Key Concepts in Science
FORCES
TEACHER GUIDE
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
FORCES: CONTENTS
Student handouts are at the back of the Teacher Guide.
Correlation to Standards ............................................................................................................................. 3-4
Sally Ride Science Teacher Guides................................................................................................................. 5
Forces: About the Book ................................................................................................................................... 6
Getting Started: In Your World .........................................................................................................................7
Preview Forces, read the introduction, and discuss key concepts.
Chapter 1: Force and Motion ........................................................................................................................... 8
Model asking questions as you read, read Chapter 1, and discuss key concepts in the chapter.
Students: Chapter 1 handout
Science Writing ................................................................................................................................................ 9
Describe how force and motion are involved in a sport or hobby.
Students: Science Writing handout
Chapter 2: Describing a Force .......................................................................................................................10
Model identifying key words and phrases, read Chapter 2, and discuss key concepts in the chapter.
Students: Chapter 2 handout
Create a Science Diagram ............................................................................................................................... 11
Use arrows to show the direction and strength of forces on a moving object.
Students: Create a Science Diagram handout
Thinking Like a Scientist ................................................................................................................................ 12
Compare friction of different brands of sneakers on a basketball court.
Students: Thinking Like a Scientist handout
Read Chapter 3: Balanced and Unbalanced Forces .................................................................................... 13
Model summarizing with a T-chart, read Chapter 3, and discuss key concepts in the chapter.
Students: Chapter 3 handout
How Do We Know?
> Read How Do We Know? ........................................................................................................................ 14
Read about architect David Hart and answer the questions.
Students: How Do We Know? handout
> Investigation Connection ........................................................................................................................ 15
How do base isolators protect a building from seismic forces?
Students: Investigation Connection handout
Study Guide: Hey, I Know That! ...................................................................................................................... 16
Complete study guide questions.
Students: Hey, I Know That! handout
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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CORRELATION TO STANDARDS
Correlation to Science Standards
For information on alignment to state science standards and NGSS, visit
https://sallyridescience.com/learning-products/product-standards
Correlation to Common Core
Sally Ride Science’s Key Concepts and Cool Careers book series provide students with authentic literacy experiences
aligned to Common Core in the areas of Reading (informational text), Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language
as outlined in Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects. Forces: A World of Pushes and Pulls and the accompanying activities align to the
following standards:
Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects 6-12 (RST), Grades 6-8
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
2. Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior
knowledge or opinions.
3. Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing
technical tasks.
Craft and Structure
4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in
a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6-8 texts and topics.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information
expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10.By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 6-8 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6-12 (WHST),
Grades 6-8
Text Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. a.-e.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/
experiments, or technical processes. b., d., f.
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been
addressed.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several
sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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CORRELATION TO STANDARDS
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the
credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while
avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Range of Writing
10.Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening Standards 6-12 (SL), Grades 6-8
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grade 6, grade 7, and grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their
own clearly. a.-d.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to
accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
Grade 6
Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent
descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation. Grade 7
Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence,
sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation. Grade 8
Language Standards 6-12 (L), Grades 6-8
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6, grade
7, and grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. a.-d.
6. Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather
vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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SALLY RIDE SCIENCE TEACHER GUIDES
The Sally Ride Science Key Concepts in Science and Cool Careers book series are available as print books
and eBooks.* A Teacher Guide accompanies each of the 36 Key Concepts books and 12 Cool Careers books.
More information: sallyridescience.com/learning-products
*Book pages pictured in the Teacher Guides are from eBook editions. Some pages in the print books have different images or layouts.
