Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to hammer cheerios and understand the concept of force and motion.

Materials and Prep

• Cheerios
• Toy hammer
• Hard surface (e.g., table or floor)

Make sure the area is clear of any obstacles or breakable items. Ensure adult supervision throughout the activity.

Activities

• Activity 1: Cheerio Hammering

Place a cheerio on the hard surface and demonstrate how to use the toy hammer to gently tap the cheerio. Encourage the student to try hammering the cheerio themselves, aiming to flatten it without breaking it.

• Activity 2: Cheerio Race

Set up a starting line and a finish line using tape or markers. Place a few cheerios at the starting line. Encourage the student to use the toy hammer to hit the cheerios, sending them rolling towards the finish line. See how many cheerios they can get across the finish line.

• Activity 3: Cheerio Patterns

Arrange a few cheerios in different patterns on the hard surface. Ask the student to observe the patterns and then use the toy hammer to recreate the patterns by hammering the cheerios in the same order.

Talking Points

• When we hammer the cheerios, we are using force. Can you say "force"?
• Force is a push or a pull. When we hit the cheerio with the hammer, we are applying force to make it move.
• When we hammer the cheerio gently, it gets flattened. Can you say "flattened"?
• When we hit the cheerio harder, it may break into pieces. We need to be careful and use just the right amount of force.
• In the cheerio race, we are using force to make the cheerios move. Can you say "motion"?
• Can you think of other things we can hammer? We use hammers to build things like houses and furniture.
• Hammering the cheerios in different patterns helps us learn about shapes and patterns.