5th Grade Science: GRAVITY – NGSS 5-PS2-1 Aligned Lesson and STEM Project

5th Grade Science: GRAVITY – NGSS 5-PS2-1 Aligned Lesson and STEM Project

This lesson addresses NGSS Performance Expectation 5-PS2-1: Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.

This 5E lesson engages your students with an exciting video and PowerPoint, four gravity exploration activities, a close reading on gravity, Three gravity elaborations including a simple STEM project, and an Evaluation Essay.

The lesson draws students in with an exciting phenomena video on gravity. Students are not told what the lesson is about. Instead, they are asked to guess what the lesson is about while they watch a video showing various gravity related phenomena and mishaps.

Students will then use close reading, videos, hands-on experiments, worksheets and, if available, internet research to learn about gravity and its effects.

This lesson is a 5E lesson plan which also includes a STEM project. It also incorporates the National Research Council’s 3D learning process.

This unit is for 5th grade NGSS Performance Expectation 5-PS2-1. 5-PS2-1: Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.

This lesson uses the 5E Lesson Plan process

The 5E steps are:

Engage: Students watch a video and try to guess the subject of the lesson. They are then asked a series of questions to assess their current state of knowledge about gravity, mass, weight, and other gravity related phenomena.

Explore: Four Exploration activities are provided.

Exploration 1 – Sir Isaac Newton - Students watch a linked video and complete a worksheet. (Answer key included)

Exploration 2 – Students place figures around a picture of Earth, showing that down is always towards the center of the Earth. This activity does not use the internet.

Exploration 3 – Students complete a worksheet calculating their weight on different planets. (Does not use the internet)

Exploration 4 – Students use the internet to get information that the pull of gravity is related to mass of a planet.

Explain: Students will take time to explain what they have learned from the exploration activities they have completed.

A close reading passage is prpvided to reinforce the knowledge covered in the exploration segment. Questions on the reading are provided along with an answer key

Elaborate: Three Elaboration activities are provided.

Elaboration 1 is a hands-on activity where students are asked to color a picture Isaac Newton and the Apple Tree, and then to explain its importance in his gravitation theory.

Elaboration 2 is a hands-on activity where students are asked to label, color, and identify the planets. They are then asked to explain why the planets are round and then explain why the planets stay in their orbit around the sun.

Elaboration 3 is a STEM project where students build a simple device to show that gravity always pulls down.

Evaluation: Gravity 5-PS2-1 Evaluation

In line with NGSS 5-PS2-1, “Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down,” students are asked to write an essay supporting this argument.

They must support their arguments with facts, data, and evidence from the videos, gravity labs, and gravity reading. They are also encouraged to use as many of the vocabulary words as possible in their writing.

Detailed Teacher notes have been provided to cover all aspects of this unit and the Essay instructions.

This Product also supports the following Common Core Standards:

ELA/Literacy

RI.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI.5.7 Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

RI.5.9 Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

W.5.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

3-Dimensional Learning

This lesson also Incorporates the National Research Council’s 3-dimensional learning process. Details are provided in the teachers notes

Credits for Clipart

Presenter Media

Creative Clips Clipart by Kristen Walden https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Krista-Wallden

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Note: Next Generation Science Standards is a registered trademark of Achieve. Neither Achieve nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.”