Physical Science · Forces & Motion
Forces & Newton's Third Law
Model equal-and-opposite interaction forces and apply Newton's Third Law to improve a one-dimensional collision solution.

Lesson plan
Forces & Newton's Third Law
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Lesson overview
What students will learn
- Construct a 6 N equal-and-opposite force pair on two colliding carts.
- Use criteria, constraints, and test data to compare three bumper designs.
Key science ideas
- If object A pushes object B, object B pushes object A at the same time.
- The two forces are equal in strength and opposite in direction.
- The paired forces act on different objects, so they do not cancel on one object.
Lesson at a glance
- Grade 6
- 55 min
- ~10 min prep
- MS-PS2-1
- 4 materials
What’s included
- Lesson Plan
- Investigation
- Teacher Slides
- Printable Worksheet
- Teacher Answer Key
- Interactive Activity
- Vocabulary