New!
Investigation

Newton's 1st and 2nd Laws

In these lessons, students explore Newton's laws of motion by investigating how forces affect the movement of objects. Using the Force and Fan Cart Gizmo, they create and test models to understand the relationships between force, mass, and acceleration. Throughout the series, students apply Newton's first and second laws to deepen their understanding of motion, refining their predictions and justifying their findings with evidence from their experiments.

Lesson Options

Designed for Middle School Students

Series

Newton’s Laws: Race to the Finish

In this three-part series, students become motion analysts using the Force and Fan Carts Gizmo to figure out which racer will win. They investigate how changes in force, mass, and friction affect the motion of carts, collecting and interpreting data to build and revise models. Students use their findings to deepen their understanding of Newton’s First and Second Laws and apply evidence to justify their predictions in a final race challenge. Core topics include the effects of force and mass on acceleration, the role of friction, and balanced and unbalanced forces.

Standalone

Newton’s 1st Law: Robotics Showdown

In this standalone investigation, students act as robotics competitors trying to program a cart to stop at a target. Using the Force and Fan Carts Gizmo, they explore how balanced and unbalanced forces affect the motion of a cart and see Newton’s First Law in action. By testing different surface types and fan forces, students learn how friction and applied force interact, discovering why objects stay at rest or in motion unless acted on by another force. The investigation focuses on motion, inertia, balanced and unbalanced forces, and friction.

Newton’s 2nd Law: Speed Lab Challenge

In this standalone investigation, students take on the role of motion analysts using the Force and Fan Carts Gizmo to figure out which racer will win. Using the Force and Fan Carts Gizmo, they collect and analyze data to identify patterns between force, mass, and speed. Students apply Newton’s Second Law to explain why some carts accelerate faster than others, then use scientific evidence to justify which racer will win. Topics include the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration, and interpreting data to support scientific explanations.

Lesson Materials

Newton’s Laws: Race to the Finish

Teacher Guide Scientific Background Key Vocabulary Usage Guide

Newton’s 1st Law: Robotics Showdown

Teacher Guide Scientific Background Key Vocabulary Usage Guide

Newton’s 2nd Law: Speed Lab Challenge

Key Vocabulary Scientific Background Teacher Guide Usage Guide

Cell Energy Cycle

Explore the processes of photosynthesis and respiration that occur within plant and animal cells. The cyclical nature of the two processes can be constructed visually, and the simplified photosynthesis and respiration formulae can be balanced.

Flower Pollination

Observe the steps of pollination and fertilization in flowering plants. Help with many parts of the process by dragging pollen grains to the stigma, dragging sperm to the ovules, and removing petals as the fruit begins to grow. Quiz yourself when you are done by dragging vocabulary words to the correct plant structure.

Growing Plants

Investigate the growth of three common garden plants: tomatoes, beans, and turnips. You can change the amount of light each plant gets, the amount of water added each day, and the type of soil the seed is planted in. Observe the effect of each variable on plant height, plant mass, leaf color and leaf size. Determine what conditions produce the tallest and healthiest plants. Height and mass data are displayed on tables and graphs.

Plants and Snails

Study the production and use of gases by plants and animals. Measure the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in a test tube containing snails and elodea (a type of plant) in both light and dark conditions. Learn about the interdependence of plants and animals.