Laws of Motion in Systems Activities for Middle School Science

Understanding the laws of motion in systems is essential for middle school students, but it can be a challenging concept to grasp! These engaging materials provide everything you need to help students explore Newton’s laws of motion, analyze forces acting within systems, and understand how motion is influenced by interactions between objects. With interactive lessons, hands-on activities, and assessments, students will develop a strong foundation in inertia, force pairs, momentum, and the principles governing motion in real-world systems. The resources below will give students a comprehensive understanding of laws of motion in systems. All of the following materials are also included in the Kesler Science Membership.

The Kesler Science Forces and Motion 5E lesson investigates how Newton’s three laws of motion work simultaneously within systems like sports, vehicle restraints, amusement park rides, and plate tectonics. It includes editable presentations, worksheets, assessments, and choice projects, designed for differentiated, student-led learning.

Using the 5E Model, students engage with hands-on demos, reading, research, and videos to explore how Newton’s laws govern motion. Output stations like card sorts, writing, and illustrating help students understand the laws' interactions within systems. Interactive PowerPoints and digital/printable notebooks are available in English and Spanish.

The unit includes STAAR 2.0-aligned assessments and is suitable for both in-class and virtual learning, aligned with the 2021 TEKS standards. Bundles offer savings on multiple topics or the full curriculum.

This Laws of Motion in Systems Station Lab aligns with the 2021 TEKS standards, engaging students in exploring how Newton’s three laws act simultaneously in vehicle restraints, sports, amusement park rides, tectonic activity, and rocket launches. This student-led, modular activity promotes independent learning with minimal prep and is part of the Force and Motion Station Lab Bundle.

With nine differentiated stations, students engage through hands-on activities, videos, readings, and research, then demonstrate understanding through organizing, illustrating, writing, and assessments. A bonus Challenge It! station provides enrichment for advanced learners.

Designed for in-class or virtual learning, this ready-to-use resource includes all materials, task cards, and digital options in PowerPoint and Google Slides, making it a flexible and engaging way to explore Newton’s laws in real-world systems.

These Laws of Motion in Systems Student Choice Projects align with the 2021 TEKS standards, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding through six project options or a design-your-own approach. A flexible, editable rubric supports teacher, peer, or self-assessment. This resource is also included in the Laws of Motion in Systems Complete Lesson.

Designed for differentiation, the project includes a modified version for students needing support, while advanced learners can complete multiple projects. The Force & Motion Bundle covers nine topics, and the MEGA Student Choice Bundle offers 84 topics for Grades 6-8.

With minimal prep, students can complete projects using basic classroom supplies or digital tools. This versatile, ready-to-use resource provides an engaging, student-led learning experience.

The Newton’s Laws Escape Room is an interactive, student-led challenge that reinforces Newton’s three laws of motion through eight engaging puzzles. Aligned with NGSS and TEKS, students apply key physics concepts and vocabulary, including inertia, force, mass, acceleration, and friction, to real-world scenarios.

Teachers have full control over which puzzles to use and their order, making this escape room adaptable for different class periods. It can be conducted using manila envelopes or a more immersive lock-and-box setup. A digital version is also available for Google Slides and PowerPoint, with printable options for at-home learning.

This resource includes teacher directions, answer keys, editable templates, digital answer sheets, a video challenge, and reward templates. With 50+ prize ideas and engaging props, this escape room ensures students stay motivated, engaged, and actively learning while mastering Newton’s laws.

Lesson Extensions provide engaging, student-choice activities to challenge early finishers while reinforcing NGSS and TEKS force and motion standards. These activities help scaffold learning, keep students engaged, and serve as enrichment opportunities during lessons or downtime.

Each extension includes four interactive components: Puzzler for problem-solving, Maker Space for hands-on STEAM activities, Tech Connection for digital demonstrations, and Word Master for creative writing. With teacher directions, answer keys, and both print and projection versions, these extensions support differentiated, high-level learning. Covering key force and motion topics, they offer a flexible and engaging way to extend student understanding of middle school physics.

Year-Round Resources

These year-round activities will increase your students' understanding of many middle school science topics. All of these activities are also included in the Kesler Science Membership.

Visual Data & Graphing

You're not alone if your students struggle with understanding graphs, charts, and tables. It's a skill that takes an enormous amount of practice. This resource will help students build a strong foundation in analyzing data and creating their own data visualizations.

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Bell Ringers and Warm-Ups

These middle school science bell ringers are an excellent way to engage your students as soon as they walk into your classroom. This comprehensive FULL YEAR resource includes everything you need to start off each science class with an interesting warm-up activity.

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Review Board Games

Each game board has been carefully designed to keep students engaged. There are 10 different action spaces on each board and dozens of question cards. All of the actions are related to science concepts and keep the students motivated throughout the game.

Each game is ready to play. Simply print out the board and the cards and let the students enjoy reviewing nine different units.

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Essential Questions and Standards

Below are the essential questions and standards associated with the lessons and activities included in the atoms unit. This topic is only one of more than 100 middle school science topics included in the Kesler Science Membership.

Essential Questions

What are Newton’s laws of motion?
How can Newton’s three laws of motion act simultaneously within a system?

Standards

TEKS Science - 8.7B Laws of Motion in Systems