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Force and Motion: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It


By: William C. Robertson, Ph.D.
$19.96 - Member Price  
$24.95 - Nonmember Price

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$25.95 - Member Price  
$32.44 - Nonmember Price
$16.22 - Member Price  
$18.71 - Nonmember Price
Details

Type of Product:NSTA Press Book (also see downloadable PDF version of this book)
Average Rating:
 based on 7 reviews
Publication Title:Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It Series
Publication Date:1/1/2002
Pages:100
Stock Number:PB169X1
ISBN:978-0-87355-209-7
Grade Level:Elementary School, Middle School
Read Inside:Read a sample chapter: Newton's First One
NSTA Recommends
Our reviewers—top-flight teachers and other outstanding science educators—have determined that this resource is among the best available supplements for science teaching.
[Read the full review]


Description

Intimidated by inertia? Frightened by forces? Mystified by Newton’s law of motion? You’re not alone—and help is at hand. The stop Faking It! Series is perfect for science teachers, home-schoolers, parents wanting to help with homework—all of you who need a jargon-free way to learn the background for teaching middle school physical science with confidence. With Bill Roberton as your friendly, able—but somewhat irreverent—guide, you will discover you CAN come to grips with the basics of force and motion. Combining easy-to-understand explanations with activities using commonly found equipment, this book will lead you through Newton’s laws to the physics of space travel. The book is as entertaining as it is informative. Best of all, the author understands the needs of adults who want concrete examples, hands-on activities, clear language, diagrams—and yes, a certain amount of empathy.


Ideas For Use

Newton's laws, and all of the other motion principles presented in this book, do a good job of helping us to understand, explain, and predict the world around us. We can use them to get to the Moon, design roller coasters, and develop safety regulations for cars. However, there are situations in this book where all the motion stuff is just plain wrong-- as a result of Albert Einsteins' corrections to the law of motion--which will be addressed in another Stop Faking It! book.

Additional Info

Science Discipline: (mouse over for full classification)
Acceleration
Friction
Gravity
Inertia
Mass
Newton’s laws of motion
Speed
Vectors
Velocity
Experimenting
Using mathematics
Intended User Role:Curriculum Supervisor, Elementary-Level Educator, Middle-Level Educator, Parent, Professional Development Provider, Teacher
Educational Issues:Classroom management, Curriculum, Informal education, Inquiry learning, Instructional materials, Professional development, Teacher content knowledge, Teacher preparation

Contents

•Preface •SciLinks •Chapter 1: Newton’s First One •Chapter 2: In Which We Describe Motion and Then Change It •Chapter 3: Newton’s Second One •Chapter 4: There’s No Such Thing as Gravity— The Earth Sucks •Chapter 5: Newton’s Third •Chapter 6: Round and Round and Round In the Circle Game •Chapter 7: To the Moon, Alice! •Glossary •Index


This Title Also Available as Part of a Set:
Set: Stop Faking It! Series, Set of 9 Books
Intimidated by inertia? Exasperated by electricity? Panicked over the periodic table? The best-selling Stop Faking It! series comes to your rescue. Author Bill Robertson has been helping teachers develop a deeper understanding of scientific principles for years. He uses fun examples, easy-to-understand language, and accurate explanations to teach in a stress-free way. This 9-book set includes all the books in the series.
Member Price: $161.56 Nonmember Price: $201.90
Set: Companion Classroom Activities & Stop Faking it! Force and Motion Set
Buy both Companion Classroom Activities & Stop Faking it! Force and Motion books together and save!
Member Price: $34.26 Nonmember Price: $44.95

Book Series
View other books in the Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It Series.
Energy: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It
Light: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It
Sound: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It
Electricity and Magnetism: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It
Air, Water, and Weather: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It
Math: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It
Chemistry Basics: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach it
More Chemistry Basics: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It
Companion Classroom Activities for Stop Faking It! Force and Motion

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National Standards Correlation

This resource has 17 correlations with the National Standards.  
[VIEW CORRELATIONS]

This resource has 17 correlations with the National Standards.  
[HIDE CORRELATIONS]

