Objective
By the end of this lesson, the Grade 1 student will be able to understand the concept of friction using hot wheel cars.
Materials and Prep
- Hot wheel cars
- A smooth surface to race the cars on (e.g., a table or floor)
- A rough surface to race the cars on (e.g., a piece of sandpaper)
- A stopwatch or timer (optional)
No special knowledge or preparation is required for this lesson.
Activities
- Start by explaining to the student what friction is. Use simple language and provide examples they can relate to, such as rubbing their hands together or walking on different surfaces.
- Ask the student to predict which surface will make the hot wheel car go faster: the smooth surface or the rough surface. Encourage them to think about why they made that prediction.
- Set up a race between two hot wheel cars, one on the smooth surface and the other on the rough surface. Let the student observe and compare how fast each car goes.
- Discuss the results with the student. Ask them why they think one car went faster than the other. Guide them to understand that the rough surface creates more friction, which slows down the car.
- If you have a stopwatch or timer, you can repeat the experiment multiple times and time how long it takes each car to reach the finish line. This can add an element of fun and competition to the activity.
United States of America: Grade 1 Talking Points
- Friction is a force that happens when two things rub against each other.
- Friction can make things slow down or stop.
- Smooth surfaces have less friction, so things can move faster on them.
- Rough surfaces have more friction, so things can move slower on them.
- Hot wheel cars are a fun way to explore friction because they can move on different surfaces.