Lesson Plan Template

USC Upstate School of Education

Spring 2015
Pre-service Teacher: Ashley Klopper
Coop. Teacher: Mrs. Hollis/ Ms.
Vineyard

School: Lone Oak

Elementary

Grade Level: 5th

Subject: Science

Time:

Date: April 1, 2015

Lesson Title: Gravity: What is it?

Materials Newspaper, chair, 2 oranges, grape, computer, worksheets for each student, word search
sheet for each student, KWL charts for each student

Curriculum Standards Standard 5-5 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the nature of
force and motion. (Physical Science)
5-5.1 Illustrate the effects of force (including magnetism, gravity, and friction) on motion.

Instructional Strategies: Visual, Auditory, KWL, Lecture, Independent practice

Safety Requirements None

Lesson Objective Statement The fifth grade students will demonstrate an understanding of the
nature of force and motion in regards to gravity.
Essential Questions What is gravity and how does it work?

Engagement- Free Fall discrepant event. The teacher will have a random student come to the
front of the class and stand on a chair. The teacher will then hand the student 2 oranges, one for each
hand. The teacher will instruct the student to drop both oranges at the same time to see what happens.
Afterwards, the teacher will give the student an orange and a grape. The teacher will ask the students
what they think will happen when both are dropped at the same time. The teacher will then instruct the
student to drop the orange and the grape at the same time. The class will discuss what happens.

GBradley/LP Template

Page 1 of 2

Exploration Gravity (also called gravitation) is a natural phenomenon by which all physical
bodies attract each other. On Earth, gravity gives weight to physical objects employing a downward
force to keep them grounded.
In modern physics, gravity is most accurately described by the general theory of relativity (proposed by
Einstein) which describes gravity as a consequence of the curvature of space-time. For most
applications gravity is well approximated by Newton's law of universal gravitation, which postulates
that the gravitational force of two bodies of mass is directly proportional to the product of their masses
and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
Gravity
A pull that attracts objects to each other
This attraction is not noticeable unless one of the objects is very large, for example a planet, a
moon, or the sun.
The force of gravity between Earth and anything on it is extremely noticeable because the mass
of Earth is so large. The pull of Earths gravity makes any object fall to the ground.
As the moon goes around the Earth, its gravity pulls on Earth causing water in the oceans to
move toward the Moon.

Explanation Brain Pop video on gravity

https://www.brainpop.com/science/motionsforcesandtime/gravity/

Expansion The students will be given a word search puzzle to complete after the brain pop video
and the worksheet are completed. The students will see how many words they can find within the
puzzle.

Evaluation The students will be given a worksheet to fill out while watching the brain pop video
for the second time. The first time watching the students will be instructed to just listen and pay
attention. The students are expected to fill out the worksheet with 85% accuracy. The worksheet will be
used as an assessment.
Accommodations Early finishers will be able to draw and/or color examples of gravity. Students
who need assistance with word search and/or worksheet assessment will be placed with a higher level
student or the instructor.
Reference(s) https://www.brainpop.com/science/motionsforcesandtime/gravity/
http://www.puzzle-maker.com/cgi-bin/wswo.cgi

GBradley/LP Template

Page 2 of 2