Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand basic physics concepts through hands-on activities using Lego.
Materials and Prep
- Lego bricks of various sizes and shapes
- A flat surface to build on
- A ruler
- A stopwatch or timer
No prior knowledge is required for this lesson.
Activities
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Build a tower using Lego bricks. Start with a single brick as the base, and add bricks on top to make it taller. Keep adding bricks until the tower collapses. Measure the height of the tower before it falls.
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Time how long it takes for a Lego car to roll down a ramp made out of Lego bricks. Experiment with different ramp heights and lengths to see how it affects the speed of the car.
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Create a Lego bridge and test its strength by placing small objects, such as coins or marbles, on top of it. Observe how many objects the bridge can hold before collapsing.
Second Grade Talking Points
- "Physics is the science that studies how things move and interact with each other."
- "Lego can be a great tool to learn about physics because we can build structures and test their strength."
- "When we build a tower with Lego bricks, the taller it gets, the more unstable it becomes. Eventually, it may not be able to support its own weight and collapse."
- "The height and length of a ramp can affect how fast a Lego car rolls down. The higher and longer the ramp, the faster the car will go."
- "Bridges need to be strong and sturdy to support the weight placed on them. We can test the strength of a Lego bridge by adding objects on top until it can no longer hold them."