direction of the
force of friction is always opposite of the direction of the objects motion.
Related EiE videos:
http://www.eie.org/eie-curriculum/resources/slow-and-steady-wins-racegrade-3-stillwater-mn
http://www.eie.org/eie-curriculum/resources/designing-parachute-grade3-stillwater-mn
Activity Rationale: In this activity children will plan and carry out an investigation
to determine the effect of one variable on the speed of a parachute.
Suggested Materials:
To test canopy size (assumes three parachutes)
 3 identical “Payloads” (binder clips, washers or pennies taped together). Make
sure each parachute has the same payload.
 Twelve pieces of 24” long string (four pieces/parachute)
 Garbage bag plastic or tissue paper to cut out 3 different sized canopies with
scissors. [The largest canopy should be 14” – 16” in diameter, the smallest
should be 8”- 9” in diameter, and the third should be in between.]
 Tape and ruler
 Timer or stopwatch
To test extension line length (assumes three parachutes)
 3 identical “Payloads” (Binder clips, washers or pennies taped together. Make
sure each parachute has the same payload.)
 4 pieces of 10” long string
 4 pieces of 16” long string
 4 pieces of 24” long string
 Garbage bag plastic or tissue paper to cut out three identical sized canopies with
scissors (Canopy diameter should be between 14” and 16”.)
 Tape and rulers
 Timer or stopwatch
Ahead of your instruction you should construct one demonstration parachute
with a medium sized canopy and long extension line lengths (see above).
Resources: Videos showing how to construct a demonstration parachute,
how to create an arm extender (so the child can stand on the ground and still
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Module TL Extension I
release the parachute from 7 feet off the ground), and the procedure for
testing parachutes are available at:
http://www.eie.org/eiecurriculum/resources/listing?unit=2625&lesson=168&resourceType=189
Individual Instruction Form (IIF)
Your name ___________________________ Group # _____
Pseudonym(s) of children _____________________; Age ____ ; Grade _____
___________________; Age ______ ;
___________________; Age ______ ;
___________________; Age ______ ;
___________________; Age ______ ;
Grade _______
Grade _______
Grade _______
Grade _______
Engineering Design Problem
The engineering design problem for the students is to design a parachute that
will fall as slow as possible. They will be limited to the available materials
you provide. For older children (and if you have more time), you may want
to add the constraint that the parachute must fit into a specific size container
(e.g., a film canister).
Part 1: Asking questions
Begin by telling the students, “Your job is to design a parachute to help an object
land without breaking.”
Question: Do you think it would be better for the object to be traveling fast
or slowly when it lands on the surface?
Question: Why do you think so?”
What to expect: The students should decide that the object should be travelling
slowly. Their reasons may vary. Only provide help if needed.
(1) Record the students’ responses:
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Forces, Friction, and Facilitating Investigations
Next present a demonstration parachute (one that you have already
constructed as described above.) This should have a payload (binder clip,
washers tied together or pennies taped together), four strings, a circular
canopy and a piece of tape on top to act as a handle. Let the students look at
it, and then either you or one of the students can drop it (from a safe height)
to see it work.
Question: What things might you change about this parachute that might
affect the speed at which it falls, for example, making it fall more slowly or
more quickly? Why do you think so?
What to expect: The students may come to the conclusion that the size of the canopy
(diameter) will affect the speed. They may also suggest that the length of the string or
the material of the canopy may affect the speed or the weight of the load. Their reasons
will vary. Only provide help if needed.
(2) Record the students’ responses:
Help the students then write testable scientific questions for one or two of the
variables. One of the variables should include either canopy size or
suspension line length—or however the student calls them. For example,
“Does the size of the canopy affect the speed that the parachute falls?” Have
the student actually write down the testable question to be investigated.
You may want to use the sentence frame
If I change (variable) what will happen to (outcome)?
Question: What is the question(s) you will be actually investigating?
(3) Record the students’ testable question(s):
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Module TL Extension I
You may choose to point out at this time that the question of how to design a
parachute is an engineering design problem (a problem of how to best build
something) and that this engineering problem suggests scientific questions to
answer in order to make a better engineering design.
