Knowledge is different than understanding. My students are mesmerized by a very small Newton's Cradle that I have in my classroom that I use for demos and discussion. Demos can give knowledge, but to truly understand students need to have materials in hand to experiment and problem-solve first hand.
My 6th and 8th grade students and I live in a small rural town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, just south of Lake Superior.
The best aspects of my middle school students are their natural curiosity and great sense of humor. They keep me smiling every day. I love how they come into class excited for what we are going to do next!
My Project
Students are mesmerized by Newton's Cradle. Adults are mesmerized by this simple contraption that so perfectly proves Newton's Laws of motion. The beauty of Newton's Cradle is that it takes a child's natural curiosity and turns it into learning. Students may have the knowledge of the laws of motion, but they may not truly understand what they mean. Having enough Newton's Cradles for children to work and experiment in small groups will turn knowledge into understanding. Students will be able to experiment with the fact that "every action has an equal and opposite reaction." They will be able to better visualize and grasp the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy. They will be able to witness energy transfer between moving objects. And the list goes on. This cradle also lends itself for a great way to introduce how we make hypotheses based upon previous knowledge and observations before experimenting.
Newton's Cradles do more than simply help children understand these important underlying principles of physics... they spark fascination and cause children to want to learn more.
As a science teacher, my number one goal is to have children fall in love with science so they want to learn more about the topics we cover or pursue a career in this amazing field of learning!
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