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Observing how objects move at different speeds depending on the force applied.
Have you ever wondered why a ball sometimes zooms across the grass like a rocket, but other times it just crawls along like a sleepy snail?
Everything that moves has a speed. Speed tells us how fast or slow something is going. Think about a race! A runner who moves very quickly has a fast speed. A person walking slowly to the park has a slow speed. We can see speed everywhere. A jet plane in the sky is , while a tiny ant on the sidewalk is .
Let's look at two animals: 1. A Cheetah runs across the grass to catch its dinner. It moves very quickly. It is fast. 2. A Snail wiggles across a rock. It takes a long time to move just a little bit. It is slow.
Quick Check
If you are riding a bicycle and your friend is walking, who is moving at a faster speed?
Answer
The person on the bicycle is moving at a faster speed.
How do we change speed? It all starts with a push. If you give a toy car a tiny, gentle tap, it moves slowly. But if you give it a big push, it zooms away! The more force (strength) you use in your push, the faster the object will go. We can say:
Imagine you have a soccer ball: 1. Use one finger to poke the ball. It rolls just a little bit. This is a slow speed. 2. Use your whole foot to kick the ball hard. It flies across the field! This is a fast speed because you used a bigger push.
Quick Check
To make a swing go very high and fast, do you need a small push or a big push?
Answer
You need a big push.
We can group things by their speed. Fast things help us travel long distances quickly, like airplanes or trains. Slow things are often careful or heavy, like a caterpillar or a giant tractor. Understanding speed helps us know how long it will take to get somewhere!
Think about these three ways to move: 1. Walking: This is the slowest way to get to school. 2. Riding a Bus: This is faster than walking because the engine gives a big push. 3. Flying in a Plane: This is the fastest because the engines give a giant push!
Which of these moves at a slow speed?
What happens when you give a toy car a BIG push?
A small push makes things go faster than a big push.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, look out the window and try to find one thing moving fast and one thing moving slow. Remember: what kind of push made them move?
Practice Activity
Try this: Roll a ball on the floor with a tiny push, then roll it with a big push. Which one reached the wall first?