Fun with Force & Motion

We've just finished up our physical science unit on force and motion and it’s been a while since I've posted so I thought I’d pop in and write a quick update. As you can imagine, we are up to our ears in end-of-year assessments, tests, rehearsals, and classroom clean up. With so many things on the to-do list, it was difficult to get through all of the physics that we’d planned, but we made it.

In my online quest for fun experiments to supplement my unit, I came across this wonderful comprehensive physics packet. Got to love freebie shares online, right? Anyway, this thing is full of goodies including one of my favorites, the balloon rocket race. Last year, I did this one during St. Paddy’s Day with little leprechauns and they LOVED it, so it was nice to be able to tie it in to our science theme this go round.

All you need for this activity are balloons, string, straws, and a bit of tape. Here’s how it works:

• Find a start line in your classroom (about 8 feet from the wall).
• Measure one piece of string (I used fishing line) and tape the end to the wall.
• Give each student one piece of string, a balloon, and a small piece of straw.
• After the balloon is blown up, tape the small straw to the side and feed the string through it.
• Hold the balloon tight to not let the air out and grab the string with the other hand.
• Once everyone has a fully inflated balloon and a grip on their string, start the countdown and remind them to hang on to the string as they release the balloon.

If you want to turn it into a little competition, have the winners from each round go on to the finale.

If you have any other super fun experiments to share, leave a comment for me so I can add it to my list. Thanks and have a great week!