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Texas Science Teacher Resource Hub

Free scope and sequences, TEKS breakdowns, phenomenon ideas, and engagement activities for the 2024 Texas science standards.

Chris Kesler
I'm Chris Kesler, a former award-winning Texas middle school science teacher. This is the site I wish I'd had in the classroom. One hub with TEKS breakdowns, scope and sequences, phenomenon starters, engagement ideas, and resources, all aligned to the standards you actually teach.
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  • 4th
    4th Grade Science
    14 standards • Earth, Energy, Organisms & more
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    16 standards • Matter, Ecosystems, Space & more
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    18 standards • Forces, Energy, Matter & more
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    19 standards • Newton's Laws, Space, Genetics & more
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All standards updated for the 2024 TEKS revision
TEKS Details | Texas Hub Module

6th Grade TEKS Standards

Click any standard to see what it means, how to teach it, where students get stuck, and aligned resources.

Matter & Properties (6.6)
6.6A Matter & Kinetic Energy 6.6B Pure Substances & Mixtures 6.6C Classify Elements 6.6D Comparing Density 6.6E Evidence of Chemical Changes
Force, Motion & Energy (6.7)
6.7A Forces in the Real-World 6.7B Calculating Net Force 6.7C Newton's Third Law of Motion
Energy (6.8)
6.8A Compare & Contrast Energies 6.8B Energy Transformations in Systems 6.8C Energy of Waves
Earth & Space (6.9)
6.9A Model Earth's Tilt & Seasons 6.9B Predicting Tides
Earth's Structure (6.10)
6.10A Differentiate Between Earth's Spheres 6.10B Modeling Layers of Earth 6.10C Processes in the Rock Cycle
Resources (6.11)
6.11A Resource Management 6.11B Managing Energy Resources
Ecosystems (6.12)
6.12A Biotic & Abiotic Competition 6.12B Ecological Relationships 6.12C Hierarchy of Ecosystems
Organisms (6.13)
6.13A Development of Cell Theory 6.13B Comparing Organisms 6.13C Variations & Survival
TEKS S.6.7B • Force, Motion & Energy

Calculating Net Force

The Standard

"Calculate the net force on an object in a horizontal or vertical direction using diagrams, and determine whether the forces on an object are balanced or unbalanced."

💡 What This Standard Actually Means

The Key Verb

"Calculate" and "determine". Students are adding up forces in a diagram and then deciding whether those forces are balanced or unbalanced. The math is simple (addition and subtraction), but the reasoning about direction is where students should slow down. Students should be able to look at a force diagram and find the net force, then connect balanced forces to no change in motion, and unbalanced forces to a change in motion. Instruction formats include labeled force diagrams, arrow drawings, short word problems, and sorting tasks.

The net force is the total force acting on an object after all of the individual forces are combined. If two forces push in the same direction, they add together. If they push in opposite directions, they subtract. The result tells you whether anything will change about the object's motion.

When the net force on an object is zero, the forces are balanced. The object's motion does not change. A book sitting on a desk has gravity pulling it down and the desk pushing up with equal strength, so the net force is zero and the book stays still. A car cruising at a steady speed down a straight road also has balanced forces, even though it's moving. The forces pushing it forward equal the forces pushing it back, so the speed stays the same.

When the net force is not zero, the forces are unbalanced. An unbalanced net force causes a change in motion. That change could be speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. The important phrasing to share with students is that unbalanced forces cause changes in motion, not that they "cause motion." An object already in motion keeps moving unless something unbalanced acts on it. That subtle distinction trips up a lot of 6th graders.

💬 From Chris's Classroom

I used to lose kids on this one because I'd jump straight to the arrow diagrams in the textbook. What finally worked was staging a rope pull with two kids of roughly equal strength, then having a third kid join one side. The class had to predict what would happen each round and then explain why. Before the third kid, the rope didn't move, balanced. After, it moved, unbalanced. We'd then diagram exactly what we just saw with arrows and numbers. Living it before drawing it made the numbers make sense. After that, I could hand them a worksheet and they'd fly through it.

⚠️ Misconceptions Your Students May Have

These are some of the most common misconceptions. Knowing what to look for can help you get ahead of them.

×

"If something is moving, the forces must be unbalanced"

✓

This is the biggest trap. A car going a steady 60 mph down a straight highway has balanced forces. The engine pushes forward, friction and air resistance push back, and those forces are equal. Because the net force is zero, the speed doesn't change. Balanced forces mean motion doesn't change, not that there is no motion.

×

"Unbalanced forces make something move"

✓

Unbalanced forces cause a CHANGE in motion. That change can be starting to move from rest, speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. An object already moving will keep moving even when forces are balanced. The correct phrasing is "unbalanced forces change motion," not "unbalanced forces cause motion."

×

"Unbalanced forces make something move"

✓

Unbalanced forces cause a CHANGE in motion. That change can be starting to move from rest, speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. An object already moving will keep moving even when forces are balanced. The correct phrasing is "unbalanced forces change motion," not "unbalanced forces cause motion."

