Description
The lesson introduces students to the basics of physics and helps them understand the basics of force and motion, including Newton’s laws of motion. Since movement takes place everywhere throughout a student’s day, it is best to identify Newton’s laws along with the movements. The lesson includes many additional activities and resources for you to use as much as possible to help students gain an understanding of these concepts.
Sample Classroom Procedure / Teacher Instruction
- Ask students each of these questions separately to open the lesson: What is motion? What does it mean to move? How do things move?
- Allow for responses and discussion. Introduce force and motion by demonstrating the movement of something in the class. (Moving a desk, opening/closing door, etc.)
- Distribute Force and Motion content pages. Read and review the information with the students. Use the additional resources to enhance understanding. Save the final question for the closing to the lesson.
- Distribute Activity page. Read and review the instructions. Pair the students. Remind students they may write more than one explanation for each term.
- Distribute the supplies to each pair of students. Tell students the explanation must be understood by another person who reads their writing.
- Once all students have completed the activity, collect the pages and redistribute them randomly. Tell students to read the explanations and repeat the activity.
- Collect the pages again and return to the owners.
- Review each of the concepts allowing pairs of students to share what they have written and demonstrate the concept. Clarify any misunderstandings among the students in the class.
- Distribute Practice page. Check and review the students’ responses.
- Distribute the Homework page. The next day, allow students to share their observations and how it was related to one of Newton’s three laws. (Answers will vary.)
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1 , CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3 , CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4 , CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.D, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4
Class Sessions (45 minutes): At least 2 class sessions
Additional Resources:
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