Cool Careers
Cool Careers in Biotechnology
Cool Careers in Earth Sciences
Cool Careers in Engineering (Upper Elementary)
Cool Careers in Engineering (Middle School)
Cool Careers in Environmental Sciences (Upper Elementary)
Cool Careers in Environmental Sciences (Middle School)
Key Concepts in Science
Adaptations
Biodiversity
The Biosphere
Cells
Earth’s Air
Earth’s Climate
Earth’s Energy
Earth’s Natural Resources
Earth’s Water
Elements and Compounds
Energy Basics
Energy Transformations
Cool Careers in Green Chemistry
Cool Careers in Information Sciences
Cool Careers in Math
Cool Careers in Medical Sciences
Cool Careers in Physics
Cool Careers in Space Sciences
Flowering Plants
Food Webs
Forces
Genetics
Geologic Time
Gravity
Heat
Life Cycles
Light
Motion
Organic Molecules
Photosynthesis and Respiration
Physical Properties of Matter
Plant and Animal Systems
Plate Tectonics
The Rock Cycle
Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Sound
Space Exploration
Sun, Earth, and Moon
Units of Measurement
Vertebrates
The Water Cycle
Weathering and Erosion
Sally Ride Science provides professional development and classroom tools to build students’
passion for STEM fields and careers. Founded by Dr. Sally Ride, America’s first woman in space,
the company brings science to life for upper-elementary and middle school students.
Visit us at SALLYRIDESCIENCE.COM for more information.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES: A World of Pushes and Pulls
About the Book
Forces: A World of Pushes and Pulls guides students as they explore how forces affect the motion of objects.
Students discover that an object at rest can move only when a force acts on it. They learn that a moving object
continues moving at the same speed and in the same direction unless the combination of all forces acting on it—the
net force—is greater than zero. Students learn that the size of the force on an object and the mass of the object
affect the rate at which the object moves. At the end of each two-page spread, a brief statement called The Bottom
Line reinforces students’ understanding by summing up the key ideas about forces covered in those pages.
In Your World engages students’ interest by describing a stone skimming across the surface of water. Students read
about the forces that cause the stone’s movements. This introduction gets students thinking about the fact that the
motions they see all around them are caused by forces.
Chapter 1 explains that nothing at rest moves unless a force pushes or pulls it. Students learn that forces such as
friction and gravity can change the speed or direction of a moving object and that more than one force acts at the
same time. Students also learn that air exerts a frictional force called air resistance.
Chapter 2 explains that every force has a size and a direction, and the stronger the force on an object, the more the
object’s motion will change. Students also learn that the force acting on an object can be calculated by multiplying
the object’s mass by its acceleration.
Thinking Like a Scientist describes an experiment in which an engineer measures the frictional force produced by
various types of sneakers. Students use a table of friction data for different sneakers to make a bar graph and then
use the graph to answer questions about the data.
Chapter 3 explains that all the forces acting on an object combine to produce a net force that affects how an object
moves. Students explore balanced forces, which don’t change an object’s motion or direction, and unbalanced forces,
which do change an object’s motion or direction.
How Do We Know? describes how architects devised a way to protect the Utah State Capitol from the unbalanced
forces it could experience during an earthquake. Students read about David Hart, the architect in charge of the
project. In Investigation Connection, students build a model to test the effects of a simulated earthquake on different
types of building foundations.
Hey, I Know That! allows students to assess their own learning through a variety of assessment tasks related to the
key concepts covered in Forces.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES: GETTING STARTED
In Your World
Preview the book
Ask students to browse through Forces. Encourage them to look at the cover, table of
contents, chapter titles, special features, photographs, and diagrams. Explain that paying
attention to these features will help them to understand the text as they read.
Read In Your World (pages 4 and 5) and discuss key concepts
Have students look at the picture on page 4 and read In Your World on page 5.
Ask any students if any of them have skimmed stones across water. If so, ask them to
describe how they did it and what happened to the stones. Ask questions that encourage
students to relate motion to forces.
What causes the stone to start moving? [Sample answer: The stone starts moving because
I apply a force to it when I pick it up and then throw it across the surface of the water.]
What makes the stone keep moving? [Sample answer: When the stone hits the surface of
the water, that applies another force to the stone that makes it move upward. Then gravity,
another force, pulls it down so it hits the surface of the water again.]