  • Physical Science
    • Position and motion of objects
      • An object's motion can be described by tracing and measuring its position over time. (velocity) (K-4)
      • The position and motion of objects can be changed by pushing or pulling. (K-4)
    • Motion and Forces
      • Objects change their motion only when a net force is applied. Laws of motion are used to calculate precisely the effects of forces on the motion of objects. (9-12)
      • The magnitude of the change in motion can be calculated using the relationship F = ma, which is independent of the nature of the force. (9-12)
      • Whenever one object exerts force on another, a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction is exerted on the first object. (9-12)
      • Gravitation is a universal force that each mass exerts on any other mass. (9-12)
      • The strength of the gravitational attractive force between two masses is proportional to the masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. (9-12)
      • The strength of the force is proportional to the charges and, as with gravitation, inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. (9-12)
      • Unbalanced forces will cause changes in the speed or direction of an object's motion. (Acceleration) (5-8)
      • The motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion, and speed. (5-8)
      • Motion can be measured and represented on a graph.
      • An object that is not being subjected to a force will continue to move at a constant speed and in a straight line. (inertia) (5-8)
      • If more than one force acts on an object along a straight line, then the forces will reinforce or cancel one another, depending on their direction and magnitude. (5-8)
  • Science as Inquiry
    • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
      • Use data to construct a reasonable explanation.
      • Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
    • Understandings about scientific inquiry
      • Types of investigations include describing objects, events, and organisms; classifying them; and doing a fair test (experimenting).
  • Process Standards for Professional Development
    • Learning
      • Build on the teacher's current science understanding, ability, and attitudes. (NSES)


Customer Reviews
If I only knew then, what I know now.
  Reviewed by: Heather S (, ) on June 20, 2009
  This past school year, I was asked to teach my fifth graders a science unit on Motion and Design. Having very little physical science content knowledge, I was uncomfortable answering any questions throughout the unit. I just wish I would have known about this book before. This book is written in an easy-to-understand and often humorous manner. Each chapter contains a simple experiment with household items followed by a straightforward explanation of the science concepts behind the experiment. Thanks to this quick read, I have a greater understanding and more confidence in my ability to teach Newton's Laws of Motion.

Teach Force and Motion with Humor
  Reviewed by: Karen McCollister (McKinney, TX) on July 15, 2008
  If you are seeking a book to build background knowledge and conceptual understanding of force and motion, look no further. William C. Robertson covers all the bases, including simple object lessons, with delightful humor. You will be thrilled with this book, and your students will really understand and not need to "fake it" at all!

Using it for homeschooling
  Reviewed by: Janet C (, ) on July 15, 2008
  This is the second time I've purchased books from this series. I've found them to be thoughtful and informative, though the author becomes condescending every time he puts an equation in the text. (I was a math major, so I don't need to be addressed like a math phobic.) This book provides an overview of Newton's three laws, along with some demonstrations and thought exercises that can be used as ideas for classroom demonstrations or homework. There is a "less is more" attitude going on here - he does a few things well in each book rather than a lot of things in less detail. The Energy book is necessary if you want to go on to apply the concept of force to situations such as simple machines.

Force and motion
  Reviewed by: Daniela Thornton (Colbert, WA) on November 6, 2007
  I enjoyed the author's humorous way of presenting something so serious. It is inquiry build (except the given answers). I used the activities presented by the author to give as many opportunities as possible to my students for building an operational definition for force or motion...In addition, this book gave me something we rarely do in the classroom...apply the concepts of force and motion outside of the classroom...Awesome book

Force & Motion: Stop Faking It! Finally Understan
  Reviewed by: Mary D (Davie, FL) on November 1, 2007
  Excellent source for step by step understanding of Force and Motion. Perfect for teachers at any stage in their career.

Helpful Resource
  Reviewed by: David Blair (Creston, IA) on November 1, 2007
  The book provides some fundamental background for those lacking content knowledge in the area, but really needs some supplemental material to help it along. Esp if using in a class.

Wonderful Classroom Resource
  Reviewed by: Louise (Brashear, MO) on October 31, 2007
  This book gives me the background information I need to feel successful teaching my students. It is easy to read and understand. Lots of classroom applications.

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