Patterns of Motion!
This week we wanted to investigate if motion can be repeated in a pattern over time and more importantly, can it be predicted? In order to determine if this is possible, students used a series of toys and materials to see if they could identify a pattern or motion. We used materials such as tops, washers, string, bouncy balls, bey blades, marbles, rubber poppers, paddle balls, spring toys and slinkies. The students manipulated each of the materials in several ways to see if they would in deed produce a repeated pattern of motion. They recorded all of their observations over a period of time.
They were able to determine that some objects do present a pattern of motion and can repeat this pattern until the object slows down and stops, whereas other objects do not have a pattern. For example if you tie a washer to a sting and lift and let it go, the washer will swing back and forth just like a pendulum in a grandfather clock. If you spin a top it will continue to rotate in circles until is slows down and falls over. Conversely if you roll a rock with pointy edges down a ramp it landed in different locations every time because the shape of the rock was not smooth or even (like a marble). The students did identify that rolling anything down a hill meant that the pattern of motion would be top to bottom.
Here are some of their data tables and observations:
