Speed, Velocity, & Acceleration Complete Lesson Plan - MS

Everything you need for an engaging, ready-to-teach unit on speed, velocity, and acceleration is included in this resource! Students will learn how to calculate average speed and explain the differences between speed, velocity, and acceleration through investigations, guided practice, and student-led activities. With editable presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, and assessments, this multiday lesson is comprehensive yet low-prep.

Through differentiated, student-led learning, your middle schoolers stay engaged while you focus on their success.

Essential Questions

• How do you calculate average speed?

• What is the difference between speed, velocity, and acceleration?

Texas Teachers: This lesson aligns with the 2017 TEKS (not updated for the 2021 TEKS).

Why Teachers Love This Lesson

• Differentiated materials to support learners at all levels

• Multimodal learning to keep students interested

• Flexible format—works digitally or in print

• Editable PowerPoints to customize for your classroom

• Spanish translations for vocabulary, reading passages, and interactive notebook pages

This lesson is based on the research-based 5E Instructional Model (Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, Evaluation), providing a structured and effective approach to learning.

What’s Included

Engagement

• Lesson objectives and Word Wall Cards (English & Spanish)

• Teacher guide with discussion prompts, activities, and common misconceptions

Exploration – Student-Led Station Lab
Nine differentiated stations introduce average speed, velocity, and acceleration through multiple learning styles:

Input Stations (absorb content)

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or experiment

• Read It! – Differentiated passages (English & Spanish) + comprehension questions

• Research It! – Online task with guided responses

• Watch It! – Short video with student lab sheet prompts

Output Stations (show understanding)

• Organize It! – Printable or digital card sorts

• Write It! – Open-ended short-answer responses

• Illustrate It! – Sketches/diagrams to reinforce recall

• Assess It! – Task cards + vocabulary-in-context activity

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Fun enrichment activities for early finishers, including games, crosswords, and mini-projects

Explanation

• Editable PowerPoints (standard & interactive)

• Interactive notebook templates (digital & print, English & Spanish)

• Guided note-taking templates

Elaboration

• Student-choice projects on speed, velocity, and acceleration for in-class or at-home extension

Evaluation

• STAAR 2.0–style assessments (standard & modified versions)

• Review worksheet for practice, homework, or test prep

Flexible for Any Classroom

This resource is designed for both in-person and virtual instruction. Station labs, interactive notebooks, and presentations are fully compatible with Google Slides and PowerPoint.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with formatting or corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.