Rivier University

STUDENT TEACHER LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Day: Tuesday Date: 12/4/2018
Subject: Physical Science
This lesson includes the Scientific Method

Common Core Standard(s):

Science Standard: 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.” (NGSS Lead States, 2013).

Math Standard: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.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” (Common Core
State Standards Initiative, 2018c).

Objective(s): At the end of this lesson my students will be able to plan an experiment that
will give them information on the forces that have an effect on an object’s motion (NGSS
Lead States, 2013). Students will also review and utilize the steps in the Scientific Method.
At the end of this lesson, my students will be able to use a ruler marked with smaller unite
of measurement, and transfer that data onto a line plot (Common Core State Standards
Initiative, 2018c).

Resources/Materials List:
Forces and Motion Video (School, 2016)
Clip Boards
Scientific Method Poster and Recording Worksheet (Teacher’s Take Out, n.d.)
Exit Ticket
Plastic Ball
Toy Car
Empty Box
Rulers (Marked at half inches, and quarter inches)

Procedure:
This lesson will begin with an introduction to what motion and forces are, then we will
conduct a study with three different object to provide evidence of balanced and unbalanced
forces. Students will be using math in this lesson by measuring the distances the objects
do/do not travel, and those distances will be calculated to determine the
balance/unbalanced and strength of the forces on the object.
1. Step One: Introduction
a. Vocabulary
i. Motion
 1. “the action or process of moving or of changing place or
position; movement” (Dictonary.com, 2018).
ii. Balanced Forces
1. “Balanced force implies the force which does not change the
object’s state of motion” (S.S, 2011).
iii. Unbalanced Forces
1. “…Unbalanced forces are the one that results in the change in
object’s state of motion.” (S.S., 2011).
2. Step Two: How do forces effect motion? (TheQUIZcat, 2018)
a. Force is when an object experiences a push or pull
b. “Friction” (TheQUIZcat, 2018) is what happens when the motion of the object
is the opposite to the force
i. For example, when it is really windy outside and you are walking
against the wind, the force of the wind is slowing down your motion.
c. All objects experience gravity, which is a force that pulls objects towards the
Earth
d. There is a type of force called “contact force” (TheQUIZcat, 2018), and that is
when the source of the force is physically touching and forcing the object
e. An object’s motion can be affected by three things:
i. “1. The amount of force you apply 2. The object’s mass 3. How much
friction is present” (TheQUIZcat, 2018)
f. Balances forces –when there is a balance –there is an equal amount of force
on an object so the object will not move
g. Unbalanced forces –when there is not a balance –there is not an equal
amount of force on the object, so the object will begin moving in the direction
the greater force is moving in
3. Step Three: Let’s come up with an investigation to see how forces have an effect on
an object’s motion. This investigation will include the steps in the Scientific Method
(Rockets, 2011).
a. Watch Video “The Steps of the Scientific Method for Kids –Science for
Children: FreeSchool” (School, 2016)
b. Step One: Make a Question:
i. Teacher’s Question: With the three objects (an empty box, toy car, and
small plastic ball) what do we think will happen when we push these
objects lightly and then harder?
ii. Question for Experiment: Which object will travel the farthest?
c. Step Two: Background Information
i. T: What do we know about these objects?
ii. T: What do we know already about forces and motion?
iii. T: What happens when there is no force exerted on these objects?
1. Do they move?
iv. T: How will we know which object travel the farthest?
1. Measurement
d. Step Three: Hypothesis:
i. Student: We think that the empty box will travel the farthest,
followed by the plastic ball, and then the toy car will be the slowest.
 e. Step Four: Experiment:
i. For each of the objects, one student will be chosen to measure the
distance for each object. Those students will be given a ruler that is
marked at every half inch and for all of the quarter inches, and will
need to measure how far the objects move after some force is applied.
1. Half and quarter inches will be used
2. As each student takes a measurement –ask them to express the
measurement in terms of half inches and/or quarter inches
II. Follow Up Question: How many inches would that
be?
3. Make sure all of the students write down the measurements
for each of the objects.
ii. The teacher will be the one forcing the objects (this keeps the results
consistent)
iii. Steps:
1. Plastic Ball: push it lightly (measure distance) record results
2. Plastic Ball: push it harder (measure distance) record results
3. Toy Car: push it lightly (measure distance) record results
4. Toy Car: push it harder (measure distance) record results
5. Empty Box: push it lightly (measure distance) record results
6. Empty Box: push it harder (measure distance) record results
f. Step Five: Analyze Data and Conclusion
i. Have students individually analyze the data
ii. Compare the distances of the objects that were pushed lightly and the
ones that were pushed harder
iii. Were the forces on the objects balanced or unbalanced?
iv. Draw a Conclusion about how the forces affected the objects
g. Line Plot (Class)
i. After the students have come up with their conclusions based on the
measurements from the experiment –tell the students that we can
create a visual model to confirm our conclusions.
ii. Creating a Line Plot
1. On the whiteboard –create a line (with arrows continuing on
both sides)
II. Label the line with half and quarter inches
III. Ask the students to tell you the lowest measurement
and the highest
i. Fill in the rest of the values in between