×

"The stronger force wins, and the weaker force disappears"

✓

Both forces are still acting. When one is bigger, the net force points in the direction of the bigger force, but the smaller force is still pushing back. It just gets partly cancelled out. Understanding that both forces remain is what lets students predict what happens when either force changes.

×

"Net force is the same as total force"

✓

Net force is what's left over after forces in opposite directions cancel each other out. Two 20 N forces pushing in opposite directions have a total force of 40 N, but a net force of 0 N. "Total" and "net" sound alike but mean different things. When students mix them up, their diagrams tend to show balanced objects that should be moving.

📓 Teaching Resources for 6.7B

These resources are aligned to this standard.

Complete 5E Lesson
Calculating Net Force Complete Science Lesson
The full unit for 6.7B: differentiated station labs, editable presentations, interactive notebooks (English + Spanish), student-choice projects, and assessments. Built on the 5E model.
⏱ Best for: Full unit coverage • Multiple class periods
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Station Lab
Calculating Net Force Station Lab
9-station hands-on lab covering net force, balanced forces, and unbalanced forces with input stations (Explore It!, Watch It!, Read It!, Research It!) and output stations (Organize It!, Illustrate It!, Write It!, Assess It!). Print and digital. English and Spanish.
🔬 Best for: Core instruction • 1-2 class periods
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Student Choice Projects
Calculating Net Force Student Choice Projects
Choice board with nine project options plus a "design your own" pathway. Students demonstrate their understanding of net force and balanced vs unbalanced forces through writing, building, illustrating, presenting, or digital formats.
🎓 Best for: Project-based assessment • 2-3 class periods
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🌎 Phenomenon Ideas for 6.7B

Use these real-world phenomena to anchor your lesson. Show students the phenomenon first, let them wonder, then build toward Calculating Net Force as the explanation.

🔎
Phenomenon 1

A Tug-of-War That Won't Budge

Two teams are pulling hard on a rope during a tug-of-war. Muscles strain, the rope is taut, and the center knot is dead still over the line. Both sides are clearly exerting force, but for a full 20 seconds, nothing moves. Then one team adds a new player, and the knot starts sliding toward them.

💬 Discussion Prompt

"If both teams are pulling, why isn't the rope moving? What changed when the extra player joined? Use the words balanced, unbalanced, and net force in your answer."

🔎
Phenomenon 2

A Skydiver at Terminal Velocity

A skydiver jumps out of a plane. At first, they keep falling faster and faster. But after around 10 to 12 seconds of free fall, their speed stops increasing and stays steady at around 120 mph. Gravity is still pulling them down the whole time. So why does the falling speed stop changing?

💬 Discussion Prompt

"Gravity pulls the skydiver down the entire time. What other force acts on them as they fall? When the speed stops changing, what must be true about the net force?"

🔎
Phenomenon 3

A Car Stuck in a Traffic Jam

A driver is stopped in traffic. They press the gas pedal, the engine revs, but the car in front of them hasn't moved. The engine is producing a forward force. Brakes are producing a backward force. The car doesn't move at all until the brake is released. Somehow, a running engine is not enough to change the car's motion.

💬 Discussion Prompt

"Why doesn't the car move forward even though the engine is pushing it? Draw the forces on the car. What is the net force? Is it balanced or unbalanced?"

💡 Free Engagement Ideas for 6.7B

01

Desk Push War

Pair students up on opposite sides of a small rolling desk or cart. Round 1: both push with equal strength, the desk doesn't move. Round 2: one student is told to push twice as hard, the desk slides. Round 3: one student stops pushing entirely. After each round, students draw a force diagram with arrows sized to match the push, label it balanced or unbalanced, and predict before the next round.

Materials: A rolling desk, chair, or small cart, tape to mark the floor, notebook paper for diagrams
02

Spring Scale Rope Pull

Attach a small object (like a stuffed animal) to two spring scales with string, one on each side. Students pull on both scales at the same time with different amounts of force (for example, 5 N on the left, 3 N on the right). They record the readings, calculate the net force, and predict which way the object will move. Then release one scale to see if their prediction was right.

Materials: 2 spring scales (or improvised rubber band scales), string, a stuffed animal or block
03

Balloon Rocket Net Force Race

Tape a straw to a balloon, thread a long string through the straw, and pull it tight across the room. Release the balloon. The air pushes back out of the balloon (one force), and the balloon flies forward (the reaction). Students tape a paperclip or penny to the balloon, repeat the race, and discuss how adding resistance changes the net force and the motion.

Materials: Balloons, drinking straws, masking tape, string or yarn, paperclips or pennies
04

Book Stack Balance Check

Place a book on a desk. Ask: is the net force on this book zero? How do you know? Stack a second book on top. Ask again. Then have students draw the force diagram for each setup, showing gravity pulling down and normal force pushing up. A great closing activity for labeling balanced systems and separating "still" from "no forces."

Materials: Textbooks or notebooks, paper for drawing force diagrams
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