Lesson overview

The context of the lesson is a practical investigation to discover how shape and surface area affect the speed at which a submersible descends. Students develop their understanding of forces, surface area, and fair testing.

Learning outcomes

• Understand gravity as a force
• Consider how forces affect submersibles
• Investigate how shape affects speed
• Predict and test with accuracy
• Describe how forces affect submersibles

Lesson step

1. Forces mini quiz (15 mins)
   Students take a forces mini quiz in groups to assess their level of understanding and open a discussion about gravity.
2. Virtual submarine dive (10 mins)
   Students take a virtual submarine dive and consider how forces might impact on submersible design.
3. Shape investigation (20 mins)
   Using modelling clay students investigate how a variety of shapes move at different speeds through water. Making predictions, students test different shapes and measure speed ensuring it is a fair test.
4. Understanding water resistance (15 mins)
   Students describe why shapes move at different speeds using scientific vocabulary to explain their findings.

England

Science Key Stage 2

Forces

• Explain the effects of gravity
• Identify the effects of water resistance

Working Scientifically

• Ask relevant questions and use different types of scientific enquiry
• Set up simple practical enquiries, comparisons and fair tests
• Make systematic and careful observations and take measurements
• Report on findings from enquiries
• Use results to draw simple conclusions, suggest improvements and raise further questions

USA

• Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
  5-PS2-1. Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.
  
  
• Engineering Design
  3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
  3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
  3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.