Intermediate
40 mins
Teacher/Student led
+75 XP
Teacher-led from the board — pupils need no device

Forces Start, Stop and Turn Things

In this lesson you will learn about pushes and pulls as forces that affect how things move. You will try out different activities to start, stop and turn objects, then record the forces used and the changes they make.

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    1 - Getting Started ~4 mins

    Illustration for Getting StartedLook at this ball resting on the floor. It is not moving. What could we do to make it start? What could we do to make it stop again?

    Share your ideas — hands up.

    2 - Pushes and Pulls Change Motion ~5 mins

    Illustration for Pushes and pulls change motionWatch the ball with me.

    Today's words

    A push moves something away from you. A pull brings something towards you. A force is a push or a pull.

    What will a gentle push do? What will a hand in its path do?

    3 - Forces Play Circuit ~15 mins

    We will visit three stations. At each one, try the move, then say the force and what changed.

    • Station A: start and stop a rolling ball
    • Station B: steer a toy car round a bend
    • Station C: one child gives a gentle push so the trolley rolls away, then a second child gently pulls the handle from behind to slow it
    Key point

    Use this stem: The force was a ___. It made it ___.

    Word bank: push, pull · start, stop, turn, speed up, slow down

    Watch out

    Take turns. Push and pull away from other people and away from toes.

    4 - Record the Force and the Change ~8 mins

    Before we write, let's replay the three stations together.

    Key point

    On your Investigation Journal page, record two stations you tried.

    For each one write or draw: the force and what changed.

    Word bank on the board: push, pull · start, stop, turn, speed up, slow down

    Tip

    Stem: The force was a ___. It made it ___.

    5 - Forces in the Playground and PE ~5 mins

    Think about PE and the playground. Where do we use a push or a pull to start, stop or turn something?

    Share one example with a partner, then we will hear a few as a class.

    Pupil practice · Investigation Journal
    Module 3 · Energy and Forces: Energy, Motion and Sound
    Lesson 18 · Forces Start, Stop and Turn Things
    Download Investigation Journal sheet (PDF)
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