March 26, 2019 Physics is Fun!: Simple Machines

Our focus today was on the simple machines:  wedges, ramps and inclined planes.  We used a wedge and a pair of scissors to cut play dough.  We used a ramp to move a heavy basket full of water bottles onto a shelf.  We moved an egg down a ramp very slowly to understand that the slope of a ramp affects the speed at which something moves.  We made an art project with screws and screw drivers.  And we played with cars and ramps to end our day.  Hard to believe that a wedge, a ramp and an inclined plane can be so much fun! (Pictures will be posted soon - having technical difficulty.)

March 19, 2019 Physics is Fun!: Lesson 1 Fun With Forces

Today we had fun  with forces!  We learned that a force involves a push or a pull.  It takes a  big force to move heavy things like the a basket with a concrete block in it.  (Good thing the students all had strong muscles! :) When you use a big force such as from a vacum,  light things like pompoms,  move fast!   Playing with parachutes taught us about gravity, a force that pulls things to the ground and drag,  a force that pushes back against gravity.  And our final activity -stomp rockets- had us use the force of air pressure to counteract gravity.  Lots of concepts - lots of fun!  Pictures are below.