Does Forces & Motion include simple machines?

Yes. “Simple Machines Help Us!” introduces the topic, and the Archimedes biography connects inventions with tools such as the lever.

Why is a paper bridge investigation included?

A bridge carries loads even when it stays still. The investigation connects forces with bending and structural behavior, extending the collection beyond moving objects.

What reading levels and formats are included?

The selection ranges from Lower Elementary to Middle School, with specific 2nd, 7th, and 8th grade texts. It includes informational readings, two biographies, and a functional investigation text.

Forces & Motion Reading Passages

Connect forces and motion to familiar examples

These reading passages approach forces through machines, sports, inventions, and engineering. The collection gives teachers and parents several ways to connect science vocabulary with situations students can picture, from moving a load to riding a roller coaster.

“Simple Machines Help Us!” offers a Lower Elementary introduction. Pair it with the 2nd grade biography “Archimedes and His Amazing Inventions” to discuss how people use tools to change the effort needed for a task. Ask students to identify the tool, explain its purpose, and point to a passage detail that supports their explanation.

Compare what makes objects move

“Push and Pull: The Invisible Power of Magnets” focuses on attraction and repulsion. “The Physics of Roller Coasters” adds gravity, inertia, and changing motion. Comparing these readings helps students explain which forces act in each example and how the effects differ.

For older readers, “The Physics of Bobsledding” connects motion with friction, air resistance, and turns. The 8th grade bumper cars passage provides another setting for discussing collisions and momentum. Have students compare the physical situations before using the same science term to describe both.

The Newton biography adds historical context through his work on motion and gravity. Students can distinguish the scientist's life story from the explanations of his ideas.

Include forces that keep structures standing

“Engineering a Classroom Paper Bridge: A Comparative Investigation” examines loads, bending, and structural behavior. Its functional text format supports a different reading task: following an investigation and comparing designs. It also extends the topic to forces acting on a structure that remains in place.

Selections range from Lower Elementary to Middle School, including specific 2nd, 7th, and 8th grade texts. Choose passages individually for your group.

Continue with the published Energy collection to compare related concepts, or explore invention reading passages for more connections between scientific ideas and designed objects.