Classroom Activities: Gravity

These classroom activities are designed to complement the Gravity topic on BrainPOP Jr.

Space Cadets
Remind students that there is very little gravity in space. Astronauts are weightless and float. What might life be like for astronauts in space? Have students research to find out how astronauts eat, sleep, and even go to the bathroom and shower in space. How do they adjust to life with very little gravity? Have students look up information online or at the library. They may want to write a report or a diary entry about what life might be like if they were an astronaut in space.

Weight For Me

Have students find out the masses of different bodies in our Solar System, such as Earth, the Moon, Jupiter, and Pluto. Help students order the bodies from least to greatest mass. Then, as a math activity, have students weigh different objects on a scale. Afterward, have them find out how much the objects would weigh if they were on the Moon or on other bodies in our Solar System. There are free calculators online that can help them with this portion of the activity. Guide children to understanding that planets with greater masses have stronger forces of gravity.