Sandra Montgomery

Is it Potential or Kinetic energy?

Grade: 4
th

Time Allotted: 40 45 min.
Class Size: 30 students

Materials:
10 Meter sticks
10 golf balls
10 tennis balls
10 ping pong balls
10 Data sheet charts
30 rollercoaster chart
30 blue coloring pencils
30 red coloring pencils
3 different coloring pencils for each group
10 squares of different colored paper
Definitions to put up on the board

Teacher Preparation
Have a set of three squares out of ten colors; you will end up with 30 cards.
Have the colored pencils ready so all you have to do is pass it to the groups. Dont pick
any light colors, they are hard to see.
Tape the meter sticks to the wall. One per group.
Each group will get one golf ball, one tennis ball, and one ping pong ball.
Run off data sheet, one per group.
Run off graphing chart, one per student.
If there isnt enough space to do 10 groups, condense it and put more into a group. You
could see if you could use the gym if there isnt enough room.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxPQVGvKpWg&list=PL606BFC8169A8823F&inde
x=4













Overview

Students will learn what potential energy and kinetic energy is through an activity of dropping
balls from various heights. Students will drop each ball from the 40 cm, 70 cm, and 100 cm.
They students will line up the bottom of the balls at each mark. Then the students will measure
the height of the bounce from the bottom of the ball.

The students will also mark on a diagram of where the potential energy and kinetic energy is.

Potential energy is stored up energy. Potential energy will turn into kinetic energy once it is in
motion. Kinetic energy is energy an object has when in motion.
To make it easier for the students to see the measurements of the bounce of the ball, put a desk
up against the wall, and then place the meter stick on the wall. Make sure the bottom of the
meter stick is against the desk.

If you use journals, you can have the students cut and paste the information on the data sheets
into their journals. If you do this, then copy 30 data sheet pages, one per student.

Classroom Safety

Students should know that the only time that the balls are picked up from the table is when they
are using them for the activity they are doing. Otherwise, they need to be left on the table.

Content Area

Force & Motion: Physical Science Unifying Concept B
Energy: Physical Science Unifying Concept C

Science Achievement Indicators

P.5.B Students understand that forces can change the position and motion of an object.
P.5.C Students understand that energy exists in different forms.

Content objective:
Students will be able to demonstrate potential energy and kinetic energy.
Students will accurately observe potential energy and kinetic energy.
Students will be able to describe the difference between potential energy and kinetic
energy.

Key Vocabulary
Potential energy: the amount of stored energy an object has due to its position.
Kinetic energy: the type of energy an object has when it is in motion
Weight: the measure of the force of gravity on an object.
Gravity: a force that pulls objects toward each other.

Note: Introducing weight and gravity as vocabulary words, but will teach in next lesson.
Lesson Hook:

Show the video of the rollercoaster. Have them predict where the potential energy and kinetic
energy is on the rollercoaster.

