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Science · Grade 3

Forces, Motion and Balanced Effects

Every push or pull has a strength and a direction. Learners draw force arrows, discover that balanced forces leave motion unchanged while unbalanced forces start, stop, speed up, slow down or turn objects, and explain a tug-of-war and a stuck box. Then they time a pendulum in a simulation, find the pattern in their measurements and use it to predict future motion.

  • 3 lessons
  • About 90 minutes
  • Forces and motion check: 9 questions
  • Ways to answer: choose an answer, match pairs, type a number, sort into groups, true or false and write a short answer
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What learners will discover

  • Describe a force as a push or pull with a strength and a direction, and show it with an arrow.
  • Explain that balanced forces do not change an object's motion, while unbalanced forces change its speed or direction.
  • Use measurements of a repeating motion to find a pattern and predict future motion.

Lessons

  1. Forces have strength and direction 4 steps2 practiceabout 25 min
  2. Balanced and unbalanced forces 5 steps3 practiceabout 30 min
  3. Patterns predict motion 8 steps3 practiceabout 35 min
  4. Forces and motion check 9 questions at the end

Keep exploring

Games to practice with

  • Marble MountainLay straights, curves, drops and splitters to roll marbles down the mountain.
  • Bridge LabBuild a bridge from beams, brace it with triangles, and stay on budget.
  • Circuit Workshop 3DWire up batteries, bulbs and switches on a 3D workbench.

More 3rd grade science

Guide for grown-ups