What student—or teacher—can resist the chance to experiment with Velocity Radar Guns, Running Parachutes, Super Solar Racer Cars, and more? The 30 experiments in
Using Physical Science Gadgets and Gizmos, Grades 3–5, let your elementary school students explore a variety of phenomena involved with speed, friction and air resistance, gravity, air pressure, electricity, electric circuits, magnetism, and energy.
The authors say there are three good reasons to buy this book:
1. To improve your students’ thinking skills and problem-solving abilities.
2. To get easy-to-perform experiments that engage students in the topic.
3. To make your physics lessons waaaaay more cool.
The phenomenon-based learning (PBL) approach used by the authors—two Finnish teachers and a U.S. professor—is as educational as the experiments are attention-grabbing. Instead of putting the theory before the application, PBL encourages students to first experience how the gadgets work and then grow curious enough to find out why. Working in groups, students engage in the activities not as a task to be completed but as exploration and discovery using curiosity-piquing devices and doohickeys.
The idea is to motivate young scientists to go beyond simply memorizing science facts. Using
Physical Science Gadgets and Gizmos can help them learn broader concepts, useful thinking skills, and science and engineering practices (as defined by the
Next Generation Science Standards). And—thanks to those radar guns and race cars—both your students and you will have some serious fun.
For more information about hands-on materials for
Using Physical Science Gadgets and Gizmos, visit Arbor Scientific at
http://www.arborsci.com/nsta-es-kits
Table of Contents
About the Authors
An Introduction to Phenomenon-Based Learning
How to Use This Book
Learning Goals and Assessment
PBL in Finland
Authors’ Use of Gadgets and Gizmos
Safety Notes
References
Additional Resources
1 Speed
Speed Racer
Measuring Speed
Changing Speed
Web Resources
Relevant Standards
2 Friction and Air Resistance
Dragging the Block
Sliding the Puck
Is Running a Drag?
Web Resources
Relevant Standards
3 Gravity
Falling Balls
Propeller Puzzle
Balancing Bird
Web Resources
Relevant Standards
4 Air Pressure
Impressive Pressure
Pressure Power
Rocket!
Web Resourc
es
Relevant Standard
s
5 Electricity
Fun Fly Stick
Lightning Globe
Having a Ball
Web Resources
Relevant Standards
6 Electric Circuits
Snapping Circuits
Lighting a Lamp
Getting to Know the Switches
Learning Types of Connections
Exploring Conductivity
Measuring Electricity
Creating Voltage With a Simple Battery
Creating Voltage With a Hand Crank
Electric Circuits
Conductivity
Basic Units of Electricity
Snaptricity Setups for the Circuits in This Chapter
Web Resources
Relevant Standards
7 Magnetism
Bar Magnets
Magnetic Field
Magnetic Globe
Electromagnet
Web Resources
Relevant Standards
8 Energy
Solar Car
Melting Ice
Music Box
Hand Crank
Web Resources
Relevant Standards
Appendix: How to Order the Gadgets and Gizmos
Credits
Index