DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ELEMENTARY 3rd SEMESTER LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

(1/25/13)
Teacher Candidate _Nicholas White___ Grade Level _3rd_ Title __Strength of Force Investigation_ _____
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS (classroom factors)
Contextual Factors: 26 students
9 boys/17 Girls
5 minority students

ELL: Reshiea WIDA 5 or 6

Elisabeth WIDA 5 or 6
Ryan WIDA 5 or 6
Josh WIDA 1

Struggling Learners:

Classroom environment: The classroom is

set up into six long tables. A majority of the
students in the classroom sit at these tables
except for one student whose desk is set at the
back of the classroom. There are 4 students at
5 of the tables and one table of 5. There is also
an ELMO, a smartboard, five student
computers and the teachers computer in the
room. The room is often decorated with the
students vocabulary words for the week,
posters to remind students what they need to
be working that week. The teacher also posts a
daylily schedule on one side of the white board
for students to refer to throughout the day.

Students above level: John

(GATE) Jasmine (GATE)

Students with an IEP:

Alison: Speech
Jason- Reading
Nathan
Comprehension/Writing
Matt-Fluency/Math/Writing
Ryan-Reading/Writing/Math
Sarah- Reading/ Writing/Math

Alison, Jason, Nathan, Matt,

Ryan, Sarah

Students with Behavior problems:

Ryan: Has to be reminded to stay on task. Sometimes has to be asked
multiple times to get his attention
Sarah: Does not stay on task. Has a tendency to bug the students
around her when they are working. At times will have melt downs
when other students touch her or she gets frustrated with something.
Alison: often is off task, has to be asked to sit down several times a
day, and has been known to be loud and mean.

WALK-AWAY (As a result of this lesson, what do I want the students to know, understand, and be able to do?)
State Standard/Objective: Standard 3

Students will understand the relationship between the force applied to an object and resulting motion
of the object.
Objective 2
Demonstrate that the greater the force applied to an object, the greater the change in speed or direction of the
object.
b. Compare and chart the relative effects of a force of the same strength on objects of different weight
(e.g., the breeze from a fan will move a piece of paper but may not move a piece of cardboard).
c. Compare the relative effects of forces of different strengths on an object (e.g., strong wind affects an
object differently than a breeze). (3)
Content Walk-Away I will compare and chart how the strength of a force affects objects that weigh the
same and objects the weigh differently and discuss them with a partner. (1)
Language Walk-Away: I will compare and chart how the strength of a force affects objects that weigh the
same and objects the weigh differently and discuss them with a partner. (2)
Vocabulary: force and observation(9)

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (What evidence do I need to show the students have

learned the Walk-Away?)

Modifications/Accomodations (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

Formative Evidence (checking for understanding throughout the lesson):

Students will be able to fill in a chart to show how the strength of the force can affect
the distance an object will go.
Students will be able to discuss with a partner how the size of the force affects an
object.
Students will be able to help the teacher fill in the chart correctly. (30)
Content Walk-Away Evidence (Summative): Students will conduct an investigation
and fill out the chart correctly comparing how the size of the force affects the speed
and the distance of the object and how different objects go different distances with the
same amount of force. (30)
Language Walk-Away Evidence (Summative): Students will discuss their findings with
a partner using the chart.(30)

Josh: Pair him with a

student that will encourage
him to discuss what his
group discovered and have
him tell you what his group
discovered.
Struggling Writers: Model
filling in the chart for them.
Keep the chart on the board
as an example.
Sarah: Pair her with
Mandy or a student that will
help her stay on task.
Ryan: In his group make
sure that he has a job that he
has to complete in order for
his group to be successful.
(e.g. the student that pushes
the ball or measures)
John: Ask him how far he thinks
a heavy bowling ball would go if I
pushed it as hard as I could.
Jasmine: Ask him how far she
thinks a heavy bowling ball
would go if I pushed it as hard as
I could.

Alison: Put her with a table

that will work well with her.
Write down your
instructions that you want
them to follow, and when
she is off task, remind her of
those instructions. Assign a
task to her that keeps her
engaged with her group.

Approx.
Time
5 min.

ACTIVE LEARNING PLAN

Activate/Building Background Knowledge
Think about this question for a moment, what is a force? And what do we do when we make
observations? (18) I want you to share with your shoulder partner what a force is and what we do when
we make observations. (16,17,18).
Class what is a force?
What is an observation?
Today we are going to be conducting an investigation about force and the size of objects and how it
affects the distance an object will travel. Please read todays goal with me.

