Instructional Procedures:

Name(s): Lindsey Pirochta

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

 PERFORMANCE EXPECTATION: 3-PS2-2. Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern
can be used to predict future motion.

o NARROWED LESSON FOCUS: This lesson will focus on having students make observations and measurements relating to
the speed and direction of a moving object.

o SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PRACTICE: 3-PS2-2 - Make observations and/or measurements to produce data to serve as
the basis for evidence for an explanation of a phenomenon or test a design solution.

o CROSSCUTTING CONCEPT: 3-PS2-2 - Patterns of change can be used to make predictions. In third grade, students identify
similarities and differences in order to sort and classify natural objects and designed products. They identify patterns
related to time, including simple rates of change and cycles, and to use these patterns to make predictions

o EQUITY FOCUS: Strategies to support economically disadvantaged students include: (1) connecting science education to
students’ sense of “place” as physical, historical, and sociocultural dimensions, (2) applying students’ funds of knowledge
and cultural practices; and (3) using project-based science learning as a form of connected science.

Phenomenon and Driving Question for Lesson:

● PHENOMENON: Toy car moving across a surface.

● DRIVING QUESTION: How can we tell if something is in motion or has moved?

Lesson Objective(s) for Lesson:

 Students will be able to describe motion as the changing of the position of an object through exertion of forces.
Anticipated Time and Dates for Lesson Teaching: 50 minutes on Wednesday, November 16th 2016.

Materials:
Materials for whole class: Materials for table groups:

 Individual student worksheets  1 Toy car

 Individual assessment worksheets  1 Tape measure
 Toy cars  1 Stopwatch
 Tape measures  Pencils
 Stopwatches (on iPads)  Jobs for each group
 Pencils written on index
 White board cards
 White board markers  Data paper slips
 Set of jobs written on index cards
 Data paper slips
Instructional Procedures Chart:

Procedures: What the Teacher and Students will DO and SAY Considerations for diverse
Activity & Time
learners

TEACHER SAYS AND DOES STUDENTS SAY AND DO

Before we start, let’s take a few
minutes to make sure we remember
what “working together” looks like. I
understand that everyone knows
The teacher will write out
these, or should know these, but I am
the three expectations for
going to write them on the board and
behavior. By writing these
go over them with you. First, everyone
Students should ask questions about expectations on the board,
talks and everyone tries. This means
what to do if they don’t agree with one visual learners will be able
everyone should talk about what they
another’s opinions. Students should to process and visually
Setting Behavior are thinking, and everyone should take
challenge other’s opinions, in a comprehend the
Expectations turns performing tasks and expressing
respectful manner. Finally, students expectations. By displaying
their thoughts. Next, everyone uses
should provide support and evidence the expectations visually,
[3 min.] the word “because” while they talk.
for their opinions. This can be the students will also be
For example, “The toy car is not
addressed by using the word able to refer back to the
moving because no one is pushing it.”
“because” in explanations. behavior expectations
Lastly, it is okay to be wrong and make
throughout the lesson, and
a mistake; we are all here to learn
this visual will serve as a
from, and with each other. There are
reminder to students.
no “wrong” answers in this space of
learning. We simply want to learn and
grow from and with each other.

Probing/Pressing The teacher will stand in front of the The students will share their ideas The teacher will use the
Student ideas about class and ask the driving question: relating to the driving question. Some “revoicing” strategy in
answers to the possible answers may include ideas order to scaffold and probe
“How can we tell if something is in
Driving Question that were already addressed in the students to explore and
motion or has moved?”. The teacher sense making science talk. These ideas make sense of their ideas.
[3 min.] will probe and press student’s ideas by included:
revoicing students’ opinions, and
scaffolding the students’ answers
where appropriate. The teacher will be
equipped with the following “back-
pocket” questions, as use these when
necessary, in order to probe student’s
thinking further:
The teacher will also use
1. Remote controls tier one and tier two
2. Roller coasters vocabulary words, in order
3. Animals moving to provide input that is
4. Jumping on a trampoline easily comprehensible by
5. If something has legs the students.

