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Science lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 30 minutes

Air resistance and water resistance

Forces and motion

CCSS NGSS.MS-PS2-2England: KS2 Y5 Forces

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Air resistance and water resistance.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Friction; Gravity

Leads to: Newton's laws of motion

Materials: Force meters, Toy cars and ramps, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Friction; Gravity). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. On the Moon, an astronaut dropped a hammer and a feather at the same time. What happened? (They hit the ground together / They floated away / The hammer landed first / The feather landed first) → They hit the ground togetherPrompt: The Moon has no air.
  2. On which surface would you slide furthest in your socks? (a grassy field / a gravel path / a thick carpet / a polished wooden floor) → a polished wooden floorPrompt: Which surface is smoothest?
  3. Who is famous for describing gravity after watching things fall? (Marie Curie / Charles Darwin / Thomas Edison / Isaac Newton) → Isaac NewtonPrompt: A story says an apple fell near him.

Hook · 3 min

  • Drop a sheet of paper and a scrunched-up sheet together and ask why one falls faster.
  • Share the objective: Air resistance and water resistance. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Why are fish and boats streamlined (smooth and pointed)?
  • Step 1: Streamlining reduces water resistance, so they move faster using less energy.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: to reduce water resistance
  • Answer: to reduce water resistance
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Why does a parachute slow a skydiver down? (It makes the skydiver lighter / It is full of helium / Its large surface creates a lot of air resistance / It turns off gravity) → Its large surface creates a lot of air resistancePrompt: The parachute pushes against lots of air.
  2. Why does air resistance increase as a cyclist goes faster? (Gravity gets stronger / The bike gets bigger / The air gets heavier / The cyclist hits more air particles each second) → The cyclist hits more air particles each secondPrompt: Think about air particles in the cyclist's path.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Air and water resistance: which statement is NOT true? (Water resistance only acts on boats. / Air resistance is a type of friction. / A parachute with a bigger area falls more slowly. / Air resistance acts against the direction of motion.) → Water resistance only acts on boats.Prompt: Which way does air resistance act on a falling object?
  2. Why does a parachute slow a skydiver down? (Its large surface creates a lot of air resistance / It makes the skydiver lighter / It turns off gravity / It is full of helium) → Its large surface creates a lot of air resistancePrompt: The parachute pushes against lots of air.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Friction.
  • Use concrete materials: force meters.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Newton's laws of motion.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-5.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Air resistance and water resistance

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Air and water resistance: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. Air resistance acts against the direction of motion.
    • B. Air resistance is a type of friction.
    • C. Streamlined shapes reduce air and water resistance.
    • D. Air resistance pulls falling objects downwards.

  2. Question 2

    Which is the best shape for a fast racing car?

    • A. tall and square
    • B. covered in flags
    • C. low and streamlined
    • D. flat and wide like a sheet

  3. Question 3

    Cyclists crouch low over their handlebars in races. Why?

    • A. to see the road better
    • B. to increase friction with the road
    • C. to reduce air resistance
    • D. to make the bike heavier

  4. Question 4

    A skydiver falls at a steady top speed (terminal velocity). What is true about the forces?

    • A. Weight and air resistance are balanced
    • B. There is no air resistance
    • C. There is no weight
    • D. Air resistance is bigger than weight

  5. Question 5

    Why are fish and boats streamlined (smooth and pointed)?

    • A. to float higher
    • B. to increase water resistance
    • C. to reduce water resistance
    • D. to look nice

  6. Question 6

    Why does a parachute slow a skydiver down?

    • A. It makes the skydiver lighter
    • B. It is full of helium
    • C. Its large surface creates a lot of air resistance
    • D. It turns off gravity

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Answer key: Air resistance and water resistance

  1. 1. D. Air resistance pulls falling objects downwards.

  2. 2. C. low and streamlined

  3. 3. C. to reduce air resistance

  4. 4. A. Weight and air resistance are balanced

  5. 5. C. to reduce water resistance

  6. 6. C. Its large surface creates a lot of air resistance