I will compare and chart how the strength of a force affects objects that weigh the same
and objects the weigh differently and discuss them with a partner. (1,2)
Formative assessment:
Learning Goal
They will remember what
observations are and what forces
are.

10 min

Success Criteria
They will share with a partner
what a force is and what
observations are.

Assessment Strategy
Think pair share
Choral response.

Modification/accommodations: (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.) Josh: Discuss the words force and observation if
necessary (19) Ryan: Ask the same questions one on one. Sarah: have her tell you what a force is
Alison: Ask her what a observation is. GATE: Ask them if they can tell the class in their own words what
they need to do in this lesson.
Focus Lesson (I do it)
Today, we are going to be investigating how the amount of force will affect how far an object will go. We
have this chart with each of the objects on the left side, and at the top we have the how strong we will
push the objects. We will push each object with each strength of force.
So let me show you what you are going to do. First, you are going to pick your object. We have a choice
between tennis ball, golf ball, marble, or baseball. Then after you have chosen your object, you will line it
up with the tape that I have put on the floor and push it with either very gentle force, normal force, or
hard force. Then you will take the tape measures and measure how far each object has gone in
centimeters. Then you will record how this distance on your chart. (11)
I am going to pick the baseball and I am going to push the ball with gentle force. Watch as I line up to the
line and now I will push the ball. Now I am going to measure from the tape line all the way to the ball.
When I measure I line the zero up with the tape line and then if I get to the end of the tape measure I have
a partner put a finger at the end of the tape measure and I write the number that is on the end of the tape
measure. Then I line up the zero of the tape measure with my partners finger and I do this until we reach
the ball. Then we add up all of those numbers up. Turn to your partner and tell them how far in
centimeters the baseball went when I pushed it with a gentle force.(16,17,18)
Class how far did the ball go?
Now I am going to take that number and write how many centimeters the ball went. Class what do I
write here again?
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Students will be able to
determine how far the ball went.

Success Criteria
They can add up the total
centimeters from the line to the
ball.

Assessment Strategy
Think pair share
Choral questions

Modification/accommodations: Josh: Ask him during think pair share what answer he came up with.
Ryan: sit him close to the line when I push the ball so he can see. Sarah: Have her help me with
measuring the distance. Alison: Have her tell me how far she thinks the ball went. GATE: have them
give me an estimation of how far the ball went.
Guided Instruction (We do it)
Now, I want to do one more with you. Which ball should I choose? (16,18) how hard should I push it?
(16,18)
Now turn to the person next to you and tell them what I should do next. (16,17,18) What should I do, Josh?
(16,18) Now that I have pushed the ball, how do I measure? What units do I measure with? (16,18)

15 min

Now, how far did the ball go? Now turn to a buddy not from your table and tell them where I should
write how far the ball went. (16,17,18) Now where should I write this number? (29,30)

Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Students will understand the
procedures of the investigation

Success Criteria
They will be able to direct me
how to do the activity

Assessment Strategy
Think pair share
Questioning ( having them guide
me)

Modification/accommodations: Josh: Ask him what I should do after I have chosen the ball and how
hard I should push it. GATE: have them add up the distance the ball went Sarah: Put her close to the
front so I can see that she is watching. Repeat all the correct instructions so that she can remember what
to do. Alison: Ask her what ball I should choose. (5)
Collaborative/Cooperative (You do it together)
Now, at your tables I want you to push each of the balls three times. Once for gentle force, once for
normal force, and once for hard force.
For this investigation you are going to choose one person to push the ball, two people to help measure,
and one to record the distance for each time a ball is pushed. Then after every ball has pushed the three
times everyone is going to copy what the recorder of your group wrote. In your groups decide who will
do what, and then recorders come and get work sheets for everyone in your group.
(6,11,12,16,17,18,2o,21,22,23,25,29,30)
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy
Students will conduct the
They will be able work as a team
Observation
investigation successfully.
to conduct the investigation.
Do they measure correctly?
Do they record correctly with the
units?
Modification/accommodations: Josh: allow him to choose what he would like to do in the group, if he is
the recorder encourage his group to help him write. Struggling Writers: have them be measurers or
pushers and copy what their recorders write. Sarah: Make sure that she is working with her group,
make reassignments to the group if necessary. Ryan: Ask him what the last ball that was pushed was
and how far it went. Alison: Pair her with a group that will keep her on task.
Gate: Ask them the total distance they have pushed the baseball.

