Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan

Move It: 2nd law of Motion

_____________________________________________________________________________
Central Focus/Big Idea Newtons 2nd law of motion
Subject of this lesson: Science: Forces in motion
Grade Level: 3rd
NC Essential Standard(s): 3 .P.1.1 Infer changes in speed or direction resulting from forces
acting on an object
Next Generation Science Standard(s): 3-PS2-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide
evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
3- PS2-2. Make observations and/or measurements of an objects motion to provide evidence
that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.
21st Century Skills: Creativity and Innovation 4th grade outcome: Students provide concrete
examples of science as a way of thinking that involves both systematic and creative processes
that anyone can apply as they ask questions, solve problems, invent things, and develop ideas
about the world around them. 8th grade outcome: Students are able to describe how science and
engineering involve creative processes that include generating and testing ideas, making
observations, and formulating explanations; and can apply these processes in their own
investigations.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving 4th grade outcome: Students construct their own scientific
understanding and develop their scientific process skills by asking scientific questions, designing
and conducting investigations, constructing explanations from their observations, and discussing
their explanations with others. 8th grade outcome Students plan and conduct scientific
investigations and write detailed explanations based on their evidence. Students compare their
explanations to those made by scientists and relate them to their own understandings of the
natural and designed worlds.
Flexibility and Adaptability 4th grade outcome: Students can provide illustrative examples of
science as an ongoing process that includes expanding, revising, and sometimes discarding
theories based on new evidence, and that our understanding of a topic can change as more
research is completed. 8th grade outcome: Students can identify the difference between scientific
theories (which can be improved through new evidence and expanded through exceptions to
observed patterns) and beliefs (which may or may not be based on evidence).

Academic Language Demand

Language Function: In the table below highlight the one most important language
function for your lesson. Explain why you chose these.

Analyze
Interpret

Argue
Predict

Categorize
Question

Compare/contrast Describe
Retell
Summarize

Explain

Scientific Vocabulary: What are the key scientific terms that your students will learn
through this lesson? Force, mass, and acceleration

Instructional Objective: Students will be able to observe, experiment with, and additionally
explain the 2nd law of motion. Through a swing set demonstration and car ramp experiment,
students will be able to use results and connect them to the ideals of Newtons 2nd law.
Prior Knowledge (student): 1st law of motion, what inertia is and who is Issac Newton.
Content Knowledge (teacher): An understanding of who Issac Newton is, the 1st and 2nd laws
of motion and how they relate and build upon each other.
Accommodations for special needs For Ell this lesson is very visual and hands on, language
barriers shouldnt be too much of a problem. This lesson could be done outside or in bigger areas
of space for children in wheelchairs etc, who would be restricted during the activities in the
classroom space.
Materials and Technology requirements: Hot wheels cars (2 per group), foam noodles (1 per
group), pennies (5 per group), rulers (1 per group) computer, swing set, pencils and paper.
Total Estimated Time: 45 min - 1hr
Source of lesson: collaboration or CT and preservice teacher
Safety considerations: Make sure there is no one directly behind or infront of the swing set
during the demo, Also make sure cars are only used on ramps provided and are not aimed
towards anyone.

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

In your procedure, be sure to include all of the following 5 Es. Your procedure should be
detailed enough for a colleague to follow. If you will be relying on technology (e.g., a YouTube
video), describe your back up plan thoroughly. Imagine your most novice colleague needing to
teach from your plan. Dont just answer the questions. Additionally, I expect you to include
possible questions you could ask for each section. This needs to include higher-order questions.
Engage: Review Isaac Newton and the 1st law, which was taught the day before. Can anyone
tell me who Issac Newton is? What did he do? How did he come by this information? What is
the 1st law of motion? Whats Inerta? Show a video on the second law:
www.studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/forcesandmotion/acceleration.htm
Explore: Swing set demo: pick a smaller student out of the class(Student A) and have them sit
in a swing and try to make themselves move. Youre not moving very fast are you? Then have
second student(Student B) lightly push the first. Is the student A starting to move faster now
with student bs tap then when they tried to move them self? Now have student b push student a
harder than the the push last time. Student as moving even faster right? This is because when
we apply a force or push in our case to an object it moves faster and the greater or more the force
the faster an object will move. This is why student a began to move faster and faster the more
student b pushed them. Ok so what if I sat in the swing? Am I bigger or smaller than student a?
So do you think I would need the same amount of force as student a? No, more right? Can
anyone tell me why? The bigger the object is the bigger or more force you need. So lets try it.
Have student b push you the same way he pushed student a. Let kids notice you are moving, yes,
but not at the same speed as student a. Now have student b push you with more force and let
students observe how you are now moving at the same speed of student a.
Explanation: Recap the demo. An object needs what to move? If you add more force what
happens to an object? Do smaller and bigger objects require the amount of force applied? This
last question will lead you to the introduction of the equation Force=mass. Explain this means
the force applied must equal or meet the same amount of mass you have. Relate back to demo. I
was the bigger person therefore I have more mass than student a which is why I needed a bigger
push. Have students write the force=mass equation as well as the 2nd law of motion in their
science notebooks.
Elaborate: Introduce the car ramp activity. Each group gets one foam noodle, 2 cars 5 pennies a
ruler and tape gets passed out as needed. Explain to students they will be setting up their ramp
anywhere in the classroom that theyd like. They should place one of their cars 5 inches away
from the bottom of the ramp and let the other car fall from the top to hit the second one. They
should do this three times and record all 3 distances. They will measure how far it travels using
the ruler. After the 3 trials, groups should add one penny to the top of the car at the bottom of the
ramp and again do 3 trials and record. This will continue until all 5 pennies are tapped on top of
the car. Before allowing students to start have them make a hypothesis on what will happen as
more pennies are added to the second car? Do you think the car will go farther or no? why or
why not?

Evaluate: Have students prove knowledge of 2nd law through their notes, hypothesis,
observations and results recorded in their science notebook. Check for understanding by having
students explain what they did in their experiment as well as questioning throughout the lesson.
To be complete after the lesson is taught as appropriate
Assessment Results of all objectives/skills:
Reflection on lesson:
CT signature/confirmation: _________________________________ Date: ________________