The Physics Classroom » Lesson Plans » Conceptual Physics » Newton's Laws

Conceptual Physics Course Package

We will be beginning a project during the 2024-25 school year in which we create a package of materials to support teachers teaching a Conceptual Physics course. The downloadable package will include slide decks, think sheets, labs, quizzes, and tests. Answer keys will be provided. This will be a for-sale item that is offered to teachers. We hope to have the project completed before the start of the 2025-26 school year.

In creating our Lesson Plans and Learning Outcomes for this course we have referenced several of the items that we intend to place in the package. We have used red text wherever we have made such a reference. These items will only be available by purchase of the course package.
 

Newton's Laws - Lesson Plans

The lesson plans below include links to the specific resources on our website.

Teacher Guides for labs can be found here.

NOTE: All CalcPad problem sets are customized problem sets created specifically for this course. The links direct users to the Guest version. Task Tracker users should use the link on the Task Tracker page to the trackable CalcPad version.

Day 1 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Lab 1 - Pass the Water
    Set up, do, post-lab
  2. Discuss inertia, connection to mass, Newton's first law, demonstrations
  3. Think Sheet: Inertia, Force, and the State of Motion
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws: Lesson 1, Parts a-d
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission NL1 on Inertia and Mass


 

Day 2 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Survey: Force and Motion - What Do You Believe?
  2. Discuss force and motion:
    Force as a push or pull; balanced vs. unbalanced forces and their effects; use of a force diagram to depict forces
  3. Pair Practice: Balanced vs. Unbalanced Forces Think Sheet
  4. Concept Builder: Balanced vs. Unbalanced Forces (Master Level only)
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws: Lesson 2, Part a
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission NL2 on Balanced Forces and the State of Motion


 

Day 3 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Survey: Mass and Weight - What Do You Believe?
  2. Lab 2 - Wait. Hmmm. Gee.
    Set up, do, post-lab
  3. Discuss mass vs. weight; concept, units, mathematical connection
  4. Pair Practice: Mass vs. Weight Think Sheet
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws: Lesson 2, Part b
  2. Concept Builder: Mass vs. Weight


 

Day 4 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Discuss force types; how to recognize them; introduce the concept of a free-body diagram. Help Sheet
  2. Pair Practice: Recognizing Forces Think Sheet
  3. Physics Interactives: Rocket Sled with Student Activity Sheet
    Do and process, then complete the ...
  4. Concept Checker: Rocket Sled
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws: Lesson 2, Parts c - d
  2. If not done, complete Rocket Sled Concept Checker


 

Day 5 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Review/Discuss recognizing forces and drawing free-body diagrams
  2. Guided/Individual Practice: Drawing Free-Body Diagrams Think Sheet (selected Qs)
  3. Concept Builder: Recognizing Forces (Apprentice Level only)
  4. Concept Builder: Match That Free-Body Diagram (Masters Level only)
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Review: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws: Lesson 2, Parts c - d
  2. Complete unfinished work from in class: Recognizing Forces || Match That Free-Body Diagram


 

Day 6 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Guided/Individual Practice: FBDs, Net Force, and Acceleration Think Sheet
  2. Physics Interactives: Free-Body Diagrams
  3. Concept Builder: Force and Motion
  4. Short Quiz on Learning Outcomes 1 -3 
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. If not done, complete in-class work


 

Day 7 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Lab 3 - The F-m-a Connection
    Do and Post-Lab
  2. Introduce Newton's Second Law
    Review meaning of acceleration; associate accel'n with Fnet; direction of a and Fnet; proportional reasoning
  3. Pair Practice: Newton's Second Law and Proportional Reasoning Think Sheet
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws: Lesson 3, Part a
  2. Concept Builder: Newton's Second Law - Equations as a Guide to Thinking


 

Day 8 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Physics Interactives: Force
    Do simulation with Student Activity Sheet; post-lab
  2. Guided/Pair Practice: Net Force and Acceleration Think Sheet (2-3 Qs)
  3. Concept Checker: Force
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws: Lesson 3, Part b
  2. Minds On Physics - Mission NL3 on Unbalanced Forces and Accelerations


 

Day 9 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Discuss using Newton's Second Law to determine the acceleration from a Force Diagram
    Do some examples from Net Force and Acceleration Think Sheet
  2. Guided/Pair Practice: complete Net Force and Acceleration Think Sheet
  3. CalcPad: Newton's Laws 1 on Net Force and Acceleration
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws: Lesson 3, Part c
  2. CalcPad: Newton's Laws 2 on Net Force and Acceleration


 

Day 10 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Discuss some details about air resistance
    Cause; dependency upon speed, cross-sectional area, and air density; a resistance force
  2. Physics Interactives: Skydiving Simulation with Student Activity Sheet
    Do and process
  3. Discuss skydiving and terminal velocity
    Changes in Fair over time; what occurs when Fair < Fgrav; what occurs when Fair = Fgrav; parachutes and what occurs when Fair > Fgrav
  4. Concept Checker: Skydiving
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws: Lesson 3, Part e
  2. Minds On Physics - Mission NL11 on Air Resistance


 

Day 11 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Review/discuss skydiving and terminal velocity; do some calculations of acceleration from Fair and Fgrav
  2. Pair Practice: Air Resistance and Skydiving Think Sheet
    Do; check answers; then complete ...
  3. Concept Builder: Air Resistance and Skydiving
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Review: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws: Lesson 3, Part e
  2.  CalcPad: Newton's Laws 3 on Skydiving


 

Day 12 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Lab 4 - Coffee Filter Skydivers
    Do and process
  2. Newton's Second Law word problems; do 2-3 examples from Newton's Second Law Problems Think Sheet
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws: Lesson 4, Parts a - b
  2. CalcPad: Newton's Laws 4 on Newton's Second Law


 

Day 13 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
  1. Newton's Second Law word problems; do 1-3 examples from Newton's Second Law Problems Think Sheet
  2. Discuss Newton's Third Law
  3. Pair Practice: Newton's Third Law Think Sheet
    Complete and check answers
  4. Minds On Physics: Mission NL12 on Newton's Third Law
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. CalcPad: Newton's Laws 5 on Newton's Second Law
  2. If not done in class, complete Mission NL12 on Newton's Third Law


 

Day 14 of Newton's Laws

Lesson Plan
Review day: this is a chance for students to process ideas, work independently or together, and prepare for exam. Suggested online review activities include:
  1. Concept Builder: Which One Doesn't Belong? Force and Motion
  2. Concept Builder: Net Force (and Acceleration) Ranking Tasks
  3. Physics Interactives: Free-Body Diagrams - A Sequel
  4. Minds On Physics: Mission NL4 on Types of Forces
  5. Minds On Physics: Mission NL5 on Force Diagrams
  6. CalcPad: Newton's Laws 6 on Review of Newton's Laws Mathematics
NOTE: The above assignments are intended as optional review assignments and not required assignments.

 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Prepare for Tomorrow's Test
  2. Complete all unfinished work