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Next Generation State Standard(s):K-PS2-1: Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the e�ects of di�erent strengths or di�erent directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.

PS2.A: Forces and Motion • Pushes and pulls can have di�erent strengths and directions. • Pushing or pulling on an object can change the speed up or slow down more quickly.

Preschool Standard(s):• Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making. Children can explain some ways that technology can be used to solve problems. • Digital Citizenship. Children begin to understand how technology can be used appropriately or inappropriately.

ISTE Standard(s):5.c. Break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving. 5.d. Understand how automation works and use algorithmic thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated solutions.

Forces and Motion

Students will be able to predict and test the force and motion of Coding Critters™ pushing a variety of circular balls with di�erent weights and sizes.

Students will be able to explain their findings from the completed tests.

Force- Strength or energy caused by a physical action or movement. Motion- Process of moving or being moved.

Physicist- A job to understand the relationship between matter and energy in the universe.

- Circular objects of di�erent weights (i.e marbles, ping-pong ball, tennis ball, golf ball)- Coding Critters™ for pairs of students - Coding Critters™ Measuring device - Coding Critters™ storybook- Masking tape

Set up areas for students to push their di�erent objects with their Coding Critter™.

In these areas, teachers place a piece of masking tape down to indicate where the ball will be placed to then be pushed by the Coding Critter™ and a piece of masking tape where the Coding Critter™ will start. A recommendation of eight to twelve inch distance.

If you students are at a level to write down their data, make copies of the Forces and Motion worksheet.

Lesson PlanGrade:Pre-schoolKindergarten

Content Objective

Language Objective

Materials

Vocabulary

Preparation

Stem Career

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Make sure to walk around and talk with students. Discuss results after the tests are completed.

If applicable, make sure students refer to Forces and Motion worksheet.

What object will go the furthest? Why?

What ball went further?

Why do they feel this ball went further?

What can our tests tell us about forces on certain weights and sizes?

This activity will work best to reinforce the concepts of force and motion.

Share with students the task of testing how the Coding Critter™ will push di�erent circular objects and measuring their distance.

Introduce the circular objects to the students and discuss their weight and size. You can have students write down the objects and weights if they have the Forces and Motion worksheet.

Ask if the students have any guesses on what object will go the furthest and why.

You can create a tally on the whiteboard on how many students think a certain object will go the furthest (you can come back to this tally later to discuss).

Students are split into pairs and, if they are at the level of collecting data, need a Forces and Motion worksheet.

Students will place one di�erent ball at a time on the piece of tape and then code their critter to move into the ball.

If using the data sheet, students will use the measuring device to measure how far the ball was pushed.

If not using the data sheet, students will place down a piece of tape to where the ball stopped.

When walking around, talk with students about why they believe one ball may go further than another (think weight and size).

Once the tests are completed, bring the class back together for a discussion.

Teacher: “What did you see? What ball went further? Why do we feel that the ball went further? What can this tell us about forces on certain weights and sizes?”

Have students refer to their guesses before they began their testing.

Teacher: “What are the similarities? Di�erences? How can we change our testing?”

To wrap-up, read the Coding Critters™ storybook and ask students where in the book they can see examples of the motion push.

LessonQuestions to Guide Students

Check for Understanding