Free Freefall Lesson Plan for 7th Grade Students

Topic: Freefall

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to explain what happens during a freefall and its effect on objects during this process.

Materials

• A bucket or container of water
• Several small objects such as rocks, paper clips, or buttons
• String
• A ruler or meter stick for measuring the length of the string

Warm-up

• Ask students if they have ever gone on a water slide or a merry-go-round that spins around quickly.
• Ask them if they have ever felt like they were floating or flying while on these rides.
• Ask them to share their experiences and what they thought was happening to them at that time.
• Explain that, in this activity, the students will experientially learn what it feels like to be in freefall and understand how objects behave during this process.

Direct Instruction

• Define freefall and explain that it is when an object is falling through space without being influenced by any force other than gravity.
• Explain that the purpose of this activity is to simulate freefall and observe how objects behave during this process.
• Distribute the safety goggles and handouts with instructions.

Guided Practice

• Have students work in pairs and position one pair at a time at the top of the stairway.
• Have the first pair drop an object (such as a ball) from the top of the stairway and observe how it behaves during freefall.
• Have the second pair do the same with a different object.
• Have students discuss their observations and write down any differences they noticed between the two objects.

Independent Practice

• Have students work in small groups to design and build a model object that can withstand the force of freefall.
• Have students test their models by dropping them from the top of the stairway and observing their behavior during freefall.
• Have students discuss their results and make any necessary adjustments to their models.

Closure

• Review the concept of freefall and how it is different from flying.
• Ask students to share their observations and insights about freefall and model objects during the independent practice.
• Encourage students to think creatively about how they can use the concepts of freefall and model objects in their own creative projects.

Assessment

• Observe students during the guided practice and independent practice to assess their understanding of the concept of freefall and how it is different from flying.
• Evaluate students' creative projects to assess their ability to apply the concept of freefall and model objects in a creative way.