Don’t you just love teaching force and motion concepts? I always look forward to teaching force and motion to my upper elementary kids! Although teaching force and motion to big kids can be both exciting and challenging, I have found that this particular science unit lends itself so well to max engagement, high energy, and all out fun! It’s a topic that is fundamental to understanding the physical world, and engaging students in hands-on, interactive activities can make learning these concepts a blast. Here are five engaging force and motion activities that I have found that resonate with my students!

#1 Study the Life of Isaac Newton

One of the best ways to introduce students to the concepts of force and motion is by studying the life of Isaac Newton. Newton’s contributions to science, especially his three laws of motion, are foundational to understanding these principles. This is also a great opportunity to incorporate research, and biography reports into your instruction!

Ideas for Studying Isaac Newton:

• Biographical Pennants: Have students read and write biographies about Newton, focusing on his discoveries and how they changed the world. Then, have them organize their learning onto a biography pennant. I tried this for the first time a few years ago and it was a huge hit with my students! Plus, they made fun bulletin board decorations!
• Timeline Creation: You might consider creating a timeline of Newton’s life and major discoveries. This helps students see the chronological context of his work. When I did this in my classroom, we placed the timeline across the top of a bulletin board and added events to the timeline as we learned them!
• Newton’s Laws Experiments: Simple experiments that demonstrate Newton’s three laws of motion are activities that students do not forget! For example, use a balloon rocket to illustrate action and reaction forces.
• Discussion of His Impact: Of course, as you’re learning, make sure to facilitate class discussions on how Newton’s discoveries affect our everyday lives, from sports to space travel.

#2 Create an Interactive Notebook

Interactive notebooks are a fantastic way to keep students engaged and help them organize their learning of so many different concepts. Force and motion is no exception. These notebooks can include a mix of written notes, diagrams, foldables, and hands-on activities. If you’re looking

Reasons I Love Interactive Notebooks:

• Active Learning: My students actively participate in creating their notebooks, which always seems to enhance retention and understanding.
• Personalized Learning: I love how each student’s notebook becomes a personalized study tool that reflects their learning style and progress. It’s so much fun to see the variety and creativity the the kids’ learning.
• Organization: My upper elementary kiddos definitely need help with organization. Notebooks help students keep their notes and materials organized, making it easier to review and study.

If you’re looking for a collection of interactive notebook activities that you can incorporate into your force and motion learning, we’ve got you covered. You can grab some of my favorite ones to use in our Science is Elementary Force and Motion Unit!

#3 Have a Paper Airplane Design Contest

When it comes to engaging force and motion activities, a paper airplane design contest is always a winner. Paper airplane design contests are a fun and practical way to explore the principles of force and motion. This activity allows students to apply what they’ve learned in a hands-on and competitive way.

Suggestions for the Contest:

• Design Variations: Encourage students to design different types of paper airplanes and test which designs fly the farthest or stay in the air the longest.
• Measurement and Analysis: Have students measure the distance and duration of each flight, then analyze the results to determine which designs are most effective.
• Connection to Concepts: Discuss how the shape, weight, and force applied to the airplanes affect their motion, linking back to Newton’s laws and other force and motion concepts.

#4 Incorporate Picture Book Read-Alouds

Using picture books to illustrate force and motion concepts makes learning more engaging and relatable for students. Here are some great book choices from different genres:

Books for Teaching Force and Motion:

• Move It! Motion, Forces and You by Adrienne Mason: This nonfiction book uses simple language and vivid illustrations to explain basic force and motion concepts, making it ideal for young learners.
• Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee: This fictional story about a girl riding a roller coaster helps students visualize and understand concepts like gravity, acceleration, and inertia.
• Forces Make Things Move by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley: This informative book breaks down the concepts of push and pull, friction, and gravity with engaging examples and illustrations.
• The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation by Gilbert Ford: This book tells the true story of the invention of the Slinky, providing a real-world application of force and motion principles.

#5 Use a Variety of Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers are always powerful tools that help students visually organize information and ideas, making complex concepts easier to understand. If you’re looking for a load of graphic organizers that will help create a memorable force and motion learning experience for your kids, feel free to grab our force and motion unit! It has everything you need and will make teaching force and motion fun and easy!

Examples of Graphic Organizers for Force and Motion:

• Venn Diagrams: Compare and contrast different types of forces (e.g., friction vs. gravity).
• Flowcharts: Map out the steps of an experiment or the sequence of motion in a particular scenario.
• T-Charts: List the causes of motion on one side and the effects on the other.

I hope you have a wonderful time together with your students learning about force and motion this year. As you dive into this unit, consider using a variety of different learning activities like the ones I mentioned to make these fundamental concepts engaging and accessible for each of your students. These activities not only make learning fun but also deepen students’ understanding and retention of the concepts surrounding force and motion.

Save These Force and Motion Resources for Later!

Make sure to save these engaging force and motion activities and ideas for upper elementary kids to a favorite Pinterest board. You will be able to come back when you are ready and have some no-prep, fun, and memorable tools at your fingertips that will help you create a memorable science learning experience for your kids!