Diving into Physical Science

How are the concepts of force and motion woven through Park’s Lower Division?

PreK students use trucks to explain how vehicles can push, pull, and lift heavy and large objects. Students are given the opportunity to examine and discuss how push and pull actions of vehicles like trucks are used to produce and control motion. They also saw a real-life example, courtesy of the Facilities team, who brought over a front loader for show-and-tell!

Kindergarten explores physical science through the theme of change when challenged to make just one change to achieve their goal of having a Hot Wheels car make a loop while remaining on the bright orange track. Students explore engineering at an elementary level by highlighting the impact of changing only one variable.

Grade 3 students designed, built, and tested gravity race cars to learn about the difference between potential and kinetic energy in simple machinery. In this experiment, students analyze the data to determine how the slope of a ramp affects the distance a car travels. Through these investigations, students experience and internalize Newton’s Three Laws of Motion which are key concepts in physics. Once students understand the physics at play, they can see how they can manipulate these forces to stay safe, make work more manageable, and help them understand how forces work in the world around them.