FORCES YEAR 7
1
Lesson
Number
1
Curriculum content
Find out what students know about a range of
forces and how to measure them from the work at
key stage 2 so this can be taken into account in
later work.
Learning objectives
Identify forces
Measure forces using a force
meter
Explain observations in terms
of the forces involved
Possible
Homework
Possible activities
What do toy know about forces activity and set up a
number of force experiences for pupils to try and ask
them to write a sentence about each experience .eg
Gravity force -lift a heavy mass (5 kg)
Electrostatic force- charged plastic strip on scraps of
paper or hair
Twisting force- Undoing a stiff lid on a jar ( with dry
then wet hands)
Compression force- Heavy spring bathroom scale to
measure hand grip
Stretching force- Stretching thick rubber bands or
rubber tube 9 slice of inner tube)
Friction force- push an ice cube and a wooden block on
a smooth surface, and a rough surface (heat mats), and
tying and untying a knot in plastic and natural string.
Magnetic force-separate ceramic magnets
kit, pairs of magnets
from motor
.
Ask What force is acting here?
What is its direction?
Why are forces changing?
Boardworks may be useful here.
2
Lesson
Number
2
Curriculum content
Why do things float?
In force diagrams the direction of a force is
represented by an arrow
When objects are immersed in water there is an up
thrust on them.
When objects float the up thrust on them equals
their weight.
Density is mass divided by volume.
Up thrust is different in different liquids
Learning objectives
Possible activities
Demonstrate that objects
weigh less in water than in air
Starter name materials and list them as floater and
sinkers.
Explain observations in terms
of up thrust from the water
‘cancelling out
the weight
Present pupils with a series of blocks of material they
can push down and feel the up thrust pushing up e.g.
table tennis ball, cork Extend the range asking them to
weigh the objects in air and then suspended in water.
Help them compile a table of results
Represent weight and up
thrust with force arrows
Recognise that object float
when up thrust equals weight
Identify the forces on an
object and the direction in
which they are acting.
Show that some liquids
produce a greater up thrust on
an object than others.
Construct a table to compare
results
Possible
Homework
Ask pupils to draw annotated diagrams showing forces
acting on objects. Discuss their ideas refer to work of
Archimedes, encourage explanations such as’ light for
size’ and show them how to calculate density.
Discuss experiences of floating in fresh water rivers
and the sea (pictures of people floating in the dead sea.
ask them to suggest why it is easier to floating salt
water.
G & T activity investigate how the saltiness of the
water affects the up thrust on an object. Explain how
they obtained reliable evidence and what they found
out. to the class.
Plenary qu 1 and 3 Or
Radiant map of floating
Boardworks may be useful here
3
Lesson
Number
3
Curriculum content
How do different materials stretch?
How to draw a curve / line graph using appropriate
scales.
Learning objectives
Represent and collect data on
a line graph
The importance of repeating measurements to
check reliability.
Explain how to decide on a
line of best fit
Describe and compare trends shown b data
verbally and in writing.
Describe relationships
Make predictions from a graph.
Make predictions based on
graphs of relationships
Use a graph to identify anomalous data.
Compare relationships
Possible activities
Starter and radiant map of STRETCHING to show
what they already know about it from KS2. establish
that they all know the greater the force acting on a
stretchy material the more it stretches
Explore the relationship between stretching and
extension in detail by adding weights to a spring and
predicting the extension when other weights are added.
(This is part of an early case lesson so could be done as
a pupil lead demo.)Plot a suitable graph of the results
and draw a line off best fit
Possible
Homework
Skill sheets on
lines of best fit.
Find out about
Robert Hooke
and what’s
meant by Hookes
law.
( one way to support graph plotting is to use the ideas
from AKSIS Getting to grips with graphs) by getting
pupils to stand in a line at a height representing a value
while 2 pupils with a label on them represent the axes
by laying on the floor.
Ask pupils to repeat the experiment with a rubber band
and to plot a similar graph. Before they plot the graph
suggest they repeat the readings once or twice.
Plot all readings on the graph and decide on the line of
best fit for the spring and the rubber band.
Ask pupils to describe the differences between them
and explain what they show about the differences in
stretch.
Plenary add to the radiant diagram on stretching to
show new ideas.
4
Lesson
Number
4
Curriculum content
What is weight?
And
Review.
The mass is the amount of matter in an object and
is measured in Kg.
Weight is a force and is measured in newtons.
The weight is caused by gravity acting on a mass.
Check progress
Students can recognise many situations in which
forces are e balanced .They can represent these
forces with arrows.
Learning objectives
Explain the difference
between mass and weight.
Record measurements of mass
and weight in appropriate
units.
Describe the relationship
between mass and weight
Use the relationship between
mass and weight on earth.
Possible activities
Possible
Homework
.
Ask pupils to weigh a range of g masses with
forcemeters. Ask them to construct a table to show the
measurements and plot a graph to show the relationship
between mass and weight .use the graph to predict the
weight of other masses shown on the scale.
