Judy Compton Grade Level: 3rd

Academic 3.PS.1 Plan and conduct an investigation to provide

Standards evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces
on the motion of an object.
3-5.E.3 Construct and perform fair investigations in
which variables are controlled and failure points are
considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype
that can be improved.
Essential Name one contact and one non-contact force and how each
Question affects the motion of an object.
Objective Students will observe how contact and non-contact force affects
an object.
Students will describe how the contact and non-contact force
affects the motion of the object.
Engage Students will be shown videos of cars driving on ramps.
Students will be asked what affects a car when it is on a ramp?
Explore Students will make a ramp and let a car run down it. A
stopwatch will be used to time the car. Students will make the
ramp taller and time the car again.
Explain Students will read Forces Affecting Objects quick facts in their
packets. Class discussion will be done after students have been
given a chance to read packet.
Extend Put ramp back to original design, height. Put something at the
end and let the car go to see what happens to object at the end
of the ramp.
Evaluate Check Your Understanding numbers 1,2 and 3 in the packet
and the Forces Affecting Objects vocab page.
Supplies for Toy car
each group At least 3 long wood, plastic or foam board for ramp
Stopwatch
6 books and least 1 thick
1 copy per student of student packet
1 copy answer key
1 copy of student task cards
Vocabulary Non-contact force: A force that acts on an object without
touching the object (e.g., magnet and gravity).
Contact force: A force that acts on an object by touching the
object (e.g., collision, magnets and gravity).
Gravitational force: A force between two or more masses
(such as the Earth and a person); it is always an attracting
force.
Speed (of falling objects): How fast an object is moving
downward.
Gravity- As a non-contact force, it makes objects fall or roll
down a hill or ramp without having direct contact
Collision- A contact force that can start, stop, speed up, slow
down or change the direction of the motion of an object when it
 acts upon the object by coming in contact with it
Homework Students will write about something which is moved by force
and tell whether the force is contact or non-contact
Resources Science tasks with Otis and Flask a Teaching and Learning
Collaborative.
Special Students will work in groups of 2-4 depending on the students.
Instructions Students will assign jobs to each group member to make sure
everyone participates.
Additional Teacher will walk around room providing help where needed.
Differentiated Special tasks cards will be made for students who need
Instruction additional information. Pictures will be provided if necessary, or
teacher will provide a demonstration to help students who need
to see to understand.
Higher Order What could be added or taken away to change the time it takes
Questions the car to reach the bottom of the ramp? Could a variable be
changed to change the time for car to reach bottom? What
would happen if we had the car collide into a different object?
Reflection Did the students enjoy the activity? Did the students learn from
the activity? What needs to be changed on the activity? Was a
enough time provided for the students to do the activity? Was
everyone included in the activity? Did the engagement activity
get the students attention?