Remember that the lesson plans are found on the grade 2 page.

Lesson 1

Introduction

Lesson 2

Position

To start today we reviewed the concept of movement, and then looked at "position."  We learned about position by making a list of position words (in, on, under, etc).  Using this list of words, we each took a wooden block and played "Simon Says."  Simon says hold the block above your head, Simon says step over the block.  From there we did a worksheet to look closer at our position words.

Worksheet               Answers

Lesson 3

Moving objects

We travelled out to the park today to look at things that were moving.  We noticed that most things were not moving, but we could make them move.  We had the chance to play on the playground, in the name of science of course, meanwhile we noted all of the ways we were moving and the ways the things around us were moving.  When we got back inside we documented our findings

Worksheet

Lesson 4

Bouncing Balls 1 - Set-up

Today was the start of four lessons of experiments.  We started class by looking at a tennis ball, a golf ball and a sponge ball.  We compared and contrasted them.  We also discussed how they move and were asked "Will they all bounce the same?"  This was the purpose of our experiment, we were to compare the bounce of each of the balls.  After discussing the experiment, we started writing out the information about the experiment.  We learned about the "scientific method," which is a way scientist document their experiment.  As a class, we went through each step of the scientific method, and wrote out the experiment together.  This set us up to do the experiment next class.

Worksheet               Answers

Lesson 5

Bouncing Balls 1 - Experiment

We quickly recapped the experiment we were to do today and then we paired up to perform our procedure.  As we did the experiment we made sure that we got a lot of practise before recording our results (this was to eliminate as much "human error" as possible).  After completing the experiment we documented out answers and completed the observation and discussion sections of our lab report.  Again, this part was done as a class.

Lesson 6

Bouncing Balls 2 - Set-up

It was time to start our second ball dropping experiment.  This time we were not looking at three different balls, we were dropping the same ball on three different surfaces.  For our last experiment we did all of the work as a class, discussing each section and recording identical answers.  This time we were to do the work on our own, however we were strongly encouraged to use our first lab report as a template to write the information for our second lab report.  Our goal today was to write out the Purpose, our Hypothesis, the Equipment and the Procedure for this second experiment, which would allow us to perform the experiment next class.

Worksheet               Answers

Lesson 7

Bouncing Balls 2 - Experiment

With our lab report all set-up we were free to perform our second ball drop experiment.  We worked with a partner to get our results, and then we sat down to record our observations and discussion.  Again we were encouraged to use our first lab report as an example to help us complete this one.

Quiz - We will be having a quiz at the start of lesson 10.  Today a note went home with all of the quiz questions.  Make sure you study.

Review

Lesson 8

Making an Object Move

When we came into class we were handed a bucket with a variety of objects in it.  Each of us was given a wooden block and asked to discover different ways we could make the block move.  We were then to explore the objects in the bucket to see how we could use them to help make the block move.  At the end of class we discussed our discoveries as a class.

Lesson 9

Quiz

Today we wrote our quiz.  The quiz took most of the period, but any left over time was used to get caught up on any incomplete work.

Lesson 10

Coin Slide Set-up

Next class we will be doing an experiment.  However, there is a bit of setup necessary, so we used today's lesson to prepare our supplies, and to practise before performing the activity.  The activity is explained on today's worksheet.

Worksheet               Answers

Lesson 11

Coin Slide Experiment

Our coins had dried over night, and now we were ready to test them.  We used today's period to perform our coin slide activity and document it on our worksheet.

Lesson 12

Tools

Today in class we looked at a variety of tools.  We had the opportunity to "play" with the tools, experimenting to see how they work.  In doing so, we discussed with our peers why we would use the tools, and how they would be used.  We then discussed these ideas as a class.  Once complete we wrote down some information about some of the tools we found most interesting.

Worksheet

Lesson 13

Simple Machines

We did our lesson backwards today.  To start class we were handed a worksheet and told to complete it.  Once it was complete we were told that we have just learned about the six simple machines.  As a class we discussed each of the machines, one at a time, and looked at some example.  We then talked about the fact that our penny slide experiment took advantage of one of these simple machines - an inclined plane.

