Force and Motion

Grades: 1,3,5,& 7

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Let's move! Force and motion are all around us in invisible ways. Let's learn about how some four favorite things move and the forces that make that movement possible. We will explore the laws that control force and motion in a unique outdoor setting. 

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NC Standards

1.P.1.1 Explain the importance of a push or pull in changing the motion of an object. 

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1.P.1.2 Explain how some forces (pushes and pulls) can be used to make things move without touching them, such as magnets. 

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3.P.1.1 Infer changes in speed or directions resulting from forces acting on an object. 

 

3.P.1.2 Compare the relative speeds (faster or slower) of objects that travel the same distance in different amounts of time. 

 

3.P.1.3 Explain the effects of Earth's gravity on the motion of any object on or near the Earth. 

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5.P.1.1 Explain how the factors such as gravity, friction, and change in mass affect the motion of objects. 

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5.P.1.2 Infer the motion of objects in terms of how far they travel in a certain amount of time and the direction in which they travel. 

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7.P.1.1. Explain how the motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion, and speed with respect to some other object. 

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7.P.1.2 Explain the effects of balanced and unbalanced faces acting on an object (including friction, gravity, and magnets) 

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7.P.1.3 Illustrate the motion of an object using a graph to show a change in position over a period of time.

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7.P.1.4 Interpret distance versus time graphs for constant speed and variable motion. 

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7.P.2 Understand forms of energy, energy transfer, and transformation and conservation in mechanical systems. 

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7.P.2.1 Explain how kinetic and potential energy contribute to the mechanical energy of an object. 

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7.P.2.2 Explain how energy can be transformed from one form of energy to another (specifically potential energy and kinetic energy) using a model or diagram of a moving object (roller coaster, pendulum, or  cars on ramps as examples).

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7.P.2.3 Recognize that energy can be transferred from one system to  another when two objects push or pull on each other over a distance (work) as is the case with electrical circuits that require a complete loop through which an electrical current can pass. 

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7.P.2.4 Explain how simple machines such as inclined planes, pulleys, levers and wheel and axles are used to create mechanical advantage and increase efficiency. 

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