Call on several students to express their ideas. Tell students that as they read the book, they will find out more about
how forces affect the motion of objects.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES: CHAPTER 1
Force and Motion
Read Chapter 1: Force and Motion
Before reading: Model asking questions as you read
Have students turn to page 6 in Forces. Read aloud the title and subtitle of Chapter 1,
Force and Motion: What Makes It Go? Say,
The chapter title makes me wonder—how are force and motion related? I’ll write down
this question, and I’ll look for the answer as I read.
On the board, write How are force and motion related? Have students look at the
picture and text on page 6. Call on a student to read aloud the caption and the first two
paragraphs. Say,
This answers my question. Forces cause motion.
Write on the board, Forces (pushes and pulls) cause motion. Then say,
I wonder—what happens after a force causes an object to start moving? That’s another
question. I can look for the answer as I read.
Explain to students that asking themselves questions and then looking for answers as they read will help focus their
attention on important points of the reading.
Read Chapter 1: Force and Motion (pages 6-11)
Ask students to read Chapter 1: Force and Motion. Give them the Chapter 1 handout and tell them to use it to write
down any questions that occur to them as they read as well as any answers they find. Point out that the handout also
has a space for them to make a diagram showing how forces affect moving objects.
After reading: Discuss key concepts
Have pairs of students share their notes and questions, and discuss the key concepts in Chapter 1. Say,
One kind of force that affects motion is friction. What is friction? [Friction is a pushing force between any two objects
that rub against each other.]
Suppose you kick a soccer ball across the grass. How does friction affect its motion? [Friction with air molecules and
with the blades of grass would gradually slow the motion of the soccer ball until it comes to a stop.]
How does friction affect the motion of a snowboarder going down a slope? [The slippery snow and snowboard limit
the friction, but the snowboarder needs enough friction to slow down to a safe speed. When the snowboarder wants
to change direction, she pushes on the edge of the board to increase the friction on one side.]
Call on several students to share their ideas and to comment on each other’s ideas.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES
Science Writing
Forces in Motion
Give students the Science Writing handout for Forces. It asks students to think of a favorite
sport or hobby. Students will write a paragraph explaining how motions and forces are
involved in the sport or hobby based on what they have learned in Chapter 1 of Forces.
Students will include a drawing with labels and a caption to illustrate those motions and
forces.
Call on several students to share their
drawings or act out the motions as another
student describes them.
ANSWER KEY
[Sample paragraph: In the sport of softball,
many forces and motions are involved.
The pitcher applies a force to the ball to
make it move over the plate. The forces of
air resistance and gravity slow the ball’s
motion and make it arc slightly. If the
batter hits the ball, its motion changes. The
force applied by the bat makes the ball
move into the air in the opposite direction.
The batter uses force from her muscles to
move to first base. Meanwhile, gravity and
air resistance slow the motion of the ball
and change its direction so that it bounces
on the ground. The ground applies a force to the ball that sends it moving into a fielder’s glove. The batter slides to
avoid a tag. The force of friction slows the batter’s motion enough that she does not slide right by first base. She’s
safe!]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES: CHAPTER 2
Describing a Force
Read Chapter 2: Describing a Force
Before reading: Model identifying key words and phrases
Explain to students that writers use key words and phrases to emphasize the important
points they want to convey. Identifying these key words and phrases is one way to
summarize text.
Begin by asking students to turn to page 12 in Forces. Read aloud the title and subtitle of
Chapter 2, Describing a Force: Just the Right Amount. Read aloud the first paragraph as
students follow along. Explain how you would identify key words and phrases:
This is an introductory paragraph. The key word is force.
Next, read aloud the second paragraph and show how you summarize it.
This paragraph has many key words and phrases. I want to summarize the key concepts
in as few words as possible. I’ll write, Force can be a push or a pull, and A force can cause
an object to start moving, stop moving, slow down, speed up,
and change direction.