 Can you give me an

example of an
object in motion?
 What evidence do
you have to support
this idea?
 Who can add onto
the idea that
[student] is
building? Does
anyone want to
respond to this
idea?

The teacher will also provide some

background knowledge relating to the
concepts that will be addressed in the
following lesson: speed, direction, and
distance. The teacher will write these
definitions (big ideas) on the
whiteboard.

“Who can tell me what direction

means?” (big idea: forward, backward,
 left, right).

“Who can tell me what distance

means?” (big idea: length, height, how
far the object moves).

“Who can tell me what speeds mean?”

(big idea: fast, slow).

The teacher will demonstrate the

proper way to use the measuring tape.
“The measuring tape is a tool that we
will be using to measure distance, this
can also be referred to as a ruler.
Rulers can be used to measure length
or height, as well as distance (in our
case).”
Special notes for using the measuring
tape:
Activity 1  Today we will only be using the
white side (inches).
[5 min.]
 Make sure to start the front of
the car at the silver (metal)
[Experience]
edge.
The teacher will then place a toy car
on the starting line to demonstrate the
expected movements. The teacher will
make sure all students can see the car
being moved, and will direct students
to other areas, if they cannot see the
demonstration.
The teacher will then ask students “Is
the car moving? How can we tell?” The
teacher will provide ample wait time
The students will watch the teacher
moving the car, and begin thinking
about the car’s movement. Students
may respond with
1. The car is not moving because
you are not touching it!
2. The car is now going
forward/backwards
3. I know the car is moving,
because the wheels are
spinning.
4. The car is moving because you
are pushing it!
5. The car has changed because
you moved it
Again, the teacher will use
the “revoicing” strategy to
scaffold and probe students
to explore and make sense
of their ideas. The teacher
will provide ample wait
time in order to allow the
students to gain a better
understanding and make
sense of the phenomena in
action.
 for the students to process their
thinking and respond. Then, the
teacher will begin to move the car
towards the finish line, while asking
students to make initial observations
about the motion of the car: “what do
we notice now about the car? How has
the car changed? How do we know
that the car is changing?”.
After the car stops moving, the teacher
will ask students to share their
observations in a whole class
discussion.

The teacher will then ask students to

share their observations related to the The students will be able to
car moving: “what did we notice about build on other students’
Students will think about their
the movement of the car?”. The ideas or experiences by
observations in order to make sense of
student’s thinking will be scaffolded by adding on to their ideas,
the movements with the toy car.
having the following questions questioning the statements,
Student responses may include:
planned: and expanding on the
 The car moved side to
 What was the first thing you responses through their
side.
Activity 2 noticed when the car started to own funds of knowledge.
 It traveled in a straight
move? The teacher will also write
line.
[7 min.]  What did you see/hear/feel? students’ responses on the
 It’s slow.
 How do you know that the car white board, in order to
 It’s fast.
[E -> P] was moving? reinforce the sense making
 The car traveled on a
 Can you describe the motion of that is occurring. By having
flat surface.
the car? the responses written on
 It traveled a distance
 What are different ways you the whiteboard, students
(using a reference
can make your car move? will be able to refer back to
point).
The teacher will write student’s the thoughts of their
responses and observations on the classmates in order to build
whiteboard. Students will fill in their on others’ experiences.
answers to the questions on the
worksheet (provided below).
 “Now, it will be your turn to practice
and explore the movements.” The
teacher will give each table grouping
their own toy car to explore the
changes in motion with. Students in
table groups will be given an index
card consisting of individual jobs for
each group members. The jobs will
include: measurer, timer, car mover,
and recorder. The roles will be given
on an index card, as well as the
directions for each role. If there are
less than four students in a group, the
teacher will move students to another
group. Extra students will be
Activity 3 responsible for assisting the measurer.
Time recorder- when toy car moves,
[7 min.]
press START on the iPad. When toy car
stops moving press STOP on the iPad.
[Patterns]
Measurer- Use the white side of the
measuring tape (inches) and put the
front wheels of the car at the silver
metal part of the measuring tape.
The teacher will monitor
the sense making by
walking around the
Students will be responsible for
classroom and observing
performing the specific movements
the reactions and responses
with their table groups. The students
of the students as the
will move the car and practice the
students move their toy
various changes in motion with their
cars. By walking around, the
table groups.
teacher will be able to pay
special attention to the
students needing additional
support.

