N OW I N T H E AT E R S

T H E G R AV I T Y O F I T A L L
OVERVIEW

AUTHOR INFO

Description:

Shannon N. Tabaldo

Explore gravity on Earth and hypothesize about gravity on other planets.

Twitter: @TabaldoOnTech

Standards Met:

Google+: +ShannonTabaldoLMU

NGSS - MS-ESS1-2:

CCSS/Math - 6.RP.A.1:

Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions
within galaxies and the solar system.

Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a

ratio relationship between two quantities.

NGSS - MS-ESS1-3:

CCSS/Math - 7.RP.A.2 :

Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in

the solar system.

Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities.

CCSS/Math - 6.EE.B.6:

CCSS/ELA - RST.6-8.1:
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and
technical texts.

CCSS/ELA - RST.6-8.7:
Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in
a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a
flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).

Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving

a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can
represent an unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand,
any number in a specified set.

CCSS/Math - 7.EE.B.6:
Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical
problem, and construct simple equations and inequalities to solve
problems by reasoning about the quantities.

CCSS/ELA - SL.8.5:
Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify
information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

P R E PA R AT I O N
Ages/Grades:

Grades 6-8

Objective(s) covered:

Collaboration
Creation
Critical thinking

Materials:

Tablet computer
Tape measure
5 sheet of butcher paper
Scotch tape
Marker
2 solid objects of different size/weight
(set for each group) ex: a rock and book

Google Apps (spreadsheets, docs

& presentations)
Website: Exploratorium:
Your Weight on Other Worlds
Website: NASA Planetary Ratios

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Time needed:

(2) - 55 minute class periods

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION
Opening:

This activity should be given as a follow-up to a lesson introducing gravity and

acceleration, and post Interstellar movie experience.
The movie Interstellar referenced the astronauts weight on other planets. The activity
will be to find acceleration due to gravity on earth and then predict weight on other
planets.
Students will work in groups and collect data on Google Sheets. The groups will form a
hypothesis about the gravity on other planets and individually write about it using data
to justify their position. There will be a final collaboration of Google Slides presentation
of each groups findings.

Activity:

Activity #1 (Day 1)
Step 1: Students will be broken up in to groups of 3 or 4 and assigned roles (videographer,
recorder, dropper and project manager). Each group is given 2 items, butcher paper,
marker, tape measure and a tablet to record slow motion video of the falling objects.
Step 2: Group uses Google Docs to make a hypothesis about which item will fall faster.
(consensus) Project manager (or recorder if there is no PM) will record this. The PM (or
recorder) will also make sure the group stays on task and meets the deadlines.
Step 3: Groups will measure 4 feet from the bottom of the butcher paper and mark it with
the marker. They will then tape the butcher paper on the wall with the bottom at the floor.
Step 4: Groups will then have the dropper drop each item from the 4 mark, 4 times
while the videographer records it using the appropriate app.
Step 5: The team will analyze the slow-motion video for the time each item took falling
from the 4 mark to hit the floor. The recorder will record each of the eight drops in
Google sheets.
Step 6: Students will calculate the mean of the fall time for each item and record it on
their Groups slide in the class Google Presentation, with a clip of their video.
Step 7: Students will use the formula g= 2h/t2 to find gravity (where g=gravity, h=height
and t=time). Since gravity is usually measured in m/s2, (9.806) the students should get
32.174/s2 as the we are using feet as our height.

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Activity #2 (Day 2)
Step 1: Using the exploratorium.edu and the Planetary Fact Sheet - Ratio to
Earth Values websites, students will examine the ratios of gravity on other
planets in our solar system.
Step 2: (option #1) Using the data collected about gravity from the group
activity, and the data presented in the Planetary Fact Sheet and from the
exploratorium website, individual students will revisit their groups original
hypothesis about which item would fall faster and write if they were correct or
not and justify their findings using the supporting data and findings. Students
will predict what other factors influence the gravity on other planets.
Step 3: (option #2) In the movie Interstellar, the astronauts visited other planets
where the gravitational pull was different (more on some and less on others).
Students will pick one of those planets and write about what what it feels like
to have more gravity or less gravity acting on them. Students must use facts to
support their position.
Step 4: This activity will be written up individually on a Google Doc and shared
with the teacher.

Closing/assessment:

In closing the teacher will present the collaborative Google Presentation

with all the findings of the groups. Groups can report on their findings and
if they were off in their calculations they should be able to articulate why.
Assessment of individual learning will come from the paper in Activity #2.
Student should site that mass is not the same as weight, as well as density
of the planet and how far you are from the center of the planet will all
factor into the gravitational pull.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM

Google Play for Education is a content store built just for schools, making it easy for teachers to find and share
educator-approved apps, books, and videos with their students.
If your school is using managed Chromebooks or Android tablets, you can use Google Play for Education to
distribute the following apps, books, and videos, and take the lesson further.

App/Book/Video:

Easy Slow Movie Player (Android)

Description:

Slow motion video recorder app to record the video of the free fall for gravity calculations.

App/Book/Video:

SPARKvue (Android)

Description:

STEM app students can use to collect data and find the mean (Activity #1, Step 6)

App/Book/Video:

Minute Physics - What is Gravity?

Description:

Learn about the basic nature of gravity, one of the four fundamental forces in our
universe, in one minute.

App/Book/Video:

Cool Gravity Activities: Fun Science Projects About Balance

Description:

This book contains kid-tested cool projects about balance and gravity using physics
and will inspire young science buffs to experiment with their own ideas.

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