Worksheet               Answers

Lesson 14

Levers

Did you know that each of us can lift up our teacher?  Well, we learned that by using a lever you (the effort) can lift something really heavy (the load).  After reviewing what a lever is (a bar or rod that rotates on a "fulcrum" and is used to lift or move something), we got to see an example of this by using a ruler as a lever.  We then talked about he three different types of levers:  A class 1 lever has the fulcrum between the load and the effort, like a teeter-totter.  A class 2 lever has the load between the effort and the fulcrum, a wheelbarrow is an example of a class 2 lever.  A class 3 lever, such as a hockey stick, has the effort between the load and the fulcrum.

Worksheet               Answers

Lesson 15

Wedges / Pulleys

Today we covered two more simple machines.  The first we talked about was a wedge.  We looked at a knife, and it was pointed out that the cutting surface was very thin, but the back end was thicker, and this is how it cuts.  We reviewed the concept of a wedge being something that starts our thick at one edge and gets thin at the other, and is used to split or separate things.  We then talked about pulleys, which is a grooved wheel that has a rope or chain pass over it.  We got to see a pulley in action, and found out that pulleys are difficult to set up.  After we finished with the example we did a worksheet that helped reinforce the ideas of both wedges and pulleys.

Wedges Worksheet               Wedges Answers

Pulleys Worksheet               Pulleys Answers

Lesson 16

Screw / Wheel and Axle

Similar to last lesson, today we talked about two more, the last two, simple machines.  Most us us know that a screw is something that is used to hold pieces of wood together, but today we discussed that fact that that is not the only type of screw.  A screw is anything that has "threads", which is a ridge that winds around in a spiral.  We then talked about one of the greatest inventions of all time, the wheel and axle.  Wheel and axles make it much easier to move things, and allow us to carry extremely heavy loads.  We learned, though, that both are needed or it does not work.  A wheel alone can not carry anything.

Screw Worksheet               Screw Answers

Wheel & Axle Worksheet               Wheel & Axle Answers

Lesson 17

Simple Machines Booklet

Now that we are done learning about the six simple machines, we are going to show what we know.  Today we received a booklet, and inside it had a page for each of the simple machines, as well as a discussion question at the back.  Each of the simple machine pages had two questions, "What is a ____?" and "How does it make things easier for us?"  Then, at the bottom it had a place for us to put three example pictures for that simple machine (which we cut out from a page we were given).  We used all of our notes to start filling in the booklet.  This lesson took us three class periods to complete.  Note:  If you choose to print the booklet it is designed to be double sided, but you need to flip the papers so that everything lines up when you fold the booklet in half.  The answers can be printed as is.

Booklet               Cut-Outs               Answers

We are nearing the end of our unit, so during our last booklet work period we were given our review sheet for our test next week.  The review sheet contained the main concepts for the test, as well as the exact questions for half of the test.

Review

Lesson 18

Mechanisms

For our last new bit of learning for this unit we discussed mechanisms.  Mechanisms are things that take advantage of multiple simple machines.  The example we started with was a bicycle.  A bike has a wheel and axle, that is turned by a pulley (the gears), which is turned by a lever (the pedals), which are held in place by screws.  Then, as a class, we sat down with pictures of several other mechanisms and discussed the simple machines they contained, as well as how the mechanisms helped us.

Pictures

Lesson 19

Review

We used today's period to review for our test next class.  The test was used to make questions for a series of games to help us study.  The first game we played was a true/false game.  We were read a sentence and then had to move to a "T" sign, or a "F" sign.  We then had to explain why we went there.  The next game was to work on simple machines.  We were given six cards with each of the simple machines on them.  We were then read an object or a definition.  Once we knew what the answer was, we held up the proper card.  We later worked in small groups to answer some discussion questions, each of which we talked about in our group, then as a class.

Practise Questions

Lesson 20

Test

Today we wrote out unit test on movement and Simple Machines.