Reply To: Module 1 – The Curious Minds/ESERO Framework

#209828
Profile photo ofmarymc21@gmail.comMary McNamara
Participant

    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/)

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