Name: Bridget Muns Grade: 4th Date: April 4th 2023

Content Area: Science Unit: Energizing Everything Lesson: How do roller coasters
move if they have no engine?

Students will be able to make predictions about why they think a roller coaster can move without
Learning Target
an engine.

- 4-PS3-1. Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the
Standards
energy of that object.

- Science Journal (all students already have this, it was given to them at the beginning
Materials Needed
- mystery science What makes roller coasters go so fast? (mysteryscience.com)

 Whole group  Hands-on/ discovery

Instructional  Student-centered  Small group
Strategies  1-on-1  __________________________________
 Discussion-based  __________________________________

- Go ahead and sit down at your seats and grab your science journal from your science
folder and then show me that you are waiting. (Sign language sign for waiting)
- Give them a few minutes to get their things together. They are coming back from social
studies so this transition sometimes takes more time.
Introduction to
- I love the way that Anna is following directions. She already has her journal out and she
Lesson
is ready to start working. (Acknowledging the good behaviors)
5 minutes
- What were some of the ideas we came up with for what makes roller coasters go so fast?
What did we talk about yesterday?
- Today we will be getting more information on why roller coasters can go so fast without
an engine.

- The question we are going to focus on today is how do roller coaster cars move if they
have no engine?
- Turn and talk with your partners
Guided Practice - Give me five! (call back) What were some of the ideas you came up with?
6-8 minutes - Create a chart with all of our ideas
- Now that we brainstormed our ideas, let's listen to mystery doug.
- We will watch a video of Mystery Doug explaining how roller coasters move if they have
no engine.

Independent - I hope you were able to get some more information from mystery Doug about how a roller
Practice coaster can move without an engine.
10-12 minutes - First listen (then do). I would like for you to turn to open your science journals. Turn to
page 8. On page 8 are the questions: How do roller coaster cars move if they don’t have
an engine? What do the items in the picture above have in common? Explain.
(accommodation)
- Turn and talk with your neighbor about both questions on page 8. When you are done
brainstorming, write your answers for both questions.
 - I will call us back together before the end of science to go over the answers that you
wrote down.
- Students will be working with their partners. Both questions were answered by Mystery
Doug in the video.

- Give me five! (callback) I heard a lot of good conversations and I would love to hear from
a few different groups.
- Who can tell me what you and your partner wrote for question one on page 8? Who can
Closing/ Transition tell me what you and your partner wrote for question two on page 8?
of Lesson - I will ask for two different answers for each question. I will also be writing down both of
5-7 minutes the answers given in our class journal.
- Great job today scientist! I heard lots of good ideas for why roller coasters can move
without an engine. Keep thinking about this! Tomorrow we will be beginning our activity
for this unit!

Homework: N/A

 Pre-test  Written
 Post-test  Project/ Product
 Digital  Other: Activity. In the next lesson they will
 Oral be creating a roller coaster that checks
Assessment:
their understanding.
 Other: At the end of the current mystery, I
will be giving the students an assessment
to check their understanding.

Technology - Mystery Science

Component - What makes roller coasters go so fast? (mysteryscience.com)

Intervention - Not applicable during this time

Modifications - N/A

- If a student is absent, I will be able to print out a hard copy for them to complete at a
different time.
Accommodations
- Reading the questions out loud so students who struggle with reading comprehension are
able to hear the question clearly.

- read works Up to Speed, Figurative Language Reading Passage (readworks.org)

Lesson Extensions - If there is extra time during this lesson or any lessons in this unit, this article would be a
great way to connect science and reading.

Cross-Curricular N/A
Connections

Transition out of - Table leaders will dismiss tables to put away their science folders and get out their take
Lesson home folders when they see that everyone is waiting.
- Table leaders will dismiss tables to grab their take home folders. I will then fill out their
take home folders with them before dismissing tables to get ready to go home.