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    Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Students who demonstrate understanding can:

Performance Expectations

  1. Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects. MS-PS2-4

    Clarification Statement and Assessment Boundary

A Peformance Expectation (PE) is what a student should be able to do to show mastery of a concept. Some PEs include a Clarification Statement and/or an Assessment Boundary. These can be found by clicking the PE for "More Info." By hovering over a PE, its corresponding pieces from the Science and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting Concepts will be highlighted.

Science and Engineering Practices

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Engaging in argument from evidence in 6–8 builds on K–5 experiences and progresses to constructing a convincing argument that supports or refutes claims for either explanations or solutions about the natural and designed world(s).

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Crosscutting Concepts

By clicking on a specific Science and Engineering Practice, Disciplinary Core Idea, or Crosscutting Concept, you can find out more information on it. By hovering over one you can find its corresponding elements in the PEs.

Planning Curriculum

Common Core State Standards Connections

Model Course Mapping

First Time Visitors

Resources & Lesson Plans

  • More resources added each week!
    A team of teacher curators is working to find, review, and vet online resources that support the standards. Check back often, as NSTA continues to add more targeted resources.
  • Exploring Gravity

    This lesson plan and student worksheet have students use an online simulation to explore the relationship between gravitational pull, masses, and distance.  An optional assessment has students write one or two claim-evidence-reasoning paragraphs ...

  • Your Weight on Other Worlds

    Students enter a weight on Earth, and view the equivalent weight on other planets, Pluto, Earth’s moon, some of Jupiter’s moons, and a few types of stars. The calculator/model is followed by a reading about the difference between mass and weight, ...

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  •  Legends of Learning - Gravitational Force

    In this series of games, your students will learn how gravity functions and is measured. The Gravitational Force learning objective delivers improved student engagement and academic performance in your classroom, as demonstrated by research.

  •  Summary of Gravity & Mass

    The goal of this virtual lab is to allow students the opportunity to explore the factors that influence an object’s weight, primarily gravity and mass.

  •  Summary of Gravity & Orbit Distance

    The goal of this virtual lab is to allow students the opportunity to explore the factors that influence an object’s weight, primarily gravity and mass.

  •  Summary of Motion and Forces: Introduction

    The goal of the Motion and Forces virtual lab is to allow students to investigate how forces impact the motion of a wooden sled. Students conduct experiments to understand the relationship between height, mass, friction, and gravity.

  •  Summary of Motion and Forces on Different Planetary Bod ...

    The goal of the Motion and Forces virtual lab is to allow students to investigate how forces impact the motion of a wooden sled. Students conduct experiments to understand the relationship between height, mass, friction, and gravity.

Planning Curriculum gives connections to other areas of study for easier curriculum creation.