Part 2: Planning Investigations
Tell students that they will test one of their ideas. You can let them choose or
you can tell them which variable you are going to test. Just make sure you
have the materials necessary for them to do the test. If you are interviewing
more than three students, then you might divide them up and let each
subgroup explore a different question (in which case there should be two
testable questions).
Write the question(s) you will be testing on a large piece of paper so everyone
can see the question(s). Then ask the students about their ideas for planning
the investigation. It is important that they recognize that they must conduct a
fair test; that is, they should only plan to change only one variable at a time.
Try to probe them for this idea, but make suggestions ONLY if they seem to
have difficulty talking about it.
Question: How will you plan your investigation to answer the question? You
will be testing the _________ variable.
(4) Record any ideas the students have. You may want to record these
ideas on a white board or large piece of paper that all students can see.
Take a photo of these ideas so that you can refer to them later. If your
group is investigating more than one question, then ask each subgroup
separately.
Next you will ask them for ideas about what kind of data they should collect
and how they will record this data. They may decide to do a “parachute race”
by dropping three parachutes and seeing which falls the slowest. Or they may
decide to drop one at a time and time how long it takes to fall. If they decide to
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Forces, Friction, and Facilitating Investigations
time their parachutes, you may want to use one of the data tables at the end of
this activity. For older children, you may want them to calculate an average by
adding up each trial and dividing by the number of trials. You can use the
tables at the end of this form, or help the students create their own table
(especially if they drop two parachutes at a time and compare which is
faster/slower).
Question: Tell me about what kind of data you will collect and how you will
record it? [Clarify further as necessary.]
(5) Record any ideas the students have.
Part 3: Carrying Out Investigations and Drawing Conclusions
Students next need to prepare their parachutes. For each testable question
they will need three parachutes, each with the chosen variable having a
different value. They may or may not want to use the one you used as a
demonstration. The students can construct these or you can have them
already partly constructed (e.g. already have prepared three canopies of
different diameters, or different lengths of string for the extension lines).
Students should test their parachutes and, based on the data, decide how
changing the selected variable impacted the speed of the parachute. In each
trial they should make sure that the load (binder clip or whatever is used) is
always the same height above the ground, and the height should be at least 7
feet for best results (the higher, the better). Fill in the following.
(6) Describe what the student(s) actually did to carry out the
investigation. Indicate any problems that arose and how you helped
them if necessary. Do not let students stand on chairs or tables to drop
the parachutes, because they may fall. If it is best to drop the parachutes
from a table or chair, then you should do the actual dropping yourself
and let the student observe or measure the results. Or you can make an
‘arm extender’ to help the student if he/she stands on the ground
(instructions in the video in resources). [It would be best if you can find
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Module TL Extension I
an indoor stairs or balcony to conduct the experiment. The greater the
drop height, the better the results.]
(7) Have the student(s) record their data in some form (e.g., table). Then
they should do their analysis (e.g., taking averages if appropriate) and
draw a conclusion—that is, determine the answer to their testable
question. Describe what the students do and take a photo of the
finished table. Ask questions as appropriate (but list them here),
including how they drew their conclusion (from their evidence) and why
they think the results turned out that way (try to encourage them to use
some science ideas). Record those specific answers below.
Question: What can you conclude from your investigation? What is the
answer to your question, and how do you know?
Question: Why do you think that ____________ makes the parachute fall
more slowly (or more quickly or has no effect on how quickly the parachute
falls)? (Make it specific. For example, why did it fall more slowly with the
larger canopy size?) Can you draw me any diagrams to show why? [If they
draw diagrams, take photos.]
Part 4: Reflecting on Your Experience
Reflect on your instructional experience leading the students through the
investigation. If you did this with other students in your group, then clearly
indicate the different roles you had. Answer the following questions.
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(8) How did the investigation go? What seemed to go well (the successes),
and what seemed to be problematic (the challenges) in your leading the
students through the investigation?
(9) If you were to do this again, how would you improve the learning
experience for the student(s)? Why?
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Module TL Extension I
Sample Parachutes Data Table
Variable Tested: Diameter of Canopy
Diameter of canopy
Trial 1
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Time for fall (s)
Trial 2
Trial 3
Average
Forces, Friction, and Facilitating Investigations
Sample Parachutes Data Table
Variable Tested: Length of Strings
Length of Strings
Trial 1
Time for fall (s)
Trial 2
Trial 3
Average
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