Gravity and Motion

Build an argument with evidence: ramps, thrown balls, and roller coasters.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 55

Scientists back up a claim with evidence. Here's our claim: gravity affects how things move. Let's collect evidence!
Evidence one: a thrown ball doesn't fly straight forever. Gravity bends its path down to the ground.
Evidence two: cars roll faster down higher ramps, because gravity pulls them down a longer way.
Evidence three: a roller coaster. Gravity speeds it up going down and slows it down going up.
So the evidence supports the claim. Things that fall, roll, or fly all change their motion because of gravity.

Georgia Standards of Excellence in Science:

S4P3.b — Construct an argument to support the claim that gravitational force affects the motion of an object.