One of the simplest scientific unit studies can be based on the principle of gravity. It can involve students from kindergarten to the highest grade. Here is a set of activities and projects that you can undertake with your homeschool students using gravity.
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Land an Egg on the Ground
Challenge the children to make an egg land on the ground without breaking. Get them make protection devices for the egg to beat gravity. Either reduce the speed of the egg as it hurtles down from the window to the ground. Or make it well padded so that it manages to escape without getting cracked from the exercise. Allow them to come up with as many ideas as they like and then have them implement the more viable ones.
Think Quest – From Apples to Orbits
On this website you have a section that explains the concept of gravity, then another one speaks of the history of discovering it. Once the concept is clear you can move on to effects of gravity, both small scale and large scale. Once the students understand how gravity affects us, you can move on to the Grav Lab for gravity related activities that they can perform.
Replicate Galileo’s Experiment in a Closed Room
It may be difficult to have a feather and a coin float down at the same pace outdoors, but if you can set it up indoors it may work just fine. Use a ladder or climb up on the dining table to get to a good height and shut all the doors and windows to eliminate wind from any other source. Let the children repeat the experiment as often as they like and record the data.
Kinetic City
Here your homeschool students can play Gravity Launch and try and launch a space ship off the Earth, in a simulated game. They will learn concepts such as using thrust at the right angle to ensure a good launch. Eventually they will learn to not fight gravity but use it as a friend and launch the ship successfully with less trial and error. Through the game the children will be able to get a good understanding of how to use gravity positively.
Article Inspiration: About Homeschooling
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