Today we began the second half of our science unit of Balance and Motion. We began our discussion talking about the motion of spinning. We discussed items that we know spin, and tops came up as a toy many students were familiar with. From dreidels to Bey Blades, we know how to spin tops! We were each given a green shaft and four different discs and were asked to build a stable top. We certainly know a lot about making things stable from our work with balance! We were each given a green shaft and both small (yellow) and large (red) discs. Through trial and error, we created different tops. We found that some tops spun longer and some spun slower...it seems to all depend on where we put the discs. Through lots of experimenting, we each created a top that spun for at least 10 seconds. Here's one spinning during science class:
As we learn more about spinning, we will be able to create better tops - as well as lots of other fun toys that spin. Stay tuned!