Discuss the results and establish the relationship is
approximately 1kg (1000g) mass has a weight of 10
newtons. Provide them with some objects labelled with
their mass and ask pupils to work out their weights.
Plenary complete c and d from close exercise on p153
and 2 statements to record the same information about
weight.
G&T tell pupils weight is caused by gravity, and
gravity on earth is different to gravity on the moon,
Pupils could find out and report to class next lesson
what effects gravity had on astronauts when they
visited this moon.
Boardworks may be useful here
Review
Draw annotated diagrams to show floating, sinking and
stretching situations.eg Woman floating weight 400n
upthrust 400N, Apple falling weight 10 N.
Spring balance stretches by weight 10 N and pull of
spring 10 N, What would the diagram look like if the
weight was only 5 Newtons.
5
Lesson
Number
5
Curriculum content
What does friction do?
Friction is a force that opposes motion.
Friction between 2 surfaces can be reduced by a
lubricant because it has the effect of smoothing out
the rough surface.
Identify the factors that effect frictional forces e.g.
weight, surface area, type of surface.
Investigate the effect of 1 variable and present the
data collected in a graph. Make predictions from
the graph.
Frictional forces can be useful.
Identify the main points and Present information
clearly and concisely.
Learning objectives
Possible activities
Identify factors that might
effect frictional force between
2 surfaces
Remind pupils of the experiments they did in lesson 1
and ask them why the wooden block and the ice cube
behaved differently on the bench and on the heat mat.
Identify the variables that need
to be kept constant in order to
get reliable data
Carry out some quick demos to show the importance of
lubricants Wet/dry surfaces, oil a bike wheel and ask
pupils how they work. Use planning boards to identify
other factors that might affect friction between a shoe
and the surface it is dragged across. Make sure you
choose the variable weight so data can be presented as
a graph. Carry the investigation out recording the
results onto copies of the KS posters Use the graph
generated to make predictions for values not tested.
Explain why variables need to
be controlled
Plot a suitable graph from data
Explain what the graph shows
Make predictions from the
graph
Describe situations where
friction is helpful
Explain why friction is
important in the movement of
vehicles.
Possible
Homework
Sort cards to generate list of situations where friction is
wanted and where it is not needed.
Or
Match words to correct definition.
G7T students can try to add some more information
and explanation.
Boardworks may be useful here
6
Lesson
Number
6
Curriculum content
Move it!
Unbalanced forces change the speed and direction
of movement of an object.
Balanced forces produce no change in the
movement of an object.
Identify situations where forces are unbalanced
and use this data to explain changes in
*the shape of an object
*direction of an object.
*speed of a moving object.
Describe the forces acting on an object moving at
a constant speed
Learning objectives
Recognise balanced forces in
range of situations
Describe what is meant by
speed.
Experience use of data logger
to investigate motion.
Possible activities
Possible
Homework
Use picture e.g. spotlight 8 p17 to promote discussion
of forces acting on objects emphasise representation of
size and direction of force by arrows allows you to
work out if the force is balanced
Balanced and
unbalanced
forces
Homework sheet
Use pictures on Spotlight 7 p68 to introduce the term
resultant force Quiz 1 p66 can be used to review key
points. Pupils could work out the resultant forces from
the starter pictures and draw up a list of effects of
unbalanced forces.
Use data logger to Investigate the effect of ramp height
on speed of a car rolling down it .Planning board can
be used to show variable changed and variables that are
controlled so they do not vary.
Plenary Steady motion, changing motion. An Activity
sheet.
7
Lesson
Number
7
Curriculum content
What effects how quickly a car stops?
Stopping distances of vehicles relates to the
frictional force and the speed.
Speed and the units it is measured in.
Qualitative interpretation of distance time graphs
Possible activities
Possible
Homework
Identify that for a given
vehicle stopping distance
relates to speed
Starter make an acrostic for stopping distances after 5
minutes collect 2 or 3 ideas for each letter give points
for words related to forces,
Homework
sheets the hare
and the porpoise.
Explain in words the units for
speed
discuss in small groups and be prepared to report back
in 5 mines;
Describe the journey shown
by a distance/time graph and
interpret them.
the placement of speed cameras
Learning objectives
,the benefits of having them
the normal speed limit in a built up area
The reasons this is not the speed limit in the school
grounds.
Show the pupils the stopping distances from the
highway code and ask for interpretations
Draw out examinations of what speeds actually are
how would you find out who in the class can run the
fastest
Introduce pupils to distance time graphs as on p 106
book 9.Tell students a story of a journey and ask them
to turn it into a graph which they can sketch on the
small white boards. Pupils can make up stories for each
other to sketch.
Plenary
Produce a radial concept map with friction at the
centre which should be completed or improved as part
of the homework. After 5 minutes share some ideas
with other pupils.
8
Lesson
Number
Curriculum content
Learning objectives
Possible activities
Possible
Homework
9