Move to page 13 and read the first paragraph. Say,
I can summarize that in just a few words: A force has size and
direction.
Tell students to keep looking for key words and phrases as they
read the chapter.
Read Chapter 2: Describing a Force (pages 12-17)
Ask students to read Chapter 2: Describing a Force. Give them
the Chapter 2 handout and tell them to use it to take notes as
they read. Point out that the handout also has a space for them
to make diagrams summarizing key words or phrases.
SCIENCE BACKGROUND
When using the diagrams in Chapter 2, emphasize
to students that the arrow length represents
the strength of the forces, even though the strength
is not specified. When comparing two arrows, a
longer arrow represents a stronger force. If the
strengths were given, we could simply add or
subtract the strengths. For example, we might say
40 N + 10 N = 50 N, if the arrows point in the
same direction.
After reading: Discuss key concepts
Have students turn to page 13 in Forces and look at the photo that shows force arrows. Ask,
How are the force arrows from the paddles different from the force arrow of the current? [The arrows from the
paddles are shorter than the current arrows and they point in the opposite direction.]
What does pushing the paddles in a backward motion do? [Pushing the paddles backward exerts a force against
the water in the backward direction. The water exerts an equal force in the opposite direction, moving the kayak
forward.]
Which force is stronger—the force from a paddle or the force of the current? [The arrow lengths indicate the relative
sizes of the forces. The longer arrow of the current indicates that its force is stronger than the force of each paddle.]
Call on several students to share their ideas.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES
Create a Science Diagram
Visualizing forces
Divide the class into pairs of students. Provide pairs with the Create a Science Diagram
handout. Give students old magazines and allow them to cut out a photo of an object
in motion. They will glue the photo to their handouts. Then they will add force arrows to
the picture like those on the photo on page 13 of Forces, shown here. Students can use
markers to draw the arrows. If the arrows
aren’t visible enough, students can cut out
paper arrows in a contrasting color and
glue them to the pictures.
Students should identify the forward and
reverse forces and estimate the length of
the arrows based on the strength of the
forces. Students also should write a caption
explaining what their diagram shows.
After students have labeled force arrows
on the pictures, provide class time for each
pair to explain their picture and the arrows
they drew.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES: THINKING LIKE A SCIENTIST
Friction on the Basketball Court
Read Thinking Like a Scientist (pages 18-19) and answer the questions
Ask students to read Thinking Like a Scientist. Give them the Thinking Like a Scientist
handout and tell them to use it to answer the questions on page 19. The handout has a
space for students to make a bar graph of the data in the table. Have students work in
pairs to discuss the questions and come to agreement on the answers. Then discuss the
questions and answers together with the class.
Interpreting Data
An engineer wanted to find the best sneakers for a college
basketball arena’s new floor. The engineer gathered different
brands of basketball shoes, each with a different tread. Then
she tested how much force was needed to move each shoe
on the floor. This table shows some of the data from the
engineer’s experiment. Use the data in the table to make a
bar graph. Then use it to answer these questions.
ANSWER KEY
1. Which shoe has the lowest friction? What does that
mean? [Shoe D has the lowest friction. Its force
of friction, 4.7 newtons, is the lowest for any shoe
tested. The low force of friction means that the sole
of the shoe would encounter less friction with the
floor, and the players wearing this shoe would slide
around more.]
2. How does the team’s current basketball shoe
compare to the other shoes tested? How could
this affect the team’s performance on their home
court? [The current basketball shoe is among those
that provide the least friction on the new floor. This
means the team might be at a disadvantage when
playing other teams on their home court because
the shoes would slide around and make it harder
for players to change direction quickly.]
SCIENCE BACKGROUND
The soles of different types of shoes provide widely differing
amounts of friction. A sneaker sole is made of rubber, which
provides a lot of friction with various surfaces. Rubber
produces friction through adhesion (the tendency to stick to
other surfaces) and deformation (the tendency to push down
into the irregularities of other surfaces). Also, a shoe with
deeply grooved tread may encounter more friction because
rough surfaces provide more friction than smooth surfaces.
