Teaching about forces and motion in 3rd grade can be a fun and interactive unit! The topics lead to many fun hands-on experiments and engaging conversations. However, before jumping in, it’s important that students have a concrete understanding of the basics. These books and videos about forces, motions, and magnets do a great job of helping to build a solid base.
Books about Forces, Motion, & Magnets
The following books do a great job of showing forces, motion, & magnets in action. There’s a mixture of nonfiction and fiction books to meet the needs and interests of all learners!
1. Forces Make Things Move
by Kimberly Bradley
This is my favorite book to use as an introduction to our force and motion unit. It does a wonderful job of introducing the unit’s vocabulary words (pushing, pulling, friction, etc) and diving a bit deeper into the “why”.
There’s even a fun experiment to try at the end of the book!
As an added bonus, it’s also a Level 2 reader which makes it a great addition to your science library after the read-aloud. It’s developmentally appropriate for your students to read during independent reading.
2. Motion at the Amusement Park
by Tammy Enz
Motion at the Amusement Park is a great addition to bring the concepts to life. What 3rd-grader doesn’t love a roller coaster?!
The book explains the science behind all the moving parts of an amusement park! The author has also written a similar book titled Forces at the Amusement Park to explore the forces behind the rides and games.
3. Born to Pull
by Bob Carey
Although Born to Pull doesn’t directly teach about forces and motion, it’s an engaging story to show students examples of forces in the real world.
It can lead to great discussions about how the sled’s motion depends on the force applied by the dogs.
4. Newton and Me
by Lynne Mayer
Newton and Me is a fun story that follows a boy and his dog as they find examples of forces and motion in the real world. It really helps to make these somewhat difficult concepts understandable.
There are even extra supplemental activities (fun facts, a matching game, and a quiz) at the end of the book!
5. Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
by Jenna Winterberg
Balanced and Unbalanced Forces is a favorite informational book of mine due to its high-quality content and photographs.
There are also simple hands-on experiments throughout that make it a top student pick as well! My students are always asking to read this one independently after we finish the lesson!
6. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
This book follows William, a young boy who creates a windmill to help his family farm survive the drought. It’s a heartwarming story about perseverance and ingenuity while applying what your students have learned about energy, forces, and motion.
There’s even a Netflix movie that follows the story if you ever need an educational movie-day idea!
7. Making Music with Magnets
by Kristina Mercedes Urquhart
After your students have a solid understanding of the science behind magnets, this is a fun book to engage the music lovers in your class.
It dives into how magnets are used with electric guitars with a fun STEAM project to try at the end.
See the entire collection of Forces and Motion Books on Amazon
Best Videos about Forces, Motion, & Magnets
There are so many fun videos about forces, motion, & magnets to help make your lessons more engaging. Here are a few of my favorites.
1. NASCAR – Newton’s Laws of Motion Explained
This short 3-minute video dives into Newton’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Laws of Motion with the help of a race car.
Your students will love seeing the race car in action, and you will love the connections students are able to make to the vocabulary words.
2. Swings, Slides, and Science
I enjoy this video as it is something every student can connect to. SciShow Kids does a wonderful job of explaining the forces you can find on a playground.
After this video, you could extend the learning by having students create their own playground with STEM materials, or identifying different forces on your own playground.
3. The Physics Behind Fun Carnival Rides
After reading Motion at the Amusement Park, this video can help bring the topics to life. A reporter visits a carnival to discuss the different forces and motions behind each ride.
Your students will be begging for a field trip to the amusement park after this video!
4. Sled Dogs: More Than Meets the Eye
Another great supplement to the above book, Born to Pull, this video shows the forces and motion of sled dogs. My Arizona students are always amazed at this sport!
5. Five Amazing Tricks with Magnets
After learning about magnets, this is a fun video to really wow your students. Bonus points if you can bring any of these hands-on tricks to your classroom!
Lesson Plans to Teach Forces, Motion, & Magnets
I hope you find this list helpful when teaching about forces, motion, and magnets! If you are looking for more resources, be sure to check out my complete 3rd-grade Forces & Motion science unit. Inside you’ll find a complete 32-day unit with scripted lesson plans, captivating teaching slides, and hands on experiments and STEM activities!
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