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DISCUSS:
What do you notice about this group of turkeys?
Next, view more Fall lessons at your grade level:
Fanciest Feathers (Grades 3-5) printout | 1 per pair |
Fanciest Turkey (All Grades) printout | 1 per pair |
Crayons
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6 crayons per pair |
Scissors
|
1 pair per student |
File Folder Labels (Stickers)
|
2 stickers per student |
Paper Clips
Grades 3-5 will need an extra 5 paper clips per student.
|
Details
5 clips per student
|
Paper Clips
Bobby pins will also work. We've found these may be easier to use for younger students.
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Details
2 clips per student
|
Plastic Straw
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1 straw per group |
Post-It File Tabs
Needed for grades K-2 only.
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Details
6 tabs per student
|
Yarn
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3 feet per student |
We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own, but will need a partner to help with a few steps.
Each student needs a piece of plastic straw that is about 1-inch long. If the straw is too long, the turkey models won't dance. We suggest that you prep straws prior to class to make distribution easier.
Each student needs a piece of yarn about 3 feet in length. Cut enough pieces of yarn prior to class.
Both versions of the activity have students build a standard Gobble Wobbler. The only difference is that the younger student version uses Post-It tabs as additional feathers instead of paper feathers attached with paper clips.
Gravity and friction work together to make the Gobble Wobbler dance.
Gravity pulls the turkey and straw downward, but the weight of the turkey pulling on one side of the straw makes the straw tilt so that one end hits the string.
Friction between the straw and the string stops the turkey from dropping — but only for a moment. When the straw pushes on the string, the string pushes back, making the turkey bounce up. That straightens the straw, so it can fall a bit before the pull of the turkey tilts the straw again, and the cycle repeats.
This toy is based on an old toy that physicists call the oscillating woodpecker. You can read more about the physics of the oscillating woodpecker here.
What's that red thing on a turkey? Why do you think that?
What did this lesson make you curious about? What other questions do you have about turkeys?
The red thing under a turkey’s chin is called a wattle. What a funny word! The parts of your head have names, too. Draw a picture of your head. Think about all the parts that have names you know. Can you invent more interesting names? What do you call the fuzzy lines above your eyes? What about the dangly bit at the bottom of your ear? Label your picture with the new names.
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