Little Scientists: Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein
Materials Needed
- Coloring page of Isaac Newton
- Coloring page of Albert Einstein
- Crayons, colored pencils, or washable markers
- Two small balls, such as a soft ball and a bouncy ball
- A toy car or small object that can roll
- A book or box to make a small ramp
- Paper and pencil
- Optional: a mirror, timer, or child-safe tablet for looking at pictures of space and scientists
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Name Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein.
- Tell one simple fact about each scientist.
- Describe that gravity pulls things down.
- Use colors, words, or drawings to show something learned about science.
- Make a prediction, observe what happens, and share the result.
Success Criteria
The child is successful when they can:
- Say, “Newton studied gravity,” or explain that gravity helps things fall down.
- Say, “Einstein studied space, time, and light,” using simple words.
- Complete both coloring pages and talk about at least one detail.
- Make and share a prediction during the rolling or dropping experiment.
Lesson Overview
Age: 4 years old
Length: 30–40 minutes, with flexible breaks
Big Idea: Scientists ask questions, observe the world, and learn how things work.
Introduction: Meet Two Scientists
Hook: The Falling Question
Hold up a ball and ask:
- “What do you think will happen if I let go?”
- “Will the ball go up, down, or stay in my hand?”
Let the child make a guess. Drop the ball safely and say:
“The ball fell down. A scientist named Isaac Newton thought carefully about why things fall. He studied gravity. Gravity is a pull that helps bring things down to the ground.”
Show the Isaac Newton coloring page and say:
“Today we will learn about Newton and another scientist named Albert Einstein. We will color, experiment, and think like scientists.”
Share the Learning Goals
Tell the child:
“We will learn two scientist names, find out one thing each scientist studied, and do a fun test with moving objects.”
Body: Learn, Practice, and Create
Part 1: I Do — Introduce Isaac Newton
Show the Isaac Newton coloring page. Point to the picture and say:
- “This is Isaac Newton.”
- “Newton studied gravity.”
- “Gravity is a pull. It pulls objects toward the ground.”
- “Newton also studied how things move.”
Demonstrate by gently dropping a ball.
Ask: “What did the ball do?”
Expected response: “It fell down.”
Quick Check: Ask the child to complete the sentence: “Gravity helps things go _____.” Support the child toward the word down.
Part 2: I Do — Introduce Albert Einstein
Show the Albert Einstein coloring page. Point to the picture and say:
- “This is Albert Einstein.”
- “Einstein asked big questions about space, time, light, and motion.”
- “He liked to think, wonder, and solve puzzles.”
- “Scientists can learn by asking questions and trying ideas.”
Invite the child to make a thoughtful face like Einstein. Say:
“When we wonder, ‘Why?’ or ‘How?’ we are thinking like scientists.”
Quick Check: Ask, “What do scientists do when they have a question?” Accept answers such as think, look, test, ask, or learn.
Part 3: We Do — Color and Talk
Give the child both coloring pages. Let the child choose which page to color first.
While coloring, use simple conversation prompts:
- “What colors would you like to use?”
- “What do you notice in this picture?”
- “What do you think Newton is thinking about?”
- “What question might Einstein ask?”
- “Can you draw a ball falling down near Newton?”
- “Can you draw stars, light, or a planet near Einstein?”
Encourage creativity. The child may color realistically or use imaginative colors.
Think-Pair-Share Option: The adult says one sentence about a scientist, and the child repeats or adds an idea:
- Adult: “Newton studied gravity.” Child: “Gravity makes things fall.”
- Adult: “Einstein asked questions.” Child: “I have a question about space.”
Part 4: We Do — Gravity and Motion Experiment
Place a book or box on the floor to make a small ramp. Put the toy car at the top.
Say:
“We are going to test how the car moves. First, make a guess. Do you think the car will roll faster on a high ramp or a low ramp?”
- Let the child choose a high or low ramp.
- Ask the child to predict what will happen.
- Release the car without pushing it.
- Watch where it goes.
- Try again with a different ramp height.
- Talk about what changed.
Use simple language:
“The car moved because it rolled down the ramp. We made a guess, tested it, and watched carefully. That is what scientists do.”
Safety Note: Use only soft or child-safe materials. Keep small objects away from young children who may put items in their mouths.
Part 5: You Do — Be a Young Scientist
Invite the child to choose one challenge:
Choice A: Drop Test
Choose two safe objects. Ask which one will reach the floor first. Drop them from the same height and observe.
Choice B: Ramp Test
Choose two toy cars or objects. Predict which will roll farther. Test them one at a time.
Choice C: Space Question Drawing
Draw something the child wonders about in space. The child may draw a rocket, star, moon, planet, or alien. Ask the child to explain the drawing.
Choice D: Scientist Role-Play
Let the child pretend to be Newton or Einstein. The child can wear a hat, hold a pencil, look through a pretend telescope, or ask a science question.
Use the simple science pattern:
- Ask: “What do you wonder?”
- Guess: “What do you think will happen?”
- Test: “Let’s try it.”
- Notice: “What happened?”
- Share: “Tell me what you found out.”
Formative Assessment During the Lesson
Listen for the child’s answers and observe whether the child can:
- Identify Newton and Einstein by name or picture.
- Explain that gravity makes objects fall down.
- Describe scientists as people who ask questions and test ideas.
- Make a prediction before an experiment.
- Tell what happened after the test.
Give specific feedback:
- “You made a prediction before we tested the car. That is scientific thinking.”
- “You noticed that the ball fell down. You observed carefully.”
- “You explained your drawing with many details.”
Summative Assessment: Show What You Know
Ask the child to complete as many of these prompts as possible:
- “Who studied gravity?”
- “What does gravity do?”
- “Who asked questions about space, time, and light?”
- “What do scientists do?”
- “What did you discover in our experiment?”
The child may answer by speaking, pointing, acting, drawing, or using a combination of methods.
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Recap
Review the two coloring pages and say:
- “Isaac Newton studied gravity. Gravity helps pull things down.”
- “Albert Einstein studied big ideas about space, time, light, and motion.”
- “Both scientists asked questions and worked to understand the world.”
Child-Friendly Exit Prompt
Ask the child to finish one sentence:
- “Today I learned that…”
- “A scientist can…”
- “My favorite experiment was…”
- “I wonder…”
Celebrate the child by saying:
“You asked questions, made a guess, tested an idea, and shared what you noticed. You were a young scientist today!”
Differentiation and Adaptations
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use short sentences and repeat the words Newton, Einstein, gravity, down, question, and test.
- Offer two choices instead of open-ended questions.
- Let the child point to pictures or demonstrate an answer instead of speaking.
- Color one page at a time and include movement breaks.
- Use hand-over-hand support only when needed and encourage independent choices.
For a Child Ready for More
- Invite the child to compare two experiments.
- Ask, “What could we change to make the car roll farther?”
- Have the child draw or dictate a simple science journal entry: “I predicted ____. I observed ____.”
- Explore shadows, light, magnets, or the Moon as follow-up topics.
Flexible Learning Formats
- Homeschool: Display the finished coloring pages in a science corner.
- Small group: Let children work in pairs, with one child predicting and the other observing.
- Digital option: Use a virtual whiteboard or document camera to show the coloring pages and record the child’s observations.
- Outdoor option: Drop a soft ball, roll a ball down a safe slope, and observe how it moves.