10 min.

Independent (You do it alone)

Now I am going to pair you up randomly and have you take your sheet with all of the numbers and I
want you to discuss with your partner what you observed when you pushed each of the balls with
different forces.
Some questions that you need to answer are:
1. Did the heaver balls go as far as the lighter balls?
2. Did how hard you pushed the balls make a difference?
3. Are there any big differences between each others charts? Why do you think?(29,30)
What did you discuss in your groups?
Summative assessment: Have them discuss with a partner what the results of their investigation
was.(30)
Modification/accommodations: Josh: Ask him those questions myself, pair him with some one that will
get him to share. Sarah: Pair her with Mandy or a student that will make sure that she is working
Alison: Write down your questions so that she knows what they are, and ask her what she discussed
with her partner Ryan: use proximity to make sure that he is staying on task. Gate: Ask them how far
they think a heavy bowling ball would go if I pushed it as hard as I could.
Closure/Review of walk-aways, vocabulary, and essential questions

(Note: Closure includes student interactions, reflection, and/or demonstrations.)

10 min

Have a few students share what they discussed

Does it matter how heavy the ball was or how hard I pushed the ball?
What is force? What is an observation?(28)

Lets look at our objective. How did we accomplish this goal today?(27,28,29,30)

SIOP Indicators (Add SIOP number and description within the lesson plan)
Preparation: 1-Content objectives, 2-Language objectives, 3-Content appropriate, 4-Supplementary materials, 5Adaptation of content, 6-Meaningful activities
Building Background: 7-Linked to background, 8-Linked to past learning, 9-Key vocabulary
Comprehensive Input: 10-Appropriate speech, 11-Clear explanation, 12-Variety of techniques
Interaction: 16-Opportunity for interaction, 17-Grouping supports objectives, 18-Wait time, 19-Opportunity for L1
students
Practice/Application: 20-Hands-on materials, 21-Activities to apply content/language knowledge, 22-Language skills:
reading, writing, listening, speaking
Lesson Delivery: 23-Content objective supported, 24-Language objective supported, 25-Students engaged, 26-Pacing
Review/Assessment: 27-Review vocabulary, 28-Review concepts, 29-Feedback, 30-Assessment

TEACHING NOTES
What do I need to remember to do? What materials do I need to have ready? What is the approximate time needed for
this lesson?
This lesson should take about 30 minutes to complete. I will need to make sure that I have 6 balls of each type
(baseball, tenuis ball, golf ball, and marble) I will need to have copies made of the work sheet that they will fill out.

REFLECTION AFTER LESSON

How can I use the assessment data to reflect on & evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning? How can I transfer
what I learned from teaching this lesson to future teaching? What was effective and not effective? What goals can I
set to improve my practice and student learning?
Looking at the assessment data, I think that most of the students understood the concept that if you want a heavier
object to go further, you need to push it with more force. I think that creating a worksheet for them to use during their
lesson helped them be more organized and were much easier to read.
I think that the biggest thing I learned from teaching this lesson was that I need to set the expectations for the activity
we are doing. I did not do that when I let them start working in groups, and I had students fighting over which jobs they
wanted to do. This made it so I had to stop the activity, address the class and set those expectations, and then release
the responsibility back over to them. This meant that we did not get the opportunity to have students share what they
learned with a random partner. I think that if I had the opportunity to review the concept, I would have been able to see
how many students still needed help.
I think that when I teach this lesson in the future, I will make the students rotate jobs so that they all get an opportunity
to do each job in the group, and so that I can avoid having the arguments arise. Also for my future lessons in general, I
will take the time to set my expectations for the lesson.

Name: ________________________________________

Date:____________________________

Record what distance each ball went after you push it with each type of force.
Type of ball

Gentle force

Normal force

Strong force

Baseball

Tennis ball

Ping Pong Ball

Marble

Did the heaver balls go as far as the lighter balls? Why?

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What would you have to do to get the heavier balls to go as far as the lighter ones?

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Did how much force (how hard you pushed) make a difference in how far the ball went?

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