In fourth grade science, students have been studying forces, energy, and motion. As LS STEAM teacher Erika Brinzac describes, fourth graders were first introduced to these ideas using dominoes – working together to create various configurations and observing the dominoes as they fell. Students continued their exploration with LEGO BricQ sets by building things like a car and launcher, catapult and basketball hoop, and a derby track – all of which included at least one simple machine. They experimented with each build and recorded their results. Through these hands-on investigations, students examined key physics concepts such as push and pull forces, thrust, friction, momentum, and potential and kinetic energy.

Fourth graders had the opportunity to further their experiments by designing additional pieces, Erika explains. For example, after they observed how the car moved with small wheels versus big ones, some groups played with the steepness of the track, the weight of the car, and even the combination of wheels. While some groups wanted to test multiple configurations at once, the class discussed the importance of only changing one variable at a time in order to draw more accurate conclusions. These engaging, inquiry-based activities empowered students to think like scientists—testing ideas, refining designs, and developing a deeper, real-world understanding of how forces and motion shape the world around them.