Back to the lesson plan builder
Lesson length30 min45 min60 min
Questions🔀 New questions

Print the plan for yourself; the student sheet prints on its own page after it.

Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes

Contact forces and forces that act at a distance

Forces and motion

CCSS NGSS.3-PS2-3England: KS2 Y3 Forces and magnets

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Contact forces and forces that act at a distance.

  • 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: Which way will it move? Predict from the forces

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

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

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Which way will it move? Predict from the forces). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Two teams pull a rope equally hard. What happens to the rope? (It snaps at once. / It moves towards the bigger team. / It moves up into the air. / It stays where it is.) → It stays where it is.Prompt: Are the forces balanced or unbalanced?
  2. True or false? A still object stays still if the forces on it are balanced. (True / False) → TruePrompt: Compare the sizes and directions of the forces.
  3. A cyclist pedals harder than the air and road push back. What happens? (The bike slows down. / The bike moves backwards. / The bike stays at exactly the same speed. / The bike speeds up.) → The bike speeds up.Prompt: Which way is the bigger force?

Hook · 5 min

  • Drop a sheet of paper and a scrunched-up sheet together and ask why one falls faster.
  • Share the objective: Contact forces and forces that act at a distance. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Is this a contact force or a non-contact force: kicking a ball?
  • Step 1: The objects must touch for the force to act.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: contact force
  • Answer: contact force
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 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. Is this a contact force or a non-contact force: a magnet pulling a paperclip through paper? (contact force / non-contact force) → non-contact forcePrompt: Do the two things have to touch?
  2. Three of these are examples of a non-contact force. Which one is NOT? (Earth's gravity keeping the Moon in orbit / gravity pulling an apple to the ground / a magnet pulling a paperclip through paper / kicking a ball) → kicking a ballPrompt: For each one, ask: is there a gap between the objects?

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Is this a contact force or a non-contact force: Earth's gravity keeping the Moon in orbit? (contact force / non-contact force) → non-contact forcePrompt: Do the two things have to touch?
  2. Three of these are examples of a contact force. Which one is NOT? (kicking a ball / a rope pulling a boat / gravity pulling an apple to the ground / pushing a door open) → gravity pulling an apple to the groundPrompt: For each one, ask: is there a gap between the objects?

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: Which way will it move? Predict from the forces.
  • 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

  • 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-3.

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

eurekami

Contact forces and forces that act at a distance

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Three of these are examples of a contact force. Which one is NOT?

    • A. a charged balloon lifting hair
    • B. friction slowing a sledge (sled)
    • C. kicking a ball
    • D. a rope pulling a boat

  2. Question 2

    Is this a contact force or a non-contact force: a rope pulling a boat?

    • A. contact force
    • B. non-contact force

  3. Question 3

    True or false? Air resistance acts without anything touching.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  4. Question 4

    True or false? Magnetic forces can act through a gap.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  5. Question 5

    Three of these are examples of a non-contact force. Which one is NOT?

    • A. a charged balloon lifting hair
    • B. gravity pulling an apple to the ground
    • C. air resistance on a parachute
    • D. a magnet pulling a paperclip through paper

  6. Question 6

    Is this a contact force or a non-contact force: Earth's gravity keeping the Moon in orbit?

    • A. contact force
    • B. non-contact force

  7. Question 7

    Is this a contact force or a non-contact force: a charged balloon lifting hair?

    • A. contact force
    • B. non-contact force

  8. Question 8

    True or false? Friction only acts when surfaces touch.

    • A. True
    • B. False

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: Contact forces and forces that act at a distance

  1. 1. A. a charged balloon lifting hair

  2. 2. A. contact force

  3. 3. B. False

  4. 4. A. True

  5. 5. C. air resistance on a parachute

  6. 6. B. non-contact force

  7. 7. B. non-contact force

  8. 8. A. True