Structure Savers: Exploring Forces All Around Us!

Science Grades 5th Grade 1:49 Video
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Lesson Description

Learn about the different forces that act on structures, both from the outside and the inside!

Video Resource

Forces Acting on Structures

Aleecia Brunberg

Duration: 1:49
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • External Forces
  • Internal Forces
  • Compression, Tension, Shear, and Torsion

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify and describe different types of external forces acting on structures.
  • Students will be able to identify and describe different types of internal forces acting within structures.
  • Students will be able to differentiate between external and internal forces.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students what they think holds up buildings and bridges. Introduce the concept of forces and explain that they will be learning about the different forces that act on structures.
  • Video Viewing (5 mins)
    Play the YouTube video 'Forces Acting on Structures'. Instruct students to pay attention to the different types of forces mentioned.
  • Discussion: External Forces (10 mins)
    Discuss the external forces mentioned in the video: gravity, precipitation, wind, tectonic plate activity, waves, live load, and dead load. Ask students to provide examples of each force acting on different structures in their community.
  • Discussion: Internal Forces (10 mins)
    Discuss the internal forces mentioned in the video: compression, tension, shear, and torsion. Use simple demonstrations (e.g., squeezing a sponge for compression, stretching a rubber band for tension, twisting a wet cloth for torsion) to illustrate these forces.
  • Activity: Building Challenge (15 mins)
    Divide students into small groups and provide them with materials such as straws, tape, and paper. Challenge them to build a structure that can withstand different external forces (e.g., wind from a fan, weight from books). This allows them to apply their knowledge of forces in a practical way.
  • Conclusion (5 mins)
    Review the key concepts of external and internal forces. Ask students to summarize what they learned and how these forces affect the structures around them.

Interactive Exercises

  • Force Identification Game
    Show pictures of different structures (e.g., bridge, building, dam) and ask students to identify the external forces that are likely acting on them.

Discussion Questions

  • What are some examples of structures in our community?
  • How do you think wind affects a tall building? What force is at play?

Skills Developed

  • Observation
  • Critical Thinking
  • Problem-Solving

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Which of these is an example of an EXTERNAL force?

Correct Answer: Gravity

Question 2:

What force is created when something is squeezed?

Correct Answer: Compression

Question 3:

What force is created when something is pulled apart?

Correct Answer: Tension

Question 4:

Which force is like twisting a wet towel?

Correct Answer: Torsion

Question 5:

What do we call the weight of people inside a building?

Correct Answer: Live Load

Question 6:

Which of these is not an external force?

Correct Answer: Tension

Question 7:

What is the force that pulls everything down towards the Earth?

Correct Answer: Gravity

Question 8:

Which of these forces pushes in opposite directions inside a structure?

Correct Answer: Shear

Question 9:

What do we call the weight of the building itself?

Correct Answer: Dead Load

Question 10:

Which force can cause a rotation?

Correct Answer: Torsion

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

The force of ____________ pulls everything down towards the Earth.

Correct Answer: gravity

Question 2:

____________ is an external force where water and ice push down on structures.

Correct Answer: Precipitation

Question 3:

____________ is an internal force that presses inward on a structure.

Correct Answer: Compression

Question 4:

The mass of the people pushing on structures is called a __________ load.

Correct Answer: live

Question 5:

The mass of the object pushing on itself is called a __________ load.

Correct Answer: dead

Question 6:

____________ is an internal force that pulls a structure apart.

Correct Answer: Tension

Question 7:

____________ is an internal force that pushes in opposite directions.

Correct Answer: Shear

Question 8:

____________ is an internal force that causes a twist or rotation.

Correct Answer: Torsion

Question 9:

Earth's ____________ can pull and push on structures.

Correct Answer: tectonic plate activity

Question 10:

___________ push on structures on the coast.

Correct Answer: Waves

Educational Standards

5.PS2.1:[Standard] Support an argument, with evidence, that Earth's gravitational force pulls objects downward toward the center of the earth.

Teaching Materials

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