Friction acts even on objects that appear smooth, such as the
flat sole of a leather dress shoe. That’s because the objects’
surfaces have microscopic dips and bumps that catch and
stick when one surface is dragged across another. An irregular
surface on a shoe’s sole may intensify this effect. In addition,
the pockets of air between a sneaker’s treads may act like
suction cups on the floor, increasing the shoe’s gripping ability.
3. Could a shoe provide too much friction on the court? Explain. [Yes, a shoe could provide
too much friction. Players might stumble more often. They might not be able to slide
when they need to, and their shoes might stick to the court when they try to change
direction. This could cause injuries.]
4. Which shoe would you recommend choosing for the team based on the data? Why?
[Sample answer: I might choose shoe G or H because those shoes provide a high amount
of friction, but not so much that it might cause problems.]
5. Why is it important that the data table compares shoes of the same size and mass? [The
mass of a shoe affects the amount of force needed to move it. In order to conduct a fair
test, you have to compare shoes of the same mass.]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES: CHAPTER 3
Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
Read Chapter 3: Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
Before reading: Model summarizing with a T-chart
Give students a copy of the handout for Chapter 3: Balanced and Unbalanced Forces. Point
out that it has a space for them to summarize key ideas with a T-chart as they read the
chapter. To get them started, draw a T-chart on the board. Then say,
The name of this chapter is Balanced and Unbalanced Forces. So I will label the left-hand
column of my chart Balanced forces and the right-hand column Unbalanced forces.
Have students turn to page 22 and ask a student to read aloud the first three paragraphs.
Then say,
What is a concept about balanced forces that I could write in my chart?
Listen to students’ responses and encourage them to agree on a concept, such as,
Balanced forces result in no change in motion. Write that in the left-hand column of the
chart. Then tells students to copy that sentence onto their
handouts and to continue adding notes to the T-chart as
they read.
SCIENCE BACKGROUND
Read Chapter 3: Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
(pages 20-25)
Ask students to read Chapter 3: Balanced and Unbalanced
Forces. As they read, they should take notes on the Chapter 3
handout and add concepts to the T-chart about balanced and
unbalanced forces.
After reading: Discuss key concepts
After students read Chapter 3, allow them to show their
understanding of key concepts by starting a class discussion.
Say,
What is the effect of balanced forces on an object’s motion?
[Balanced forces do not change an object’s motion.]
What is the effect of unbalanced forces on an object’s motion?
[Unbalanced forces cause a change in an object’s motion.]
The net force is the amount and direction of
force an object feels from all forces combined.
The phrase “net force” is used because usually
more than a single force acts on an object. For
example, if two students pull on an object in the
same direction with the same force, the forces
add up to produce a net force twice as large as
each student’s single force. If the two students
pull with the same force but in opposite directions,
the object will not move because the forces
cancel each other out. One of the forces can be
considered the negative of the other, so they add
up to zero—the net force is zero. If one of the
opposite forces increases so that it is larger than
the other force, the object will move because the
net force no longer is zero. In short, if the forces
are in the same direction, they are added, and
if the forces are in opposite directions, they are
subtracted.
If a ball is rolling at a constant speed along a straight path, are
balanced or unbalanced forces acting on it? [Balanced forces
are acting on the ball. If its speed is constant, the ball is not
accelerating. And if the ball is moving along a straight path, it is not changing direction. This means forces acting on
the ball are balanced.]
Call on several students to share their ideas. Call on other students to discuss the responses.
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES: HOW DO WE KNOW?
Meet architect David Hart
Read How Do We Know? (pages 26-29) and answer the questions
Give students the How Do We Know? handout for Forces. Have them look at the questions
on the handout for the first section, The Issue (page 26). Then have them read that section
and answer the questions. Have them complete the rest of the sections (The Expert,
page 27; In the Field, page 28; Technology, page 29) in the same way. Then go over each
question as a class. Call on two or three students to share their answers to
each question.
