Newton's Laws of Motion, Law of Inertia, Law of Acceleration, Law of Action/Reaction, Velocity, Force

1. Students will identify Newton’s three laws of motion after participating in an active learning experience.
2. Students will use Newton’s three laws in an active learning experience.

40 mintues

CD player, stop watches, cones, basketball balls, wiffle balls, weighted back packs, posters, pencils, worksheets

W = This lesson will introduce students to an important scientific principle that affects movement.  Class discussion followed by teacher designed learning stations will allow students the opportunity to identify and use Newton’s Laws of Motion in physical activities.  Through question/answer sessions, the teacher will help students make purposeful connections between science and human movement.  After each station, students will complete a worksheet by answering basic recall questions in addition to higher order thinking questions.  The teacher will also check for understanding by asking questions during station participation, and posing questions at the conclusion of the lesson.

H = At the beginning of the class discussion, students will make connections with knowledge used in science class by sharing prior learning of Newton’s Laws of Motion.   “Mini” movement challenges with follow-up questions, and the use of imagery will help keep students involved and focused during delivery of the content.  The learning stations will not only allow students to think about Newton’s Laws of Motion, but they also provide personal challenge and enjoyment.

E = The three teacher designed learning stations will allow for students to use Guided Discovery, in which they will have to actively participate and then use their knowledge of Newton’s Laws to decide how each applied.  Students will also answer questions requiring them to use higher order thinking.

R = Students will need to know key differences among the three Laws of Motion to make decisions as to how each learning station applied.  Likewise, students will need to have a good understanding of the three Laws of Motion to make personal connections.   
Reflect - After participating in the learning stations, students will write which of Newton’s Laws applied.
Revisit - Students will use “think, pair, share” to compare answers with peers.
Revise - If, during the “think, pair, share” students had different answers, then time will be given for teacher-led classroom discussion to re-examine the key differences among the three Laws of Motion.
Rethink - The teacher will guide students to “dig deeper” by asking them how Newton’s Laws apply to a physical activity or sport that students participated in prior to this lesson.  

E = Throughout the delivery of content and following participation in the learning stations, students will answer questions to express their understanding of Newton’s Laws. For homework, students will write a reflective journal entry answering two questions: 1. What do you really understand about Newton’s Laws of Motion?  2. How can you apply Newton’s Laws to a physical activity or sport you participate in?

T = Multiple instructional strategies are used to accommodate the different learning styles of students (visual aids such as posters and picture cues, demonstrations, peer partners, and kinesthetic experiences). Teacher allows for rule modifications during the activities in the learning stations, and accepts oral answers on the worksheet if needed.

O = The opening delivery of the content will be primarily teacher directed to ensure initial conceptual understanding.  Questions will be asked to check for understanding.  Students will then have the opportunity to apply their learning during the class activities.  Finally, students will discuss their findings with a partner and make personal connections for application outside of physical education class.

The teacher will begin this lesson with a discussion about how science plays an important role in physical activities.  Some students participate in sports and have coaches to help them develop and improve skills.  Those coaches, like PE teachers, teach students about technique, form, equipment, training principles, etc. which all have to do with science.  The teacher will guide the discussion with questions.

•   What are Newton’s laws of motion?

Maybe you have heard about Isaac Newton and his laws of motion in science class. These laws explain all the characteristics of motion and apply to many activities and sports.  Knowing about them and using them can help us move better. We are going to learn about three of Newton’s laws.

•  What is the first law about?

This is called the Law of Inertia.  Inertia is resistance to change, so if an object is at rest, it will tend to stay at rest until acted on by a force.  Forces can be internal or external.

Lie down and sit up – how did you overcome your resting inertia?

You applied an internal force from your muscles.  Now imagine that an elephant is lying down and tries to get up.  Will it be easier or harder for him to get up?  Harder.  Why? Because he has so much more mass, which means more inertia.  So, greater mass equals greater inertia, which means more force is needed to overcome the inertia.   

There’s another part to the law of inertia – If an object is moving, it will keep moving in a straight line unless acted on by a force.  

So, to start an object moving, a force needs to be applied. Likewise, to stop or slow down an object in motion, a force needs to be applied.  This has something to do with Newton’s second law.

•   What is the second law about?

