Force & Balance Investigation

Focus Question: What does it mean when you balance something? Think about something you have to balance. (See saw)
- Read Marrett on the High wire. Ask students if Marrett will have more trouble walking on the high wire and why.

Hypothesis/ Prediction: I claim that when the clothespins are equal weight on each side of the cray fish it will balance because it will be stable.

Planning: clothes pins, poster board crayfish cut outs, half circle and triangle poster cut outs, Popsicle sticks.

Data: Have students spend time trying different ways to make the crayfish balance on their fingers while also filling out the chart below.

How did you balance the fish?	How did you balance with clothespins?	What Happened?
Side Tail Nose	Side Tail Nose	Fell over Stood Fell, stood

- After students have successfully balanced the crayfish, allow them to investigate using the semicircle and triangle cut out.

Claims & Evidence: If we find the center of our fish then we can use our pins to balance. 

Conclusion: Have students explain the investigation back to the teacher while she longs t on a class chart for the students.

What did we balance?	What Happened?
Fish/ pins	Balanced because it was stable

- We learned that...

1. The weight must be even or it will not balance.

2. The larger the base, then the easier it is to balance.