ANSWER KEY
1. What problem does the writer describe? [The writer describes the possibility that the
Utah State Capitol could collapse in a major earthquake because of unbalanced forces.]
2. How is the effect of up-and-down forces different from the effect of side-to-side forces
during an earthquake? [Buildings usually can handle the up-and-down forces because
buildings are constructed to withstand the vertical force of gravity, but the side-to-side
forces can exert unbalanced forces on a building and cause it to collapse.]
3. Why do you think the writer shows a picture of David Hart as a boy? [Sample answer:
The picture emphasizes the fact that David’s experiences as a boy watching new houses under construction
helped prepare him to be an architect.]
4. Why did David Hart and his colleagues use models to test their ideas? [Using models allowed them to safely
simulate the effects of an earthquake to test different designs and determine how to protect the Utah State Capitol
during an earthquake.]
5. What technology did the architects and engineers devise to protect the Utah State Capitol? [The architects and
engineers used layers of steel and rubber, called base isolators, that would stretch back and forth during an
earthquake.]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES: INVESTIGATION CONNECTION
Kitchen Quake
Conduct the Investigation Connection activity (page 29)
Give students the Investigation Connection handout. They will conduct an investigation in
which they model how base isolators protect a building from seismic forces.
Divide students into groups and provide each group with a cookie sheet, book, wooden
blocks, and marbles. Tell the groups to complete the activity and answer the questions on
their handouts.
Investigation Connection: Kitchen Quake
You are going to model how seismic forces affect a building with
and without base isolators. Your building will be a stack of wooden
blocks, and your base isolators will be marbles under the building’s
foundation.
ANSWER KEY
Make a prediction
What do you think will happen to the building without base isolators
when you simulate an earthquake? What do you think will happen to
the building with base isolators when you simulate an earthquake?
[Students’ predictions will vary.]
Materials
For each group:
Conduct the investigation
1. Lay a book flat on a cookie sheet. That’s the foundation of your
building.
2. Stack several wooden blocks on top of the book. That’s your
building.
> Cookie sheet
> Hardback book
> Wooden blocks
> 12 marbles
3. With two hands, gently shake the cookie sheet side to side. Earthquake!
4. What happened? Record your observations. [Sample observation: When I shook the cookie sheet, the stack of
wooden blocks fell down.]
5. Now take 12 marbles—base isolators—and place them on the cookie sheet.
6. Rebuild your foundation and building.
7. Shake the cookie sheet again.
8. Is there any difference? Record your observations. [Sample observation: When I shook the cookie sheet with the
marbles under the building, the wooden blocks did not fall down.]
Interpret your results
1. How do the marbles affect what happens during a simulated earthquake? Explain why this occurs. [Sample
answer: The marbles act as base isolators and reduce the side-to-side force on the blocks caused by shaking the
cookie sheet side to side. This keeps the forces on the blocks closer to being balanced, so they do not move as
much, and the structure does not fall down.]
2. How did your results compare to your prediction? Suggest reasons for any differences. [Answers will vary
depending on students’ predictions.]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES: HEY, I KNOW THAT!
Study Guide
Complete the Hey, I Know That! study guide (page 30)
Give students the Hey, I Know That! handout and ask them to use it to answer the
questions on page 30 of Forces. Ask students to work with a partner to complete the
handout. Then call on student pairs to share their answers and explain how they arrived at
those answers.
ANSWER KEY
1. Look at the photo of the golfer. What force
makes the ball start moving? (page 7) [The force
of the push from the golf club makes the ball
start moving.]
2. What forces affect how the ball moves in the air?
(pages 8-9) [Air resistance, caused by collisions
with air molecules, slows the ball, and gravity
pulls it down.]
3. Why does the ball come to a stop after it lands
on the ground? (pages 8-9) [The ball comes to a stop because friction between the
ground and the ball slows the ball down until it stops moving.]
