Balance, Force, and Motion

Balance, Force, and Motion

Unit: Balance, Force, and Motion

1^st Grade

Big Idea: Weight, balancing, counterweight, force, motion

Focus Question: How can I make things balance? How can we balance our crayfish?

Hypothesis/Prediction:

-       If both sides of our crayfish are equal weight then we will be able to balance the crayfish.

-       If the crayfish is not balanced with the weights, then I can add weights to the side that is lighter.

-       If I add weights to one end then the balance point will be closer to the weights.

-       If one side is heavier than the other than it will not be able to be balanced.

Materials:

-       paper crayfish

-       gym clips

-       clothespins

Planning:

            We began by playing with our crayfish. We added weights to the crayfish wherever we wanted to. We began with gym clips and recorded our observations and then we used clothespins as weights. We used the weights on the crayfish in three different ways.

Data:

Crayfish
How many weights?	Where at?	Balance point
2 gym clips	On tail	Closer to tail
No gym clips		Closer to claws
2 clothespins	1 on each claw	Nose
2 clothespins	Side of tail	On clothespin

            The crayfish is balanced without any weights if my finger or the balance point is closer to the claws. If there is one or two gym clips on the tail then the balance point is in the middle. As we add gym clips to the tail the balance point moves closer to the tail. Now, when we tried to balance the crayfish on his nose, it didn’t work with any weight on the tail. However, if we add equal weight to each claw, the crayfish can stand on its nose. We wanted to balance the crayfish by the arch. We had to add weight to the tail.

Claims/Evidence:

            Our crayfish was balanced as long as both sides of the balanced point were equal weights.

Conclusion/Reflection:

            Weights must be equal to balance. If one side is heavier, then the balance point will be closer to the heavier side. The clothespins work like weights, specifically counterweights. I wonder if we taped weights, like washers, to the crayfish if the same would prove true.