Car mover- GENTLY push the car

forward. Make sure it does not go off
the table.

Recorder- The measurer will tell you

the distance the toy car traveled. The
timer will tell you the time it took to
move that distance. Write these down
on your data sheet paper.
 The students will also be given a
stopwatch and measuring tape to
practice with, and a data sheet to
record measurements. The teacher will
ask the students (specifically the car
mover) to practice the following
movements:
 Move toy car backwards or
forward (direction).
 Move toy car in a straight line
(path and direction).
 Move toy car faster or slower
(speed).

The teacher will then bring the

Student responses may include:
students back into a whole group
What causes the toy car to move in a
discussion, in order to discuss their
forward or backwards direction?
ideas related to the following
1. By pushing it
questions:
2. By pulling it
 What causes the toy car to
3. By putting your hand on it
move in a forward or
backwards direction or in a
What causes the toy car to move faster The teacher will ask the
Activity 4 straight line?
or slower?
(trajectory or path that car is on) students to debrief what
1. Pushing it harder or softer
[5 min.]  What causes the toy car to they observed together as a
move faster or slower? group.
[P -> E] Discuss similarities across instances in
(forces or push)
which objects change speed.
 Discuss similarities across
1. My car moved at the same
instances in which objects
speed as their car did
change speed.
2. I pushed my car faster than
(patterns)
[student’s name].
 Discuss similarities across
3. The car moved faster at first
instances in which objects
than it started to get slower.
change direction.
(patterns)
 Teacher will inform the students of the
phenomena that was addressed, in
order to allow the students to further
understand the following explanations: The teacher will recognize
Activity 5  Push/pull forces cause changes and build off of students’
in object’s speed and direction. Students should be actively listening to non science knowledge by
[3 min.]
 A force can change an object’s the teacher, asking questions if the bringing in their funds of
motion. explanations are unclear.
[Explanations] knowledge.
 Motion will not change unless
the forces used to push or pull
are greater than the opposing
forces

Students will be asked to complete a

handout with a series of questions
Student’s response may include:
focusing on the changes in motion, the
For the first question:
EPE table, objective, and key question.
 Students may include a drawing
Students will be able to work in groups
of a car, an arrow to show the
to change the position of the toy car.
direction the car was traveling,
This will be assessed by the teacher by
the time the car took to travel,
walking around the classroom and
a ruler to show the distance the
observing the actions of students.
Assessment Task car travelled.
For the assessment task, students will
[15 min.] For the second question:
answer the following questions on the
 The toy car changed position,
worksheet:
so we know it moved.
 Draw a picture of the motion of
 The car rolled across my table.
your group's toy car. Make sure
 The car did not move until we
to include the direction, speed,
pushed it on our table.
and distance the car travelled.
 How can we tell if something is
in motion or has moved?
Handouts
Data Table (Complete during group work)

Trial 1 2 3

Distance

Time

(Complete during lesson)

Thinking About Motion 1

1. Make a list of things you notice when your

group’s car first starts to move.

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2. How do you know that the car is moving?

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3. Describe the motion of the toy car.

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 (Assessment)
Thinking About Motion 2
1. Draw a model (picture) of the motion of your group’s car. Be sure to include the direction,
distance, and speed that the toy car moved.

2. How can we tell if something is in motion or has moved?

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