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How Do You Measure a Push?

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Lesson Plan

How Do You Measure a Push?

Students will be able to use a spring scale to accurately measure forces, including the weight of various objects, in Newtons.

Understanding how to measure forces is fundamental to understanding physics and how objects interact in the world around us. This skill helps students grasp concepts like gravity and motion.

Audience

7th Grade Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Through demonstration, hands-on activity, and practice.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Spring scale (1 per group), Various classroom objects for weighing (e.g., pencil, book, backpack), How Strong is That Force? Slide Deck, Classroom Object Weight Lab, and Reading a Spring Scale Practice

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction to Newtons (10 minutes)

10 minutes

  • Engage: Begin by asking students: "What does it mean to push or pull something? How could we measure how strong that push or pull is?" (2 minutes)
  • Introduce Force & Newtons: Use the How Strong is That Force? Slide Deck (Slides 1-2) to introduce the concept of force, the unit of Newton, and Sir Isaac Newton. (8 minutes)

Step 2

Spring Scale Demonstration (10 minutes)

10 minutes

  • Demonstrate: Use the How Strong is That Force? Slide Deck (Slide 3) to demonstrate how a spring scale works. Show students how to: (5 minutes)
    • Zero the scale.
    • Attach an object.
    • Read the measurement in Newtons.
  • Guided Practice: Ask a few students to come up and practice measuring the weight of an object with teacher guidance. (5 minutes)

Step 3

Hands-On Measurement Lab (20 minutes)

20 minutes

Step 4

Data Analysis and Conclusion (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Share & Discuss: Bring the class back together. Use the How Strong is That Force? Slide Deck (Slide 5) to facilitate a brief discussion about their findings. What was the heaviest object? The lightest? What did they notice about the measurements? (3 minutes)
  • Wrap-up & Next Steps: Assign the Reading a Spring Scale Practice as homework or for independent practice. Reiterate the importance of accurate force measurement. (2 minutes)
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Slide Deck

What's a Force Anyway?

What is a Force?
* A push or a pull
* Causes objects to move, stop, or change direction

# How do we measure force?
* Using a unit called the Newton (N)
* Named after Sir Isaac Newton, who studied forces like gravity!

Greet students and introduce the day's topic: measuring pushes and pulls, or forces. Ask them to think about how they might measure something like how hard they push a door open or how much a backpack pulls down. Introduce the concept of force and its measurement in Newtons.

Meet the Spring Scale!

How does it work?
* A spring inside stretches when a force is applied.
* The more it stretches, the greater the force!

# How to use it:
* Zero it out! Make sure it reads zero before you start.
* Attach the object or pull on the hook.
* Read the measurement where the indicator lines up.

Introduce the spring scale as the tool for measuring force. Show a physical spring scale and demonstrate how it works. Explain how to read the scale in Newtons. Emphasize zeroing the scale before each measurement.

Time to Measure!

Your Mission:
* Use the spring scales to measure the weight of different classroom objects.
* Remember, weight is a type of force caused by gravity.

# Lab Instructions:
* Work in your groups.
* Follow the steps on your Classroom Object Weight Lab handout.
* Record your measurements carefully!

Explain that students will now get hands-on experience. Introduce the Classroom Object Weight Lab. Briefly go over the instructions for the activity and what they will be recording.

What Did We Find?

Sharing Our Discoveries:
* What was the heaviest object you measured?
* What was the lightest?
* How did using the spring scale help you understand force?

# Next Up: Practice Reading Scales!
* Complete the Reading a Spring Scale Practice to sharpen your skills.

Bring the class back together. Discuss the results from the lab. What did they notice? Were there any surprises? Connect their measurements back to the concept of Newtons. Explain that they will complete a worksheet to reinforce reading spring scales.

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Activity

Classroom Object Weight Lab

Objective: To accurately measure the weight (force) of various classroom objects using a spring scale and record the data.

Materials:

  • Spring Scale
  • Various classroom objects (e.g., textbook, pencil case, water bottle, backpack, glue stick)
  • Pen/Pencil
  • This lab sheet

Instructions:

  1. Work in your assigned groups. Ensure everyone has a role (measurer, recorder, object gatherer).
  2. Examine your spring scale. Locate the measurement markings in Newtons (N).
  3. Calibrate the scale: Before each measurement, gently hold the spring scale by the top hook and ensure the indicator reads
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Worksheet

Reading a Spring Scale Practice

Directions: Look at each spring scale image below and record the force measurement in Newtons (N). Assume each major tick mark represents 1 Newton, and smaller tick marks represent 0.2 Newtons.

Spring Scale 1







Measurement:


Spring Scale 2







Measurement:


Spring Scale 3







Measurement:


Spring Scale 4







Measurement:


Spring Scale 5







Measurement:


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