Lesson Activity
Pass out the colored cards, the cards will determine the groups.
You each have a colored piece of paper; the cards determine who is in your group. Find
the students who have the same colored piece of paper as you do. NO switching cards.
Hold up one color and say, Whoever has the blue color card stand up and go sit there.
Have the students sit in their groups at the desks. Keep calling out the groups and
sending them to their stations.
Today we are going to learn about potential energy and kinetic energy. Have the
objectives up on the board and review them with the class.
Hold the ball in your hand, hold the ball out and say, Potential energy. Then when you
drop the ball say, Kinetic energy. Do this 2 3 times.
Pick up your pencil, show me potential energy. Now show me kinetic energy.
Pass out the Data Sheets and the colored pencils. Put the vocabulary words up on the
board and go through them. Have the students write down the definitions on their paper.
Turn to the charts. You have three colored pencils; color each square with the ball a
different color.
Look around the room; you will see that I have put up meter sticks. You are going to be
grouped in 3s. One person will drop the ball, one person will watch the rebound of the
ball, and one person will write down the measurements that have been said. You will
rotate positions so that you all will have the opportunity dropping the ball, measuring,
and recording the data.
The person who drops the ball will drop it from three different heights. The heights are:
40 cm, 70 cm, and 100 cm. You will place the bottom of the ball to the measurement of
the ruler and then drop the ball.
The person who is measuring the rebound will see how high the rebound goes, measuring
from the bottom.
You will have three balls at each station. You will drop each ball three times and
measure each rebound and record it on the data sheet.
Look at your data sheet; see how each ball has three drops? Show them on the data sheet.
Heres for the first drop, the second drop, and the third drop.
When you get done, sit down at the desks in your groups. It doesnt matter whose seat
you are in. Let them talk quietly amongst each other or read a book until everyone is
done.
You can now start.
When they are all back at the desks. Look at your data sheet where you put the
measurements of the balls dropping. There is a bigger box on the side. Now figure out
the average of each ball dropped. To do this you are going to add up each drop per ball,
then you are going to divide by the number of drops you did. Show them how to do it on
the board. Leave it up so they can have a visual to refer back to.
Remember how you colored each square with the name of the ball in it? You are going
to use the color of the ball to graph your results.
Take the average number you just figured out for each height and ball and graph it.
When you are done, set your pencils down and discuss with each other what you noticed
about the results of the graph and the bounce of the balls and the different heights that
you dropped them from.
When everyone is done then move on together.
You will see on your data sheet a picture of a ball bouncing. Take your blue coloring
pencil and circle the area with potential energy area and a square around the kinetic
energy area.
Place up on the board the same picture with the ball.
Where did you think is the potential energy? Have one student come up and place the
mark(s). Have them use a blue marker.
Where did you think is the kinetic energy? Have another student come up and place the
mark(s) of where the kinetic energy is.
When the ball is at the highest point and not in motion this is where it has potential
energy.
When the ball is falling and moving that is the kinetic energy. The ball has the most
kinetic energy when it is at the end.
Now does everyone agree with this? Point to the ball drawing.
Circle the potential energy and put a square around the kinetic energy. Do this with a red
marker.
Take your red coloring pencil, circle the potential energy and put a square around the
kinetic energy. If you already have them marked with the blue, still mark it to show that
it is correct.
Now that we understand what potential energy and kinetic energy is, lets go back to the
rollercoaster.
Pass out the picture of the rollercoaster. This is an individual assignment; I want you to
put a circle around the potential energy. I then want you to put a square around the
kinetic energy.
Put your assignment into the assignment box.

Assessment

As an informal assessment, go around the classroom and pay attention to the students
demonstrate the activity.

The rollercoaster on the data sheet will be their assessment on whether or not they understand the
concept of potential energy and kinetic energy.






Cross Curricular Extensions

Math: Use of the metric system. The students will find the mean, median, and the mode of each
ball. Use of graphs.

Geography: Locations of where they would find rollercoasters.

Language Arts: The students will write a report about rollercoasters, where some are located,
how much it costs, where they would like to go and why.





































Names of group members

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

Potential and Kinetic Data Sheet

Definitions

Potential energy: _______________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Kinetic energy: ________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________


Charts

Ping Pong Ball
Measurements
Work area for figuring average
100 cm 70 cm 40 cm
1st drop

2
nd
drop

3
rd
drop


Average Total





Golf Ball
Measurements
Work area for figuring average
100 cm 70 cm 40 cm
1st drop

2
nd
drop

3
rd
drop


Average Total







Tennis Ball
Measurements
Work area for figuring average
100 cm 70 cm 40 cm
1st drop

2
nd
drop

3
rd
drop


Average Total






















































Definitions

Potential energy: The amount of stored energy an object has due to its position.


Kinetic energy: The type of energy an object has when it is in motion.


Weight: The measure of the force of gravity on an object.


Gravity: A force that pulls objects toward each other.