Fourth Grade Activity for International Dot Day
International Dot Day, celebrated on September 15th, is a global event that encourages creativity, courage, and collaboration. Inspired by Peter H. Reynolds' book The Dot, this day is all about making your mark and exploring where your creativity can take you.
In The Dot, a young girl named Vashti discovers her artistic potential when she starts with a simple dot on a piece of paper. This act of bravery leads her on a journey of creativity and self-expression. International Dot Day inspires children and adults alike to embrace their creativity and share their unique talents with the world.
For fourth graders, International Dot Day offers a fantastic opportunity to combine creativity with hands-on STEM learning through the Wrecking Ball STEM Challenge.
In this activity, students will explore the concepts of force and momentum by testing how the height from which a wrecking ball is dropped affects the number of blocks it can knock over. This activity not only ties into the themes of exploration and discovery found in The Dot but also introduces students to important scientific principles in a fun and engaging way.
Materials Needed
String
Tape
Paper towel rolls
2 rulers
A ball (such as a tennis ball or small rubber ball)
Blocks (such as building blocks or toy blocks)
Pencils and science journals
Steps for the Science Investigation
Read Aloud: Start by reading The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds to the class. Discuss the themes of creativity, experimentation, and discovery. Explain that today, just like Vashti, students will explore and discover something new through a hands-on experiment. Introduce the concept of force and momentum, and how they relate to the motion of objects.
Formulate a Hypothesis: Have students predict how the height from which a wrecking ball is dropped will affect the number of blocks it can knock over. Encourage them to record their predictions in their science journals.
Conduct the Experiment:
Build the Wrecking Ball: Before class, set up the wrecking ball for each group. Tie and tape the string around the ball and attach it to a ruler. Ensure all strings are the same length.
Set Up the Test Area: Secure two paper towel rolls to the table with tape, and place the ruler with the attached wrecking ball across the top, ensuring the ball is centered between the rolls. Arrange the blocks in a small stack in the designated area as the target for the wrecking ball.
Test the Wrecking Ball: Begin by holding the string at the top of the paper towel roll and measuring the starting height using a ruler or measuring tape. Start with a low height of 4 inches, release the ball, and observe how many blocks are knocked over. Record the results and repeat this process three times.
Repeat with Different Heights: Change the height to 8 inches and 12 inches, repeating the same process and recording the results for each height.
Analyze the Results: After completing the tests, count and compare the number of blocks knocked over at each height. Discuss which height was most effective at knocking over the blocks and why. Consider the concepts of force and momentum in the discussion.
Conclusion: Reflect on whether the hypothesis was correct. Did a greater height result in more blocks being knocked over? Discuss the scientific principles that explain the results, and encourage students to think about how they might refine their experiment in the future.
Simplifying Your Planning Process
The STEM Teachers Club Membership not only provides high-quality lesson plans but also offers a structured approach to implementing them. With weekly themes and suggested read-alouds, you can easily integrate STEM into your daily schedule. The detailed planning samples and customizable templates help you stay organized and ensure that your STEM activities are aligned with educational standards.
New Membership resources now include editable Canva Slides! We also host monthly STEM planning parties to help you plan your K-5 STEM lessons.
Watch the replay from our September STEM Planning Party here!
While this resource is available on Teachers Pay Teachers, the Carly and Adam STEM Teachers Club Membership offers the best value for educators. With this membership, teachers gain unlimited access to Carly and Adam's extensive library of STEM resources, including ready-to-use lesson plans, activities, and challenges like the International Dot Day STEM activity.
The membership is flexible, allowing educators to download as many resources as needed and cancel anytime without any hassle. This makes it a cost-effective solution for teachers looking to continuously inspire their students with high-quality, creative STEM activities. Don't miss out on the opportunity to enrich your classroom—join the STEM Teachers Club today and take your teaching to the next level!
*This resource can also be purchased on Teachers Pay Teachers, but the STEM Teachers Club Membership is the Best Deal.
Have more questions or need additional resources?
You can get all 500+ STEM Challenges by Carly and Adam as part of the STEM Teachers Club Membership. Save $5 on your first month using coupon Code: CarlyAndAdamBlog.
We hope you have found this blog post helpful. To stay connected with Carly and Adam's teaching tips and classroom freebies be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and subscribe to our blog!