6th - 8th Grade Module 3 Concept 1

Cycle 3

How do balanced and unbalanced forces affect vertical motion?
Cycle Summary

In this cycle, students will discover the answer to the guiding question, “How do balanced and unbalanced forces affect vertical motion?” They will discuss unbalanced and balanced forces that occur vertically (on the y-axis.) Students will spend more time this cycle using the science and engineering practices to articulate how balanced and unbalanced forces affect the motion of an object. At the beginning of this cycle, they make observations and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of fluid friction on downward motion. Students will then obtain information about normal force and create a model explaining why objects do not fall through tables because of balanced forces.

Session 9
Elicit

Students view an image of a diver falling through air and a diver falling through water to draw force diagrams in the vertical direction.

Engage

Students ask questions about force columns.

Explore

Students set up a lab to collect quantitative information of spheres falling through force columns.

Session 10
Explore

Students set up a lab to collect quantitative information of spheres falling through force columns.

Explain

Students analyze data to create a force diagram of spheres falling through force columns. Students critically read text on fluid friction and gravitational forces to explain differences in motion of falling objects.

Elaborate

Students read text on normal forces and complete a CER to answer the question about why a box doesn’t fall through a table.

Session 11
Elaborate

Students read text on normal forces and complete a CER to answer the question about why a box doesn’t fall through a table.

Evaluate

Students use a rubric to evaluate a peer’s CER. Students complete portfolio task 2 discussing the horizontal or vertical motion that occurs in the sport they are researching.

Extend
Extend

Students use a projectile motion simulation to discover cause and effect relationships between different variables.