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Objective: Children will explore the concept of gravity by observing and discussing how and why objects fall to the ground.
Materials:
-A variety of small objects (e.g., feather, paperclip, toy car, ball) (if outside, use natural object like leaves, sticks, and stones)
-A clear container filled with water
-A heavy object and a light object (e.g., a rock and a feather)
-A picture book about gravity (The Gravity Tree: The True Story of a Tree That Inspired the World)
Introduction:
-Begin by asking the children if they’ve ever dropped something and watched it fall to the ground.
-Show them a ball and ask, “What do you think will happen if I let go of this ball?” Let them predict.
Activity 1: Drop and Observe:
-One by one, drop different objects from the same height and let the children observe what happens.
-Ask guiding questions like:
—-“Did it fall fast or slow?”
—-“Did it go straight down or did it float?”
-After each drop, discuss their observations.
Activity 2: Floating and Sinking:
-Show the children the clear container filled with water.
-Drop a heavy object and a light object into the water.
-Ask, “What do you notice? Why do you think the objects behave differently in water?”
Discussion:
-Explain in simple terms that gravity is a force that pulls objects toward the ground.
-Read “The Gravity Tree: The True Story of a Tree That Inspired the World” to reinforce the concept with illustrations and stories.
Closing Activity:
-Let the children each choose an object to drop and describe what they think will happen and why.
-Encourage them to share their thoughts and discoveries with the group.
Wrap-Up:
-Ask, “What new thing did we learn today about why things fall down?”
-Recap the day’s activities and what they learned about gravity.
(PS – for those interested, link to the book: https://annacrowleyredding.com/books/the-gravity-tree-the-true-story-of-a-tree-that-inspired-the-world/)