Patterns in Motion
Aligned to 3-PS2-2 — Next Generation Science Standards.
What this lesson teaches
When something moves the same way over and over, that pattern lets you guess where it will go next. Watching a motion repeat helps you predict it.
Worked examples
Example 1
A swing goes back and forth in the same rhythm, so you can time exactly when to jump off.
Example 2
The moon rises about 50 minutes later each night, a pattern steady enough to print in a calendar.
Example 3
A pattern lets you predict. Because a pendulum swings at the same rate every time, a clock can use it to keep time.
Practice questions
- Watch a ball roll down a ramp three times and notice what stays the same each time.
- Push a toy car the same way five times and record how far it goes.
- Use your notes to predict where the car will stop on the next push, then test it.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Patrones en el movimiento
Cuando algo se mueve de la misma manera una y otra vez, ese patrón te deja adivinar hacia dónde irá después. Observar un movimiento que se repite te ayuda a predecirlo.
Ejemplo 1: Un columpio va y viene con el mismo ritmo, así que puedes calcular justo cuándo saltar.
Ejemplo 2: La luna sale unos 50 minutos más tarde cada noche, un patrón tan constante que se puede imprimir en un calendario.
Ejemplo 3: Un patrón te deja predecir. Como un péndulo oscila al mismo ritmo cada vez, un reloj puede usarlo para marcar la hora.
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