5e Lesson Twirly Birds

Elementary Science 5E Lesson Plan
Lesson: Twirly Birds Grade Level: 3rd Date: October 19th
NGSS and Common NGSS: 3-PS2-1- Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence
Core Standards of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an
object.
3-PS2-2- Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s

motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict
future motion.
CCSS: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1- Ask and answer questions to

demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.7- Recall information from experiences or
gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on
sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
Key Concepts Variables in patterns of motion

Applying force to predict motion
Objective for Students will be able to predict how a force will change an object’s
Students motion and what variables affect the object’s motion.
Engage: What is the Objectives for students up on board

focus of the lesson? Watch this video to get students to begin thinking about the flight of a
helicopter and how it works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TZxle7GNaI
Ask students what would happen if there were different sized
helicopters. What might need to change?
Students will become toy makers with this engaging scenario: “The
Lewiston Toy Company is very pleased with the information we have given
them about balancing and spinning toys. They now have a new problem.
They are thinking about making some spinning toys that fly. The Lewiston
Toy Company thinks these models could be used to make more toys and they
need your help in testing them to see if they will work. They have sent us
some materials and printed information that may help us. They also need us
to continue to keep accurate records and labeled drawings in our science
notebooks so we can report what we found out in a couple of weeks.”
Explore: What will Students will be constructing a twirly bird and discovering which
the students do? factors affects its flight with a partner. Students will think it, design it,
build it, test it, and refine it. (fill in investigation 2.3 packet) below
Students will then pick their best design to test in a target area where
they will receive points for accuracy.
Explain: What is the Discuss which different variables affected the flight of the twirly bird.
main concept? Why does the twirly bird go to the floor? What makes it do that? Why
doesn’t it float up? What makes the twirly birds go at different speeds?
What is the opposite force acting on the bird? How does it move
down and not side-to-side? Which design allowed for the best flight?
Worst flight? Which variables did you change? How could toy makers
test variables to make the best flying helicopter?
***Answer all these questions allowing extended wait time and

questioning their responses.
Extend: How will Vocabulary definition word wall

this concept be At home, create other twirly birds with our resources (straws,
expanded and cardstock, larger twirly bird, more weight) bring in twirly bird to show
Foss Online Resources:
connected to real
“brainpop” activities
life?
Videos: all about motion and balance
Evaluate: How will Formative: Check science sheets/ notebooks throughout the lesson.
the students show Listen to students reactions to the “testing” of the twirly birds.
what they have

Summative: Have students write a letter to the Lewiston Toy Company
learned?
explaining why their design should be picked as the model and why it
works the best.
Materials and Elmo/Projector & YouTube video
Technology Lewiston Toy Company Scenario
Needed Twirly birds model

Twiry bird directions
Paper clips
Scissors
Student Recording Sheets (Rebecca Seeley)
Student Vocabulary Cards (Rebecca Seeley)
Word Wall
Foss Online Resource Access
Vocabulary Gravity, variable, twirly bird, standard
Resources/ Works Foss Website: https://www.fossweb.com

Cited Whirly Bird Template: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-
projects/project-ideas/Aero_p015/aerodynamics-
hydrodynamics/make-a-whirly-bird-from-paper#materials
Rebecca Seeley “Science and Motion & Matter Student Journal”
Engage Idea: http://www.lewistonschools.net/wp-
content/uploads/2016/04/Balance_Motion_LE_2.pdf
Target Roto-Target Idea:
https://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/roto-copter.html
Differentiated Vocabulary Cards from Rebecca Seeley
Instruction Working with a partner to build and modify twirly bird
Word Wall reference
Higher Order Can anyone think of any other balanced/unbalanced toys?
Questions How can this be used when engineers are designing helicopters?
If gravity is pulling down, where do you think the Earth’s center of
gravity is?
How could this be different if we were on the moon? Does it have a
different center of gravity?
Reflections (After
the lesson)

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What will the students do?

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Elementary Science 5E Lesson Plan

Lesson: Twirly Birds Grade Level: 3rd Date: October 19th

3-PS2-2- Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s

CCSS: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1- Ask and answer questions to

Key Concepts Variables in patterns of motion

Engage: What is the Objectives for students up on board

***Answer all these questions allowing extended wait time and

Extend: How will Vocabulary definition word wall

what they have

Needed Twirly birds model

Vocabulary Gravity, variable, twirly bird, standard

Resources/ Works Foss Website: https://www.fossweb.com

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