Easy Elementary Science Experiments Using Balls

Jul 20, 2010
Nicole Fravel

A Ball Can Demonstrate Science Concepts - Photo by Paul Schubert

With simple investigations using balls, parents can help children learn about science the way that scientists do - by exploring the world around them.

Science experiments for elementary school students do not require fancy equipment or complicated questions. The National Science Education Standards developed in 1996 emphasize inquiry, scientific process, and underlying properties and concepts that apply across scientific disciplines. If the goal is for children to learn how to think like a scientist, then the how is more important than the what.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines science as “The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena.” Young children do this type of inquiry naturally. Parents and teachers can use children’s curiosity as the starting point for meaningful scientific experimentation. Children should be encouraged to observe and manipulate common objects, problem solve, and find their own answers to their own questions.

Young Children Experiment With Toys

Using children’s everyday play as fodder for scientific investigation is as easy as getting them to think about how their toys work. Balls provide excellent opportunities to learn about motion and position. As they push, pull, throw, and drop, they learn about force, energy, position, and relative location. Ideally, experiments are jointly created by adult and child to capitalize on a child’s interests.

For an example of an experiment based on a child’s question, pretend that a child is interested in determining which one of the many balls stored in the garage bounces the highest. An adult and child could work together to design and implement an investigation to answer that question, learning about important scientific concepts such as observation, measurement, and critical thinking.

Which Ball Bounces the Highest Experiment

Gather a box of about 10 – 20 different balls. The balls should differ by use (for example, a baseball, a tennis ball, and a golf ball), size, shape, and material.
Ask the question: Which ball bounces the highest?
Tape a ruler, growth chart, or other measuring tool to a wall in the garage or next to a flat surface outside.
Show the child how to hold his or her arm out straight next to the growth chart in order to drop the ball. Explain to the child that in order to have reliable results, each ball will need be dropped in the same way, by the same person, and from the same height.
The adult should watch the ball as it bounces and match the height of that first bounce to its height on the growth chart.
Both the adult and the child can work together to record a description of each ball next to how many inches it bounced. A three column chart works well to record the descriptions and two bounce measurements for each ball.
Bounce each ball twice and record both measurements to make sure the measurements are consistent. If the measurements are not consistent, the adult and child must do a bit of problem solving. Why are the measurements not consistent? If the reason is human error (either because the ball is being dropped differently each time or the measurement is not being recorded accurately), enlist the child’s help in determining a solution. If the reason is because consistent measurements are not possible (perhaps because the ball is an ovate shape that bounces differently depending on whether it is dropped on its point or its curve), encourage the child to think about the results and include his or her thinking in the discussion about the experiment.
Use the results to create a graph or other picture of the experiment so that it will be easier for the child to “see” the conclusions.
Discuss the results with the child and record his or her conclusions. Try to get the child to express his or her own thoughts instead of parroting an adult’s. Ask an open ended question along the lines of what do you notice about how the balls bounced or what does the graph tell you?
Some questions that will get the child thinking are: Which ball bounced the highest? Which ball bounced the lowest? What is the same about all of the high bouncing balls? What is the same about all of the low bouncing balls? Does the shape of the balls make a difference? Does size make a difference? Does material make a difference? Does color make a difference? Do holes or lack of them make a difference?

More Elementary Experiments Using Balls

The same balls could be used to experiment and find the answers to the following questions:

Which ball is the bounciest? Count how many times each ball bounces before coming to a rest.
Which ball is the fastest? Roll each ball down a ramp or a slanted driveway and time how long it takes each one to reach the bottom of the ramp.
Which ball travels the farthest? Roll each ball down a ramp or a slanted driveway. After it comes to a stop, measure the distance it travelled.

Many other experiments can be designed using balls. Simply give a child a bunch of balls to play with, see where the questions lead, and watch as science comes to life.