4. A bowling ball and a tennis ball are slowly rolling toward you at the same speed. Will it
be harder to change the motion of the bowling ball or the tennis ball? Why? (page 17)
[It will be harder to change the motion of the bowling ball because it has more mass
than the tennis ball. The greater an object’s mass, the more force is required to change
its motion.]
5. Draw a picture of two people combining their force to push a box. You can draw stick
people. Draw arrows to show how the forces combine. (page 20) [The picture should
show two people pushing on the same side of a box in the same direction. There should
be two arrows pointing in the same direction as the people are pushing to show the force they are exerting.
Students should indicate that the force of the two arrows combines to create a larger force.]
6. Now draw the same picture, but show how the people might push the box for a net force of zero. Draw arrows to
show this net force. (page 21) [The picture should show one person on each side of a box. Each person should be
pushing the box toward the other person. Arrows showing the force exerted by each person should be the same
size and should point toward each other. Students should indicate that the two arrows balance out for a net force
of zero.]
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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Key Concepts in Science
FORCES
STUDENT
HANDOUTS
© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES • Chapter 1
Force and Motion: Notes for Chapter 1
As you read each section of Chapter 1, write down any questions that occur to you. Also write down any answers to your
questions that you find.
WHAT MAKES IT GO?
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MORE FORCE, ANYONE?
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AN AMAZING IDEA!
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FORCES HIT THE SLOPES
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LET THE GAMES CONTINUE
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FORCES ALL AROUND
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES • Chapter 1
PICTURE THIS
Review your notes for Chapter 1. Summarize the information in the chapter by making diagrams showing how forces
affect the motion of objects in two of the scenarios described in the chapter. Possibilities include a soccer ball being
kicked across a field, a snowboarder going down a slope, or a soccer ball moving through the air during a game.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
Use your notes and diagrams to help you identify and list the most important ideas—the key concepts—in Chapter 1.
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES • Science Writing
Science Writing: Forces in Motion
Think of a favorite sport or hobby. Then write a paragraph explaining how motions and forces are involved in the sport or
hobby based on what you have learned in Chapter 1 of Forces. Include a drawing with labels and a caption to illustrate
the motions and forces.
Sport or hobby: _____________________________________________________________________________
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Caption:
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
FORCES • Chapter 2
Describing a Force: Notes for Chapter 2
As you read each section of Chapter 2, write down the most important information you come across. Resist the urge to
write down everything that you read. Instead, focus on the big ideas, or gist, of what you are reading.
JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT
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HOW BIG? WHICH WAY?
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LET’S GO BOWLING!
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KNOCK ‘EM DOWN!
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BACK TO BEANBAGS
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PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES • Chapter 2
PICTURE THIS
Review your notes for Chapter 2. Draw diagrams or pictures for at least two key words or phrases from your notes that
can be illustrated. Add labels and captions to help you understand the ideas.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
Use your notes and illustrations to help you identify and list the most important ideas—the key concepts—in Chapter 2.
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES • Create a Science Diagram
Create a Science Diagram: Visualizing forces
Make a diagram with arrows showing the strength and direction of forces on a moving object.
Your teacher will give you old magazines so you can cut out a photo of a moving object. Glue the photo below. Then add
force arrows. Use markers to draw the arrows or cut out paper arrows in a contrasting color and glue them to the picture.
Look at the photo on page 13 of Forces for an idea of what your diagram should show. Identify the forward and reverse
forces and estimate the length of the arrows based on the strength of the forces. Write a caption explaining what the
diagram shows.
Caption:
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
FORCES • Thinking Like a Scientist
Thinking Like a Scientist: Friction on the Basketball Court
Read Thinking Like a Scientist on pages 18 and 19 of Forces.
Interpreting Data
An engineer wanted to find the best sneakers for a college
basketball arena’s new floor. The engineer gathered different
brands of basketball shoes, each with a different tread. Then
she tested how much force was needed to move each shoe on
the floor. This table shows some of the data from the engineer’s
experiment.
