Investigating Air Resistance

Overview

In this 50-minute session, 6th grade students will explore the concept of air resistance by conducting hands-on experiments. Through observation and data collection, students will discover how air resistance affects the motion of falling objects and clearly differentiate its effects from gravity alone. This lesson aligns with Common Core standards focusing on integrating science understanding with data analysis, critical thinking, and collaboration.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Describe air resistance and how it affects falling objects compared to a scenario without air resistance.
• Collect, record, and analyze data from experiments involving objects falling with varying surface areas.
• Apply Newton’s laws, particularly the concept of forces and motion, to explain observed phenomena.
• Collaborate effectively during scientific investigations and communicate results clearly.

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Standards Alignment

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Integration

(Common Core works in partnership with NGSS for science standards)

• MS-PS2-2: Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.
• MS-ETS1-3: Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution.

Common Core State Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question (students research air resistance concepts briefly before the experiment).

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Materials Needed

• Stopwatch or timer
• Large sheets of paper (for parachutes)
• Objects with different shapes and masses (e.g., small balls, paper clips, crumpled vs. flat paper)
• Data recording sheets (one per pair)
• Meter sticks or measuring tape for drop height consistency
• Clipboards and pencils
• Safety goggles (optional but encouraged for safety habits)

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Class Structure and Timing

Time	Activity	Description
0-5 minutes	Engage: Introduction to Air Resistance	Begin with a brief interactive discussion asking: "What do you think happens when objects fall? Does everything fall the same way?" Introduce air resistance and relate it to familiar examples, like parachutes or leaves falling. Use simple visuals or short video clips if available.
5-15 minutes	Explore: Formulating Hypothesis & Planning	In pairs, students brainstorm and write hypotheses about how air resistance will affect the fall of objects with different shapes and sizes. Discuss experimental plan: dropping objects with and without added surface area (e.g., paper vs. crumpled paper). Review safety and procedure step-by-step, referencing CCSS standard RST.6-8.3.
15-35 minutes	Experiment: Collecting Data	Conduct the experiment outdoors or in a spacious area. One partner drops the object while the other uses the stopwatch and records the time taken to hit the ground. Each team tests both object types (with large surface area and without). Emphasize consistent drop height using meter sticks. Rotate roles.
35-45 minutes	Explain: Data Analysis and Discussion	Regroup as a class and compile data on the board or projector. Lead students through analysis comparing fall times between different objects. Discuss: Why did the object with larger surface area fall more slowly? How does air resistance act as a force opposing gravity? Use Newton’s Laws vocabulary.
45-50 minutes	Elaborate & Evaluate: Reflection and Exit Ticket	Students write a short paragraph (exit ticket) answering: “How does air resistance affect falling objects, and why does shape matter?” Collect exit tickets to assess understanding. Preview next lesson’s focus on further forces in motion.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Provide sentence starters or word banks for ELL and students with writing challenges during hypothesis and exit ticket.
• Offer extended challenge: Predict and test what happens when air resistance is changed using homemade parachutes of various sizes and shapes (extra credit or advanced enrichment).
• Pair students strategically for peer support in data collection and analysis.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation during experiment and class discussion participation.
• Exit ticket writing assesses individual understanding of air resistance concepts.
• Review data sheets for accuracy and completeness in recording experiment results.

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Teacher Tips to Wow Your Class

• Use a simple real-world demonstration: drop a cellphone case and the phone itself or show a leaf falling beside a stone to visualize air resistance.
• Incorporate quick digital tools if available: Use a smartphone timer app or video slow-motion to deepen engagement during timing.
• Highlight the connection between today’s lesson and everyday life, e.g., explain how athletes wear streamlined suits to reduce air resistance in sports.
• Encourage students to think like scientists by asking them to “design the perfect parachute” after the experiment as a preview for Lesson 19.

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This lesson fosters hands-on inquiry and ties directly into the Common Core emphasis on procedural literacy, collaborative investigation, and scientific explanation, preparing students for higher-level science practices.