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Vicki Cobb gets kids out of their seats and trying out this simple experiment to demonstrate the concepts behind physics and simple machines. Simple! |
English/Language Arts
Explore lead sentences - challenging the reader
When a writer opens with an absolute word - everyone, no one, never, always - the reader feels compelled to respond. Have students comb their writing notebooks and choose a piece of their writing that might benefit from adding an absolute statement at the head. Have them try writing these for each others and for published pieces they find. Where do they work best? Where do they not work at all? Let them play with the form and learn from the results!
Explore procedural writing
When instructing readers how to execute an experiment, Author Cobb must utilize good procedural writing. Have students brainstorm a list of other tasks that might require procedural writing, then have them take a close read of this Minute so they can explain the tools Author Cobb used here. Have them explore other ways to successfully communicate procedures, and then let them try it out. One fun experiment is to have one student write directions to another part of the room or building and then let a second student attempt to follow the directions - literally. Students will quickly learn what works, and what does not, when writing procedures to follow.
STEM
Explore simple machines
Use this Minute to introduce or reinforce the concepts of simple machines to your students. Let them practice this experiment in your classroom and explain how simple machines are involved. Let students design their own experiments to demonstrate how their bodies can be be used as simple machines.
Research Skills
Explore games and videos for understanding
Science concepts often are best understood by watching videos that demonstrate the concepts, or by trying them out in game or experiment form. Try the Museum of Science & Industry (Chicago) Simple Machine Game, and do a search of simple machines on YouTube to find the best demonstrations.
Explore lead sentences - challenging the reader
When a writer opens with an absolute word - everyone, no one, never, always - the reader feels compelled to respond. Have students comb their writing notebooks and choose a piece of their writing that might benefit from adding an absolute statement at the head. Have them try writing these for each others and for published pieces they find. Where do they work best? Where do they not work at all? Let them play with the form and learn from the results!
Explore procedural writing
When instructing readers how to execute an experiment, Author Cobb must utilize good procedural writing. Have students brainstorm a list of other tasks that might require procedural writing, then have them take a close read of this Minute so they can explain the tools Author Cobb used here. Have them explore other ways to successfully communicate procedures, and then let them try it out. One fun experiment is to have one student write directions to another part of the room or building and then let a second student attempt to follow the directions - literally. Students will quickly learn what works, and what does not, when writing procedures to follow.
STEM
Explore simple machines
Use this Minute to introduce or reinforce the concepts of simple machines to your students. Let them practice this experiment in your classroom and explain how simple machines are involved. Let students design their own experiments to demonstrate how their bodies can be be used as simple machines.
Research Skills
Explore games and videos for understanding
Science concepts often are best understood by watching videos that demonstrate the concepts, or by trying them out in game or experiment form. Try the Museum of Science & Industry (Chicago) Simple Machine Game, and do a search of simple machines on YouTube to find the best demonstrations.
© Karen Sterling, 2018 - May be used for educational purposes without written permission
