Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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.
- Two teams pull a rope equally hard. What happens to the rope? (It moves towards the bigger team. / It snaps at once. / It moves up into the air. / It stays where it is.) → It stays where it is.Prompt: Are the forces balanced or unbalanced?
- True or false? Unbalanced forces can make an object start, stop, speed up or turn. (True / False) → TruePrompt: Compare the sizes and directions of the forces.
- A cyclist pedals harder than the air and road push back. What happens? (The bike speeds up. / The bike slows down. / The bike stays at exactly the same speed. / The bike moves backwards.) → The bike speeds up.Prompt: Which way is the bigger force?
Hook · 6 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 · 12 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 · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- 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?
- Three of these are examples of a contact force. Which one is NOT? (friction slowing a sledge (sled) / a magnet pulling a paperclip through paper / a rope pulling a boat / air resistance on a parachute) → a magnet pulling a paperclip through paperPrompt: For each one, ask: is there a gap between the objects?
You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- True or false? Kicking a ball is a non-contact force. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Is there touching, or a gap?
- Three of these are examples of a contact force. Which one is NOT? (air resistance on a parachute / Earth's gravity keeping the Moon in orbit / a rope pulling a boat / kicking a ball) → Earth's gravity keeping the Moon in orbitPrompt: 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