Forces and Interactions Unit Bundle NGSS Aligned STEM CER
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Description
This bundle includes everything you need to teach an NGSS aligned middle school forces and interactions unit. These highly engaging lessons align with the philosophy of the NGSS, including a focus on deeper understanding of content as well as application of content, student performance expectations, and integration with mathematics. The lessons are classroom tested and ready for immediate implementation.
This bundle supports the NGSS standards MS PS2-1, MS PS2-2, MS PS2-3, MS PS2-4. MS PS2-5, MS ETS1-2, MS ETS1-3, and MS ETS1-4.
INTRODUCTION TO MOTION VOCABULARY
These lessons (GOOGLE and PDF versions) start with an engaging activity to launch your force and motion unit. Key motion vocabulary that students will encounter during this unit is introduced. A separate file is also included which has 16 vocabulary slides to support the force and motion bundle. These can be used for classroom display to reinforce student understanding.
INVESTIGATIONS INTO BALANCED AND UNBALANCED FORCES
These engaging stations (GOOGLE and PDF versions) allow students to start to construct their own understanding of unbalanced and balanced forces including answers to the following questions:
What is a force?
What is the strength of the unit Newton?
How does a different force affect the same object?
How does the same force affect objects with different masses?
What is the difference between balanced and unbalanced forces?
How do you calculate the net force?
What causes objects to move?
Station 6 will require students to use the CER structure to write a conclusion.
Students will complete a summary statement worksheet after the stations are completed.
NEWTON'S FIRST LAW
Students are initially introduced to Newton’s First Law and how the force of friction is the unbalanced force that slows down objects (GOOGLE and PDF versions). A simulation is used to reinforce this concept and an investigation into friction is included. This friction investigation will require students to use the CER structure to write a conclusion.
Five engaging stations then allow students to build their understanding of Newton’s First Law. If necessary these stations can be completed at home. Students complete a summary statement worksheet after the stations are completed and discussed.
NEWTON'S SECOND LAW
These investigations (GOOGLE and PDF versions) allow students to develop an understanding of the relationship between mass, sum of the forces, and change of motion. As students are performing the investigations, the equation for Newton’s second law, when introduced, will be easily understandable.
Instructions are given for both in class investigations and online investigations.
Students will be designing and performing their experiments, collecting data, and analyzing the data to see the relationship between mass, forces, and change in motion.
They will use the CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) structure to write their conclusions.
Next they apply their knowledge of Newton’s second law to three new situations. This can be used as a formative assessment of student understanding.
NEWTON'S THIRD LAW
Students move through five stations that guide them to “discover” Newton’s third law (GOOGLE and PDF versions). Students then complete a summary worksheet where they identify the action and reaction involved for each station. Next they apply their knowledge of Newton’s third law to three new situations. This can be used as a formative assessment of student understanding.
CONSTRUCTING A SPACE STATION THAT WITHSTANDS A COLLISON
This highly engaging lesson is a design solution to a problem involving two colliding objects (standard MS PS2-1).This engineering and design project (GOOGLE and PDF versions) allows students to gain a greater understanding of why we need to build space stations that can withstand collisions.
The students first learn about crumple zones and why they are helpful in a collision.
Students design, construct, and test three crumple zones (made of simple materials) to see which is the best for attachment to their space station. Students then design, construct, and test their space station (made of simple materials) to see if it will withstand a collision with a “baseball” meteoroid.
A written formative assessment is included which allows for students to critique their design and offer ideas for improvements. It also allows students the opportunity to connect this collision with Newton’s third law.
A UNIT ON GRAVITATIONAL FORCES
These engaging lessons (GOOGLE and PDF versions) allow students to develop an understanding of the relationship between gravitational forces and two objects, and how mass of the objects and distance between them affect these forces. Common misconceptions about gravitational forces are also addressed in these activities.
The following key questions are answered by doing a number of activities:
What is a gravitational force field?
What is the difference between mass and weight?
What is the relationship between mass in grams and weight in Newtons?
What would our weight be on other planets?
How does changing the mass of an object affect the amount of gravitational force between it and a different object?
How does changing the distance between two objects affect the amount of gravitational force?
What are the misconceptions that we hold about falling objects?
Why do astronauts in the International Space Station float around?
Students will be designing and performing their experiments, collecting data, and analyzing the data to see the relationship between gravitational forces, the masses of two objects, and the distance between them.
They will use the CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) structure to write their conclusions.
Students will complete summary statements after a guided questioning session.
Students will conduct three stations which will address the misconceptions about falling objects.
A written assessment is also included.
INVESTIGATING MAGNETIC FORCES
This engaging unit (GOOGLE and PDF versions) allows students to develop an understanding of magnetic forces and their effects, the relationship between magnetism and electricity, and how useful magnets are in our lives.
These lessons are introduced with an anchor phenomenon which is revisited frequently during the unit.
In this unit, these key questions are investigated:
What materials are magnets made of?
What materials are attracted by magnets?
Can we magnetize materials and why is this possible?
What causes the Earth’s magnetic fields?
What is a magnetic shield and what materials function as magnetic shields?
What is a magnetic field and how can we detect it?
What are the differences in the magnetic fields between magnets that show attraction and magnets that show repulsion?
How can we make a simple compass?
How do we know that the geographic north pole is actually the south magnetic pole?
What is the relationship between electricity and magnetism?
What are the uses of magnets?
Students will complete stations, labs, active readings, and summaries in order to answer the above questions.
Students will be designing and performing their experiments, collecting data, and analyzing the data to see the relationship between increasing the number of magnets on the repulsion between magnets.
They will use the CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) structure to write their conclusions.
Students will ask a question that they can test about a factor that may change the strength of an electromagnet. They will design and perform their experiment, collect and analyze the data, in order to answer this question.
They will use the CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) structure to write their conclusions.
The science and engineering practices below are incorporated in this unit:
Developing and using models.
Engaging in argument from evidence.
Planning and carrying out investigations.
Analyzing and interpreting data.
Constructing explanations and designing solutions.
Asking questions and defining problems
Using mathematics and computational thinking
The students will encounter the Cross-cutting concepts:
Stability and Change
Systems and system models
Cause and effect
Easily obtainable materials are used for these lessons.
Teacher slides (227 slides)
Detailed teacher notes including all materials needed (107 pages)
Printable student worksheets with activity instructions, analysis questions, and formative assessment (71 pages)
Sample answers for student worksheets
Rubrics are given when appropriate
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Email any questions you have with the subject line “Forces and Interactions Unit Bundle” to us at engagersinscience@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to answer them.
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