Creative Force Builds

Year Level

Year 1 (Victoria)

Duration

60 minutes

Curriculum Alignment

Victorian Curriculum - Science, Physical Sciences strand

• Content Descriptor: AC9S1U03 Students describe pushes and pulls in terms of strength and direction and predict the effect of these forces on objects’ motion and shape.

• Science Inquiry Skills:

• AC9S1I02: Suggest and follow safe procedures to investigate questions and test predictions.

• AC9S1I03: Make and record observations, including informal measurements.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Explain that pushes and pulls can affect how objects move and change shape.
2. Identify examples of pushing and pulling forces in everyday objects.
3. Design and build a simple creation using craft materials that demonstrates the effect of pushes and pulls.
4. Collaborate creatively with peers to problem-solve structural and movement challenges in their designs.
5. Reflect on how different forces were applied and describe how their creation moves or changes.

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Materials Required (per group of 4 students)

• Cardboard sheets and scraps
• Bottle top lids (various colours)
• Coloured paper
• Sticky tape and masking tape
• String or yarn
• Aluminium foil
• Marbles or small balls
• Safety scissors
• Markers or crayons

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction to Pushes and Pulls (10 minutes)

• Engage students by discussing examples of pushes and pulls they see or use: opening doors, pushing a swing, pulling a toy.
• Briefly demonstrate pushing and pulling with objects such as a toy car or ball.
• Explain how pushes and pulls can make objects start moving, stop moving, change direction, or change shape.
• Reference the Victorian Curriculum by highlighting how this links to the Physical Sciences strand and investigating forces in everyday life.

2. Group Creativity Briefing (5 minutes)

• Introduce the creative STEM challenge: "Design and build a creation using the materials provided that moves or changes because of a push or a pull."
• Emphasise there is no single correct answer — creativity and teamwork are encouraged.
• Discuss safety rules when using scissors and materials.

3. Design and Build (30 minutes)

• Students in groups of 4 begin their design brainstorming.
• Teachers circulate, asking guiding questions such as: "How will you make your creation move?", "What part will you push or pull?", "Can you use the bottle lids as wheels or sliders?"
• Encourage experimentation with marbles for rolling motion, string for pulling mechanisms, and foil for structural elements.
• Students construct their creations, applying understanding of how pushes and pulls affect motion.

4. Sharing and Reflecting (10 minutes)

• Each group briefly demonstrates their creation, explaining:
• How the push or pull works in their design.
• What happens to their creation when force is applied.
• What they found easy or challenging.
• Group discussion: What did you learn about pushes and pulls? How did the materials help?

5. Clean-Up and Conclusion (5 minutes)

• Students pack away materials safely.
• Recap key ideas: pushes and pulls affect motion and shape; science is about experimenting and creating.
• Encourage students to observe pushes and pulls in their daily lives at home and play.

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Assessment & Evidence of Learning

• Observation: Teacher notes student participation, collaboration, and understanding during design/build and reflection.
• Student explanation: Each student contributes to explaining how their creation uses pushes or pulls.
• Creative product: The physical creation demonstrates application of push/pull concepts in motion or shape change.
• Science skills: Students practice posing questions ("What will happen if I push harder?"), making predictions, and following safe procedures.

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Differentiation

• Provide additional support for students needing help with fine motor skills (e.g., pre-cut materials).
• Challenge advanced students to include more than one push or pull mechanism in their creation.
• Use peer support and pair programming to scaffold learning and communication skills.

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Teacher Notes

This lesson promotes inquiry-based learning and caters to the Victorian Curriculum's emphasis on hands-on investigations, creativity, and understanding physical forces in a tangible context. It provides students the opportunity to connect scientific concepts with real-world phenomena and their own creative ideas, laying foundations for STEM skills and collaborative problem solving.

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By integrating science content with an open-ended design challenge, this plan aims to excite young learners about forces while fostering creativity and teamwork, essential skills for lifelong learning. It directly follows the Victorian Curriculum standards for Year 1 science — specifically learning to describe pushes and pulls and experimenting with their effects in various contexts.