Texas TEKS 3.7.A
The Standard
demonstrate and describe forces acting on an object in contact or at a distance, including magnetism, gravity, and pushes and pulls
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students use objects to show how pushes, pulls, gravity, and magnetism affect motion. They identify whether each force requires contact or acts from a distance.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can demonstrate each force with classroom materials and explain what causes an object to start, stop, speed up, slow down, or change direction. They correctly classify gravity and magnetism as forces that can act without contact.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think a force exists only when an object is moving. They may believe gravity acts only on falling objects or that magnets attract every metal. Some confuse a nearby force with direct contact.
How to Assess It
- Give students pictures of a kicked ball, falling apple, pulled wagon, and magnet lifting a paper clip. Ask them to name each force and mark contact or distance.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
At stations, students push and pull a toy car, move a paper clip with a magnet, and drop a ball, then record each force.
Discuss: How can you move an object without touching it, and how is that different from pushing a chair?
Play Force Sort: teams place scenario cards under contact or distance, then name the force and defend each choice.
During a playground walk, sketch a swing, slide, and rolling ball, then label the forces that start or change each motion.
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Printable 3.7.A Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 3.7.A, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
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Force, motion, and energy. The student knows that forces cause changes in motion and position in everyday life. The student is expected to describe and predict ...
- 6.7.A
identify and explain how forces act on objects, including gravity, friction, magnetism, applied forces, and normal forces, using real-world applications;
- 4.7
The student knows the nature of forces and the patterns of their interactions. The student is expected to plan and conduct descriptive investigations to explore...
- 5.7.A
investigate and explain how equal and unequal forces acting on an object cause patterns of motion and transfer of energy; and
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