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January 28, 2026

Third Graders Put Force and Motion to the Test

Third graders at South Bay Elementary School explored the concept of force during a recent hands-on science experiment. Working in small groups, students were given a toy car, a cardboard ramp and several books to investigate how ramp height affects motion.
Students first made predictions about how changing the height of the ramp would impact the distance the car traveled. They then tested their ideas by placing the car on the ramp, measuring how far it moved and recording their results. After adding more books to increase the ramp’s height, students repeated the experiment and compared the two distances.


To extend their learning, third graders also explored the role of friction. They rolled the toy cars across different surfaces, including carpet, cardboard and cotton fabric, to observe how each surface affected the car’s movement. The experiment encouraged critical thinking, teamwork and problem solving while helping students better understand the real-world concepts of force, motion and friction.
Two students work together on a project in a classroom setting.Two students kneel on the floor in a classroom, smiling at the camera.A group of students collaborate on a project on the floor.Two students smile while working on a project in a classroom.Two children work together, focused on a small object on a wooden plank.Two young girls smile at the camera in a classroom setting.