Use the data in the table to make a bar graph. Then answer
y
these questions.
1. Which shoe has the lowest friction? What does that mean?
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2. How does the team’s current basketball shoe compare to
the other shoes tested? How could this affect the team’s
performance on their home court?
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3. Could a shoe provide too much friction on the court?
Explain.
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4. Which shoe would you recommend choosing for the team based on the data? Why?
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5. Why is it important that the data table compares shoes of the same size and mass?
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
FORCES • Chapter 3
Balanced and Unbalanced Forces: Notes for Chapter 3
As you read each section of Chapter 3, write down the most important information you come across. Resist the urge to
write down everything that you read. Instead, focus on the big ideas, or gist, of what you are reading.
IT ALL ADDS UP
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FEELING THE FORCE
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TUG-OF-WAR
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ON THE MOVE
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AMUSING SCIENCE
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WHAT IF …?
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES • Chapter 3
PICTURE THIS
Review your notes for Chapter 3. Summarize your notes by filling in the T-chart about balanced and unbalanced forces. In
the left-hand column, write notes about balanced forces. In the right-hand column, write notes about unbalanced forces.
Balanced forces
Unbalanced forces
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
Use your notes and T-chart to help you identify and list the most important ideas—the key concepts—in Chapter 3.
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
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FORCES • A Building in the Balance
How Do We Know?
A Building in the Balance
Review the questions below for each section of How Do We Know? Then read each
section in the book and answer the questions.
THE ISSUE
1. What problem does the writer describe?
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2. How is the effect of up-and-down forces different from the effect of side-to-side forces during an earthquake?
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THE EXPERT
3. Why do you think the writer shows a picture of David Hart as a boy?
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IN THE FIELD
4. Why did David Hart and his colleagues use models to test their ideas?
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TECHNOLOGY
5. What technology did the architects and engineers devise to protect the Utah State Capitol?
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
FORCES • Investigation Connection
Investigation Connection: Kitchen Quake
You are going to model how seismic forces affect a building with and
without base isolators. Your building will be a stack of wooden blocks,
and your base isolators will be marbles under the building’s foundation.
Make a prediction
What do you think will happen to the building without base isolators
when you simulate an earthquake? What do you think will happen to the
building with base isolators when you simulate an earthquake?
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Conduct the investigation
1. Lay a book flat on a cookie sheet. That’s the foundation of your
building.
2. Stack several wooden blocks on top of the book. That’s your building.
3. With two hands, gently shake the cookie sheet side to side.
Earthquake!
Materials
For each group:
> Cookie sheet
> Hardback book
> Wooden blocks
> 12 marbles
4. What happened? Record your observations.
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5. Now take 12 marbles—base isolators—and place them on the cookie sheet.
6. Rebuild your foundation and building.
7. Shake the cookie sheet again.
8. Is there any difference? Record your observations.
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Interpret your results
1. How do the marbles affect what happens during a simulated earthquake? Explain why this occurs.
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2. How did your results compare to your prediction? Suggest reasons for any differences.
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© 2015 Sally Ride Science
FORCES • Hey, I Know That!
Hey, I Know That! Study Guide
Use this sheet to answer the Hey, I Know That! questions on page 30 of Forces.
1. Look at the photo of the golfer. What force makes
the ball start moving? (page 7)
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2. What forces affect how the ball moves in the air?
(pages 8-9)
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3. Why does the ball come to a stop after it lands on the ground? (pages 8-9)
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4. A bowling ball and a tennis ball are slowly rolling toward you at the same speed. Will it be harder to change the
motion of the bowling ball or the tennis ball? Why? (page 17)
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5. Draw a picture of two people combining their
force to push a box. You can draw stick people.
Draw arrows to show how the forces combine.
(page 20)
6. Now draw the same picture, but show how the
people might push the box for a net force of
zero. Draw arrows to show this net force.
(page 21)
© 2015 Sally Ride Science