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How can you knock down the most bowling pins?
Force Olympics Unit | Lesson 4 of 6
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How can you knock down the most bowling pins?

Force Olympics Unit | Lesson 4 of 6
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
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Optional Activity: Human Bumper Bowling

In this game, students work together to knock down the bowling pins. The next slide provides details on how to play.
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# Optional Activity: Human Bumper Bowling

Scroll down for Activity Prep.

  1. Form groups of four to six.
  2. Assign roles. Each group needs one person to be the Roller and one person to be the Catcher. Everyone else is a Bumper. Decide who will take the first turn in each role.
  3. Get supplies. Roller gets a ball. Each Bumper gets a hardcover book. Bumpers use their books to bump the ball when it’s about to roll out of the alley. They also keep the ball moving down the alley so it can knock down the pins.
  4. The goal of Human Bumper Bowling is to knock down the pins with lots of bumps along the way.
  5. Let each Roller have two turns, then move in a circle to switch roles so everyone gets a turn as Roller.
Slide Image

push


1 of 5

to move an object away from you
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strong


2 of 5

powerful, like a big push or pull
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weak


3 of 5

not very powerful, like a small push or pull
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strength


4 of 5

how strong or weak something is
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Slide Image

direction


5 of 5

the path an object takes as it moves
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Featured Reviews

“Oh my goodness...this was the BEST activity we've done all year in science! My students had a blast with our four bowling allies in the classroom! I'm sure the neighbors could hear us! They watched the demonstration, got in their groups and began working together in teams! I was amazed that they knew what to do, used excellent team works skills, and had a blast doing science! Thank you for this lesson! I supplemented the lesson with videos of people bowling. Some kids had never bowled before. ”
· Sheryl · Teacher
“This was perfect for young students. The video directions were easy for them to follow and the bumper game kept them engaged!”
· Darielle · Teacher
“This was a really fun activity, allowing me not only to teach science concepts, but allowed my students to synergize as well!”
· Nancy · Teacher
“This story was helpful to deliver a lesson as the students were engaged in what was happening. And the videos helped illustrate the story.”
· Maggie · Teacher
“The activity that goes with the Read-Along Mystery used supplies I had on hand. Loved it! ”
· Marsha · Teacher
“Read along was well written, with breaks in the right places. Bowling activity was well received and provided thoughtful discussion.”
· Kim · Teacher
“The students loved to play the human bumper bowling!”
· Lisa · Teacher
“They LOVED IT - we did bumper bowling with small cups and they experimented with having the cups standing or upside down. They determined that the wider base of the upside down cup was more stable and needed more push to knock over. ”
· Nanelle · Teacher
“Best Lesson yet! Bumper Bowling was a huge success with our kinders and teachers alike! ”
· Nancy · Teacher
“The students had a hard time sitting for the length of the story so the movement break was great. I used this story as their science teacher as an anticipatory set. Next week they get to play the Human Bumper Bowling game. I let them watch the demonstration video and they are more than excited to come to class next week!”
· Kimberly · Teacher
“Bowling! Kids loved it. Perfect for kinders and little prep. ”
· Kathleen · Teacher
“The students had ample opportunities to think about different types of pushes and pulls. The students loved being able to play bowling in our classroom. They used the vocabulary they learned, and added information like speed to their knowledge of force.”
· Erin · Teacher
“After the story,the students did the optional activity, Crash Cup Bowling. It was very easy to set up and the kids LOVED it! Will definitely repeat this lesson and activity next year!”
· · Teacher
“I loved the book and the flow into the last activity. The kids loved bowling a the end. ”
· Josh · Teacher
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Grade K

Pushes & Pulls

Speed & Direction of Force

K-PS2-2

Activity Prep

Print Prep

Switch to non-narrated version

In this Read-Along lesson, Daniel worries he won’t do well at a friend’s Bumper Bowling party…until he figures out an unexpected way to win. The lesson includes a short exercise where students act out bowling. If you want to extend the lesson, you can try this optional activity, Human Bumper Bowling, where students make a model bumper bowling alley and work together to knock down pins.
Preview optional activity

I have a Mystery Pack

Hardcover Books
16 books
Yardstick or Meterstick
1 stick
Masking Tape
200 feet
Solo Cups (9 oz)
48 cups
Tennis Balls
8 balls
Prep Instructions

We suggest having students work in groups of four to six.

This activity requires enough floor space to set up “bowling alleys.” Decide how many you’ll set up and where you’ll put them. Using masking tape, mark off alleys that are 10 feet long and 2½ feet wide. Mark a box at the end to set the pins in. Leave room between your bowling alleys for students to sit on the floor.

Bowling Set Up

Grade K

Pushes & Pulls

Speed & Direction of Force

K-PS2-2

Slow internet or video problems?
Credits
 
Pushes Read-Along Lesson 4: How can you knock down the most bowling pins?

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