l l l l l l l l l l l

Half Inches 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Qtr Inches 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
 2. When all of the values are listed on the line, it is time to plot
the measurements on the line
II. For example, if we had a measurement of 10 half
inches, then we would put a dot above the 10 on half
inches, which would also be the same measurement
as 20 quarter inches.
3. After an example, ask one students at a time to come up to the
board and plot one of the measurements from the experiment
on the line plot
4. When the line plot is complete…
II. Ask students to compare the information from the
line plot to the information and statement they
stated in their conclusion
h. Step Six: Share the results
i. Group discussion
ii. Ask students to share their conclusions
iii. Was the class’ hypothesis proven to be true? If not, explain using
evidence.
iv. Have students explain how the line plot supported their conclusion, or
made them change their conclusions
i. Students will hand in their work for assessment
4. Step Four: Exit Ticket
a. Students will need to match the definitions of balanced, unbalanced force,
and motion
b. Students will also need to list the six steps of the Scientific Method
c. On the bottom of the exit ticket will be a word problem telling the students
about an experiment with two objects. Students will need to take that
information and make a statement on what it means about the forces on the
object.

Plans for differentiation:

For the students who need some differentiation, I will have sheets printed off and
ready with the vocabulary words on them, so that during the instruction part of this lesson,
students can use this page to fill in as the definitions are being explained. For the students
who are not familiar with the steps in the Scientific Method, I will display the information
on a poster on the board (the numbered steps) so that as we are doing the experiment, they
will be able to refer to the board so they know what is going on. If students are having a
hard time throughout the activity, take the time to go over the steps of the Scientific
Method with the poster on the board. Address the areas of confusion as they happen. The
exit ticket will be handed in at the end of the class period. If students are having a hard time
with the questions on the exit ticket, I will offer everyone the opportunity to work on the
exit ticket during their snack time (since they have a ten minute snack break after our
science lesson).
Plans for accommodation/modification:
In this classroom of twenty students, there are zero students who have a 504 or IEP, so
there are no accommodations or modifications necessary for this lesson.

Assessment:
Students will be handing in the notes they took during the class experiment.
Although the class did the experiment together, the students each individually analyzed the
data collected and made their own conclusions. These two sections of the experiment will
be read by the teacher. In the conclusion section, students needed to share if the hypothesis
was proven true, and if not they have to explain why. The work done in the group setting,
when the whole class made the line plot, should have either confirmed the student’s
conclusions about the experiment, or it would have given them another perspective on the
information, and they could have changed their conclusions. Another form of assessment in
this lesson is the exit ticket at the end of the class period. This exit ticket will determine if
the students met the learning objectives for this lesson. On the exit ticket, students must
match vocabulary words to the correct term, solve a word problem, list the six steps in the
Scientific Method, and plot data onto a line plot. If students are successful with the
questions on the exit ticket, then it shows that they have met the learning objectives and
the standard for this lesson.

What’s next?
In this lesson, students were asked to make observations about an object’s motion
based on the balanced and unbalanced forces on that object. In the next lesson, the students
will be expected to make the same observations on an object, but then they will be asked to
make a prediction about what they think will happen in the future based on the pattern of
that object’s motion (NGSS Lead States, 2013). This lesson offers the students the
opportunity to observe three different objects and measure their distance, and from those
observations they made conclusions about the forces that affected the objects. Without this
information and practice, the students would not have a solid base of understanding about
motion. This solid base of understanding will be the prior knowledge they will rely on as
they go onto the next lesson and begin to recognize patterns and make predictions.

Reflection:
One of the strengths of this lesson is the video I was able to find about the steps in
the Scientific Method, and experiment that the whole class did together. The video I played
for the class was meant to remind and show the students what they will be doing in the
experiment. The experiment was a strength of this lesson because the students were so
interested and engaged in the process; if an experiment is planned and organized correctly,
the students will be involved and interested in what is happening. One of the weaknesses of
this lesson is the vocabulary portion at the beginning. If I were to do this lesson again, I
would try to come up with a more interactive way of introducing the vocabulary to the
students.
References:

Common Core State Standards Initiative. 2018c. Grade 3 –measurement and data.
Retrieved November, 2018 from http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/3/MD/

Dictonary.com. (2018). Motion. Retrieved November, 2018, from

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/motion

NGSS Lead States. (2013). 3-PS2-1 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions. Retrieved
November, 2018, from https://www.nextgenscience.org/pe/3-ps2-1-motion-and-stability-
forces-and-interactions

Rockets, R. (2011). Steps in the Scientific Process. Retrieved November, 2018, from
http://www.ldonline.org/article/40493

S, S. (2011, February). Difference Between Balanced and Unbalanced Forces (with

Comparison Chart). Retrieved November, 2018, from
https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-balanced-and-unbalanced-forces.html

School, F. (2016, April). The Steps of the Scientific Method for Kids - Science for Children:
FreeSchool. Retrieved November, 2018, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAJ8IF4HI20

Teacher's Take Out. (n.d.). Scientific Method Poster and Recording Sheet. Retrieved
November, 2018, from https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Scientific-
Method-Poster-and-Recording-Sheet-828717

TheQUIZcat. (2018). Science - 3rd grade - Chapter 4 Lesson 2 How does force affect
motion? Retrieved November, 2018, from https://quizlet.com/159924883/science-3rd-
grade-chapter-4-lesson-2-how-does-force-affect-motion-flash-cards/