KS3 ~ Year 7 ~ Balanced & Unbalanced Forces

This lesson is designed for the Activate KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 7 P1 ’Forces’.

For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.

This lesson begins with ‘Think > Pair > Share’ activity which asks students to look at a photo of a tug-of-war and asks students to decide which side would win and why. After a short discussion, students will be introduced to the idea of ‘balanced’ and ‘unbalanced’ forces, including examples.

Students will now complete an investigation on ‘Forces’, this is a circus activity which requires students to decide which two forces are acting on each of the objects. Students will also need to decide if the forces are balanced or unbalanced, their results can be recorded in the table provided.

Students will be asked a series of questions on the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces acting upon an object, the first questions is on a cyclist. This work can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided. The next questions are on the forces acting upon a car, this can be competed in their books and the work can be marked and corrected using the mark scheme provided.

The last part of the lesson focuses on how forces can change the direction of an object, students are shown the example of the Moon orbiting the Earth due to the pull of gravitational force acting upon the Moon.

The plenary task requires students to write down three facts, three key words and pose one question to test their peers knowledge of what they have learned this lesson.

All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)