FORCE and Motion 3rd Grade 5E Learning Sequence

NGSS NGSS Covered: 3-PS2-1: Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object. 3-PS2-2: Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion. Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI): Forces and Motion, Types of Interactions (Objects in contact exert forces on each other) Crosscutting Concepts (CCC): Cause and Effect: Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified, tested, and used to explain change. Patterns: Patterns of change can be used to make predictions. Science and Engineering Practices (SEP): Planning and carrying out investigations

ELA Standards CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.2 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.3 Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.9 Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic. 3. W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

Math Standards 3.MD.B.4: Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch. Show the data by making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in appropriate units— whole numbers, halves, or quarters.

Evidence Statement Students will know that balanced and unbalanced forces affect the motion of an object. Students collaboratively develop an investigation plan. In the investigation plan, students describe the data to be collected, including: i. The change in motion of an object at rest after: 1. Different strengths and directions of balanced forces (forces that sum to zero) are applied to the object. 2. Different strengths and directions of unbalanced forces (forces that do not sum to zero) are applied to the object (e.g., strong force on the right, weak force on the left). ii. What causes the forces on the object. b Students individually describe how the evidence to be collected will be relevant to determining the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on an object’s motion.

Materials Empty box, Chart paper, 25 ft. rope, Twine or string, Yarn, Duct tape, Drawing paper, Markers, colored pencils, crayons, Rulers Science Journals

Essential Questions How do balanced and unbalanced forces affect the motion of an object? Do patterns emerge to help predict future motion?

Engage (1 Day) Put a box on a table and talk about the forces that are acting on the box (box is at rest but are there still forces acting on the box?). This is an example of balanced forces. The box is still. There are equal forces acting on the box. Then ask a student to move the box without lifting it. How does motion affect the box? Why does the box just stay still when no force is applied? Do you think there are forces acting on the box? Ask students to predict what will happen if I were to push the box to the edge of the table. Don’t offer any explanations at this point. Let them think and wonder. Talk to them about balanced and unbalanced. What does it mean to be balanced and unbalanced. Maybe have a volunteer come up to demonstrate. Have them give examples like using a scale, etc. How would they then apply this concept to the box?

Engage Show Tug of War video: https://youtu.be/rP2MviNn52g Ask students why they thought the team that won won? Document answers on a class chart. Add the essential questions to the class chart.

Engage Tug of War: Traditional with the whole class inside or outside. Use a rope that is not too rough on the hands. Tie one piece of colorful yarn to the rope in the middle. Put a mark of some kind on the ground to show the middle of the rope. (Tip: Using duct tape and making an X works well.) Then mark two spots on either side of the middle mark about two feet, one on one side of the yarn and the other on the other side of the yarn. The game stops when one side pulls their yarn over their mark. Preface safety, scientists always take precautions to be safe. Do the game again one other way- here are some suggestions: taller and smaller, boys and girls (don’t think the boys will automatically win).

Engage Class Discussion about the Tug of War- Why did the team win? Have students discuss with a knee or table partner. Document their thoughts and any questions they have on the chart to be revisited later. Ask if they thought the teams were balanced. What happened if they weren't balanced. What would happen if they were balanced? Have students write the essential questions in their science notebooks. Let teams discuss their thoughts.

Explore (1 Day) Put students in groups of 5 or 6. Give each group a piece of rope and have them conduct the three trials. (See Stage 2 “Do” above). Teams can come up with three different ways to conduct their Tug of War. They should be recording in their science notebooks their observations with each trial. They will also fill out their multi flow map (cause and effect) and state whether the force was balanced or unbalanced. You could have each student do this or have one per team as the recorder and have them fill out the flow map. As a way to integrate math, students can measure the distance traveled when someone is pulled to help document the motion (how far was someone pulled). This can then be documented as part of the evidence that addresses their claim.

Explain (2 Days) Bring everyone together and discuss their trials. What did they find? Add to the class chart. Ask about the balanced and unbalanced forces. Revisit the essential question and how it applies to what they are doing. Write the vocabulary words on the board: force, motion, balanced, unbalanced. What do they know about these words? Document on the class chart. Teams can read the suggested books and create a double bubble comparing and contrasting the two stories. Keep in mind that both these books are fiction. You can also check out non-fiction books from the library on force and motion and have students compare and contrast those or any combination. Then have teams state their claim (tries to answer the essential question) and provide evidence that supports their claim. In teams, students will fill out the Claims, Evidence, Reasoning (CER- puts the process in their own words encouraging them to use their vocabulary words in their explanation).

Elaborate (1 Day) Have a group discussion about the results of each group CER. What did they discover? What was their evidence to support their claim that balanced and unbalanced forces affect the motion of an object? Teams can then do an explanatory model to document the process and their findings. Models must include a title, pictures, graphics, labels, and some form of table or chart. They can hand draw using paper or use technology and create the model using Google Slide, Piktochart, Haiku Deck, Educreations, etc.

Evaluate (1-2 Days) Formative Assessments: Students will then plan an investigation to further demonstrate the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on an object. Put out various materials students can pick from. Materials can be string, paper, cardboard, magnets, washers, nuts, bolts, paper towel rolls, TP rolls, linker cubes, building blocks, etc. They will come up with a plan within small groups, conduct an investigation, state their claim and provide evidence for their claim. They can use the Cause and Effect chart. They will then explain their reasoning to the rest of the class. Revisit class chart. Add any other questions they would want to investigate.

Resources Video on a tug of war- https://youtu.be/rP2MviNn52g Anansi and the Tug of War- book and/or video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdsvvHpAGQc The Tortoise and the Elephant- book http://www.storynory.com/2012/06/26/the-tortoise-and-the-elephant/

Tug of War Cause and Effect Chart

Claims, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) and Rubric