Build a Gravity Well

Learning Guide

A simple guide to lead you through the kickoff, the core challenge, and everything in between.

Mai’s Tips

1. Encourage different family members to take turns rolling objects or observing, fostering collaboration and diverse perspectives.
2. For older learners, introduce the concept of 'event horizon' – the point of no return – and discuss how it relates to the dip in the fabric.

Photo by Iceberg San on Pexels

1Introduction 5 min

• Welcome your child and set the stage for an exciting exploration of powerful forces in space. Encourage them to share any wild ideas they have about incredibly strong pulls or pushes they've encountered, like on a playground swing, or anything they've imagined. Don't worry about 'correct' scientific answers, just focus on sparking their curiosity and imagination.

  Ask: "Imagine something in space so powerful, it can gobble up light itself! What kind of force do you think would be strong enough to do that?" and "What's the strongest thing you can imagine?"

  The objective is to simply get them engaged and thinking creatively about powerful forces before diving into the main activity.

  Done looks like: Your child shares at least one idea about a strong force or pull.

Done when: Student shares an idea about a strong force or pull.

Photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels

2Explore & Plan 8 min

• Work with your child to gather all the necessary materials: the large bowl, stretchy fabric, a heavy object, and several lighter objects. Ensure everything is within reach. Once your "cosmic supplies" are ready, encourage them to think creatively about how these everyday items could be used to model something as mysterious and powerful as a black hole. This is the planning stage, so ask for their predictions before assembling anything.

  Ask: "What do you think each item represents in our black hole model?" and "What do you predict will happen when we place the heavy object on the stretchy fabric?" and "What do you think will happen to the lighter objects if we roll them near the heavy object?"

  Done looks like: All materials are gathered, and your child has shared at least one prediction about the setup or the objects' movement.

Done when: Learners have gathered materials and shared at least one prediction.

Photo by Turgay Koca on Pexels

3Discussion 6 min

• Guide a discussion about what your child observed during the activity. Let them lead the conversation with their own insights first. Gravity is a natural force that pulls things towards each other. We can recognize it when things fall down or when objects orbit. Its opposite isn't floating, but rather the absence of a strong pull, like in deep space. Gravity is important because it holds us to Earth and keeps planets orbiting. A black hole is a region where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape.

  Ask: "What did you observe happening to the fabric when we placed the heavy object in the middle?" and "Why do you think the fabric made that dip?" and "What paths did the lighter objects take when you rolled them?" and "Did they always fall in, or did some escape? What does that tell you about the 'pull'?"

  If they're stuck, gently point to the fabric's dip to prompt their memory.

  Done looks like: Your child can describe the dip in the fabric and the general movement of the lighter objects.

Done when: Student can describe the dip and the general movement of the lighter objects.

Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels

4Activity 9 min

• Supervise your child closely as they set up the gravity well model. First, place the large bowl upside down or right side up to create a stable base. Next, help them stretch the fabric tightly over the bowl, securing it around the edges, perhaps by holding it or using an elastic band if you have one. Gently place the heavy object, which represents your 'black hole,' right in the center of the stretched fabric, and watch closely as it creates a dip.

  Now, it's time to experiment! Encourage your child to take the lighter objects, representing 'stars' or 'planets,' and roll them from the edge of the fabric towards the heavy object. Remind them to be gentle with the materials.

  Ask: "What happens if you roll a lighter object faster?" and "What if you start rolling a lighter object further away from the center?" Encourage them to try different speeds and angles to see how the objects' paths change.

  Done looks like: Your child has experimented with rolling various objects and has observed their paths, trying different speeds and angles.

Done when: Student has experimented with rolling various objects and observed their paths.

5Summary 2 min

• Praise your child's efforts and creativity in building their black hole model. Now is the time to reflect on what they learned. A model is a smaller or simpler version of something big or complex that helps us understand it. Our gravity well is a model of a black hole's gravity, helping us understand how immense gravity can bend space. Models are important because they help scientists test ideas and explain complex concepts.

  Ask: "What was the most surprising thing you observed during our challenge today?" and "What did you learn about gravity from our model?" and "How is our model similar or different from a real black hole?"

  Encourage them to share at least one key observation or new understanding from the activity.

  Done looks like: Your child shares one key observation or learning from the activity.

Done when: Student shares one key observation or learning from the activity.

Your Notes