Objective
By the end of this lesson, Elisabeth will understand the concept of kinetic energy through hands-on activities with marble mazes.
Materials and Prep
- Marbles
- Cardboard
- Scissors
- Tape
- Ruler
No prior knowledge required, just be ready to have some fun!
Activities
- Create a simple maze using cardboard and tape. Roll marbles through the maze to observe how they move.
- Experiment with different ramp heights to see how it affects the speed of the marbles.
- Add obstacles in the maze to understand how they can change the direction of the marbles.
- Challenge yourself to create a maze that allows the marble to reach the end with the most speed.
Talking Points
- Marbles are small round balls that can roll and move when we push them. Let's see how they move in our maze.
- When we give the marbles a push by letting them go down a ramp, they start moving fast because they have energy. Just like when you slide down a slide at the playground!
- Obstacles like blocks or curves can make the marbles change their path. It's like when you have to go around a tree during a race.
- By making the ramp higher or lower, we can see how it changes the speed of the marbles. Higher ramps make the marbles go faster!
- Remember, the faster the marble moves, the more energy it has. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and our marbles sure have a lot of it!