Topic: Physical Science – Physical Properties (Second Grade)
Root Question: What happens when something falls?
Science Standard and indicators: Science 2.3.1 Communicate observations about falling objects. Observe falling
objects and identify things that prevent them from reaching the ground. Communicate observations that similar objects of
varying masses fall at the same rate
Science Practices (from Standard 1): Science 1.1.1.c Conducting investigations: Observe, manipulate, measure,
describe.
Language objective: Speaking and Listening
Content Objective. In summative assessments, students
Standard 4 Tell a story or recount an experience
should be able to . . .
with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive
 Explain in writing the steps of the experiment and the results.
details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.
 Provide a plausible conclusion with evidence from the
Writing objective: 2 Write informative/
experiment and the texts used.
explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic,
 Recognize the variables in a scientific experiment and explain
use facts and definitions to develop points, and
what would happen if one of those was changed.
provide a concluding statement or section.
 Measure the distance an object is dropped or rolled and
Math objective: 2.MD.A Measure and estimate
accurately record that measurement.
lengths in standard units. Measure to determine
 Determine which objects hit the ground first when dropped
how much longer one object is than another,
together and hypothesize as to why this may happen.
expressing the length difference in terms of a
standard length unit. (We will be measuring
distance over time.)
Resources:
Wonders Unit 4 week 6: Alaska: A Special Place, Our Changing Earth, Into The Sea
Follett book: Gravity by Julie Murray
Different small objects to drop, paper box lids for teams, meter sticks for teams, two sizes of beanbags, rocks, and marbles
Recording sheet or journal page
4-6 foot low angle ramp, ruler as a starting gate, stop watch
The Lesson Plan
Teacher will:
1. Ask, “What do you know about gravity?” Write
student understanding on a mindmap or graphic
organizer.
2. Explain that students will be using materials
of different sizes and weights to test gravity.
Objects should include paper sheets, crumpled
paper, feathers, and cardboard.
3. Ask students to predict whether a larger object
such as the large beanbag will fall faster, slower,
or the same as the small beanbag. (Beanbags
don’t roll away.)
4. As students struggle with dropping objects at
exactly the same time and height, introduce the
idea of doing the experiment in “slow motion.” If
available, try recording a drop using slo-mo on a
cell phone or other video device. Then introduce
a shallowly sloped ramp.
5. Ask, “How did this experiment change your
thinking about gravity?” Have students write the
steps of the experiment in their journals along
with the outcome and a conclusion.
6. Project “Gravity” by Julie Murray and have
students read along.
Students will:
1. Students discuss with their classmates what gravity is and what it
does. Students begin to create a mindmap or graphic organizer about
gravity.
2. In teams, students investigate gravity by dropping small objects
into a paper box lid. Students discuss in their teams what they
observe and create a rule for how gravity acts on objects and what
other forces may be acting on the objects they have dropped.
Students write their understanding on the recording sheet.
3. Students predict what they think will happen when two similar
objects of different weights or sizes are dropped. They then try this to
determine if they were correct. Since this is often a hard thing for
kids to see, they may not be able to make a good determination.
4. Students place two marbles of the same size at the top of the ramp
behind the ruler. As the ruler is raised, the timer starts the stopwatch.
The marbles should roll slowly down the ramp. When they reach the
bottom, the timer stops the stopwatch and records the time. Did both
marbles reach the bottom at the same time? Now students try
marbles of different weights and sizes. Steel marbles, large marbles,
and plastic marbles can all be used.
5. Students add their understanding of how gravity works to their
mindmap or graphic organizer. Students write in their journals
telling the steps in the experiment with the ramp, their hypothesis,
and the outcome along with their conclusion about gravity.
J. Paul 2015
Science 1.3.1
6. Students review their understanding of gravity and compare it to
the text of the story. They continue to work on their mindmap using
information from the text.
Using Wonders:
1. Review the pictures in Alaska, Our Special
Place and the other two stories. Look for things
that are affected by gravity.
2. Have students use one of the pictures in their
Wonders Book as the summative assessment
piece. Prompt: How is gravity affecting this
object? What would happen to this object if
there was no gravity? What would happen if this
object were much larger or much smaller than it
is now?
1. Students discuss how the materials in the pictures are affected by
gravity. They review what they know about nonliving objects and how
they move. A force must act on the objects. They determine what
forces are acting on objects in the pictures.
2. Students select one picture in Wonders that shows an object falling
or moving because of gravity. They write a paragraph using the
picture, their mindmap and other material from their experiment,
and the story “Gravity” or other small readers about gravity to answer
the prompt.
In formative assessments I am looking
for:
Can students correctly order the steps of the
ramp experiment?
Can students determine that gravity acts on all
things equally?
Do students use appropriate materials
management when doing the experiment?
Are students engaged in productive science talk
with their team members?
In summative assessment students will:
Students answer the prompt using correct science words.
Students identify gravity as a force that acts on objects to pull them
toward Earth.
Students explain that if there was no gravity the objects in the
pictures would not move toward Earth (unless another force acted on
them)
Students describe gravity as acting on all objects the same, therefore,
no matter the mass of the object, they will fall at the same rate (unless
another force, such as air or friction, also acts on them).
J. Paul 2015
Science 1.3.1
Name____________________________
Gravity Experiments
We dropped
Result
My thinking
My conclusion: ___________________________________________________________
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We rolled
Result
My thinking
My conclusion:___________________________________________________________
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J. Paul 2015
Science 1.3.1
Name___________________________________
Assessment Prompt
Choose a picture from your Wonders Book. Use what you have found out about gravity. Answer the
questions. Tell how you know what will happen.
Prompt
1. How is gravity affecting this object?
2. What would happen to this object if there was no gravity?
3. What would happen if this object was bigger or smaller than it is now?
My picture is on page _____. It is a picture of ____________________________________.
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J. Paul 2015
Science 1.3.1