The Great Backyard Race
A silly backyard race against the dog teaches distance, speed, and acceleration — how far you went, how fast you're going right now, and whether you're speeding up or slowing down.
Me and my dog lined up at the fence, "On your marks!" said my sister, all tense, "GO!" and we bolted across the grass, Twenty-three big steps, that's how far we'd pass!
That's the distance, how far we went, Counted every step till my breath was spent, Fence to the fence, grass to the swing, Distance is the whole entire thing!
First I was slow, just kind of a jog, Then I caught sight of my galloping dog, My legs went faster, WHOOSH went my hair, That's my speed, how fast, right there!
Speed is how fast you're going right now, Fast like a cheetah or slow like a cow, Check your speed at any old time, It just means how quick, that's the rhyme!
Then I saw the sprinkler turn on with a hiss, My legs went faster, I couldn't resist, SPEEDING UP, that's acceleration too, Faster and faster, whoosh, wet shoe!
Acceleration means your speed's on the move, Speeding up counts, and so does slowing down smooth, I hit the mud patch and had to brake, SQUELCH SQUELCH SQUELCH, my legs start to shake!
Slowing down is acceleration too, Even a stop is a speed change, it's true, I wobbled, I wiggled, I flopped in the mud, And my dog crossed the line with a happy little thud!
Distance is how far, speed is how fast right now, Acceleration's the change, speeding up, slowing down, wow! Three little words for the way that things move, And I lost the race, but hey, I'm covered in mud, and that's a win too!