Third graders learn why a ball rolls farther on a smooth floor than on a rug, discovering friction, the force that acts whenever two surfaces rub, then check what they know.
Students will be able to…
A ball glides far on a smooth floor but stops fast on carpet, from the same push. What force slows it, and why does the surface change the result?
Project this and answer each question about friction and how it affects motion — read the explanation after each one.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Roll a ball across a smooth floor and it glides far; roll it across a carpet and it stops fast. Same push, different result. What force is slowing the ball down?
Students answer questions about friction.
Students compare surfaces.
Students find friction at work.
Students reflect on friction.
Aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (Grade 3 / Elementary Science).
Provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
Make observations of an object's motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.
Planning and carrying out investigations to produce evidence.
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students find one place friction helps and one place it gets in the way, then draw and label both, so the force shows up in their real world. A printable friction worksheet is in the Science library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.