Bicycle Wheel Gyroscope

1. Bicycle Wheel Gyroscope Materials: Bicycle wheel with handles or classroom gyroscope wheel What you do: Spin the wheel and gently try to tilt its axle. What students see: The spinning wheel strongly resists the change in direction. Question: Why is the spinning wheel harder to turn? 2. Yo-Yo Energy Return Materials: Yo-yo What you do: Drop and return the yo-yo while students watch the spin. What students see: The yo-yo trades height for spin and back again. Question: Where does the falling energy go? 3. Rice Friction Lift Materials: Plastic bottle; dry rice; pencil or chopstick What you do: Pack rice firmly, push in the pencil, then lift by the pencil. What students see: The bottle can lift with the pencil. Question: How can loose rice hold the pencil so tightly?

Predict → observe three demonstrations → compare what changed → choose independent activity station → cleanup/share. Guiding questions: Question: Why is the spinning wheel harder to turn? Question: Where does the falling energy go? Question: How can loose rice hold the pencil so tightly?