Those forces cause a change in velocity, which is the speed and direction of motion.  This change in velocity is called acceleration.  Newton’s second law is called the Law of Acceleration.  Let’s think about that elephant again.  Do you think he will accelerate very fast?  Why not?  Because he is so massive.  Greater mass equals less acceleration.  He could increase his acceleration by applying more force.   So, the greater the force, the greater the acceleration.  

An object will accelerate in the same direction as the force that caused it.  So forces must come in pairs. This has something to do with Newton’s third law.

• What is the third law about?

This is called the Law of Action–Reaction.  For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  Every time a force is applied, an object applies a force back.  

When I walk, my foot pushes against the ground and applies a force (action).  The ground applies a force back or pushes back against my foot (reaction).   The ground applies an external force called the ground reaction force.  As the ground pushes back what happens to me?  I move forward or accelerate forward.  If the ground and I apply equal amounts of force, how come I’m the one who moves?  The Earth has so much more mass and I have so little inertia in comparison so I’m the one who accelerates!

(Active Learning)
Today, you are going to participate in three stations.  I want you to think about Newton’s laws at each station.  You will have a worksheet to complete as you move through the stations.  

Station 1:  Move and Freeze

This activity is similar to one you may have played when you were younger: Red Light, Green Light.  You will take turns being the leader.  The leader stands on one line opposite to the group who stands on the other line.  When the leader says “go,” the group will begin moving toward the finish line.  When the leader says “freeze” you must freeze and not move.  Continue until everyone gets to the finish line.  The first time you play, you must walk.  The second time you play, you may run.   Switch leaders and play again.  Safety rule – if you reach the line before the leader says “freeze,” then it’s an automatic stop.  

Station 2: Piggyback

In this activity, you will get to see how fast you can run.  You will work in a group of three.  One of you will be the runner, one will be the timer, and one will be the starter.  The runner starts at the starting line, and the timer will be at the finish line.  The starter stands next to the runner and gives the starting commands (on your mark, get set, go).  The starter will raise an arm and lower it on “go” so the timer can see when to start the stop watch.  Remember your times, and switch roles.

Next, you’re going to try to run fast again, but this time you will give a piggyback ride to someone in your group.  One person will be the timer, one will be the runner, and one will get the piggyback ride (this person can give the starting commands).  If you choose not to piggyback, you may run with the back pack on your back.  Remember your times.  Continue to switch roles until it is time to switch stations.  

Station 3: Launch it

In this activity, you will need a basketball and a wiffle ball.  You will place the wiffle ball on top of the basketball and drop them to the ground.  Try and catch the wiffle ball before it hits the ground.  Safety rule - spread out so you work in your own space.  

Let’s take a look at the worksheet.  After each station (when the music stops), you will need to answer the questions that correspond to the station you just completed.  You will need to do your own work.  When you hear the music you will need to put your worksheet in your folder and move to the next station.  As students participate in the stations, the teacher will monitor and check for understanding by asking reflective questions to students.

Newton’s Laws of Motion Worksheet

Name ___________________________      

Directions:  After you complete a station, answer the following questions.

Station 1.  Move and Freeze

1. Which of Newton’s laws applied to this station?



2. Which way (walking or running) was it more difficult to stop?  Why?


Station 2.  Piggyback

1.  Which of Newton’s laws applied to this station?



2.  Which way (alone or piggyback/backpack) did you have a faster time?   Why?


Station 3.  Launch it

1. Which of Newton’s laws applied to this station?



2.  What happened to the wiffle ball?  Why?

After the stations, collect the folders.  Debrief - students can share their answers from the worksheet.  If students had different answers, then time will be given for teacher-led classroom discussion to re-examine the key differences among the three Laws of Motion.  Teacher should challenge students to apply their understanding by asking how Newton’s Laws applied to a physical activity or sport that students played prior to this lesson. Students can use “think, pair, share.”  Students will be asked to complete a journal entry for homework reflecting on the following two questions:

1. What do you really understand about Newton’s Laws of Motion?  
2. How can you apply Newton’s Laws to a physical activity or sport you participate in?

Oral questions and answers, Constructive feedback, and worksheet questions.

Carr, G. (2004). Sport mechanics for coaches (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Thompson, C.W., & Floyd, R.T. (1998). Manual of structural kinesiology (13th ed.). New
    York: McGraw-Hill. Chapter 12.

Activities adapted from Temple University’s Department of Kinesiology, Physical and Health Education Teacher Education (PHETE) program.