Balanced, or Not is a free printable Grade 3 science worksheet on evidence of balanced and unbalanced forces on motion, aligned to NGSS performance expectation 3-PS2-1. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
1.What do balanced forces do to an object's motion?
A.Leave it unchanged
B.Always speed it up
C.Always stop it
2.A box is pulled 6 units left and 4 units right. What happens?
A.It moves right
B.It moves left, because the forces are unbalanced
C.It stays still
3.Two teams pull a rope equally hard. What happens?
A.The rope does not move, because the forces are balanced
B.The rope breaks
C.The rope speeds up
4.What has to be kept the same when testing pulls on a box?
A.The same box, floor and scales
B.The size of both pulls
C.Nothing, so it is interesting
5.A sled is pushed 5 units and friction pushes back 5 units. What happens?
A.It stops at once
B.The sled keeps moving at the same speed
C.It speeds up
6.A ball rolls along and slows to a stop. What does that show?
A.An unbalanced force acted against its motion
B.Forces were balanced
C.It ran out of motion
7.A book rests on a table and does not move. What does that tell you?
A.Gravity has stopped
B.The forces on it are balanced
C.No forces act on it
8.How would you make a still box start moving?
A.Make the forces on it unbalanced
B.Remove all forces
C.Balance the forces
LessonPrint · 3-PS2-1 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Balanced, or Not
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.Leave it unchanged
2.It moves left, because the forces are unbalanced
3.The rope does not move, because the forces are balanced
4.The same box, floor and scales
5.The sled keeps moving at the same speed
6.An unbalanced force acted against its motion
7.The forces on it are balanced
8.Make the forces on it unbalanced
Questions about Balanced, or Not
What does the Balanced, or Not worksheet cover?
It practices evidence of balanced and unbalanced forces on motion — 8 questions for Grade 3, all on NGSS 3-PS2-1: Show what balanced and unbalanced forces do to how something moves. The instruction to students is “Circle the best answer”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which NGSS performance expectation does Balanced, or Not practice?
3-PS2-1, under Physical Science for Grade 3. The published performance expectation reads: “Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.” The worksheet assesses that performance expectation rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
Balanced, or Not is written for Grade 3, typically ages 8-9. It is one of the sheets on 3-PS2-1, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does Balanced, or Not come with an answer key?
Yes. All 8 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of Balanced, or Not can I print?
25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is Balanced, or Not free to print and photocopy?
Yes. Balanced, or Not, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
Is there a lesson plan to teach 3-PS2-1?
Yes — “Balanced, or Not” is a 55-minute Grade 3 plan for 3-PS2-1, timed section by section, with the misconceptions to expect and an exit ticket. Balanced, or Not is the practice that follows it.
More practice for 3-PS2-1
Show what balanced and unbalanced forces do to how something moves.
Teaching this next? Balanced, or Not is the 55-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.