Forces and Motion

Overview

In this lesson, students will investigate how a push or pull (a force) can change an object’s movement by stopping, speeding up, slowing down, or turning. The class will use simple test activities, observe what happens, and draw conclusions about which forces create which changes.

Learning intentions

• Students will learn how applying a force can change how an object moves (stopping, speeding up or turning).
• Students will investigate ways to move objects using pushes and pulls.
• Students will explain what changed about an object’s motion after a force was applied.
• Students will use scientific words to describe motion (move, stop, fast, slow, turn).

Success criteria

• I can push or pull an object and tell what happened to its movement.
• I can describe whether the object stopped, sped up, slowed down, or turned.
• I can explain my prediction and my observation using simple sentences.

Curriculum links

• Science — students investigate and use evidence to describe how forces can change the way an object moves (VC2HP2M02 foundation for investigating effectiveness of movement and object manipulation; adapted to force-and-motion tasks).
• Health and Physical Education — investigating different ways of moving body and manipulating objects in space and drawing conclusions about effectiveness.
• Mathematics (supporting understanding of space) — students can follow short directions to move objects to different locations and positions in a space.
• Mathematics (supporting comparison) — students compare objects/events using measurable attributes and communicate reasoning and/ or order using informal comparisons.

Lesson structure (40 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook. Teacher demonstrates three quick trials: a rolling toy that is pushed to stop, a toy that is pushed to go faster, and a toy that is pushed to turn. Students watch and turn-and-talk: “What changed?” Teacher records keywords: stop, faster, turn.

2. 5–10 min · Explicit instruction: what is a force? Teacher explains: “A force is a push or a pull. When we apply a force, an object can change how it moves.” Teacher models how to test one variable at a time: same object, same surface, different push/pull. Students repeat the key sentence stem: “I applied a force, so the object ____.”

3. 10–18 min · Station 1: Stopping force. Teacher sets up a “ramp track” using masking tape for a straight line. Students in pairs push a small cart down the line, then apply a gentle force to stop it at a mark. Teacher action: circulate and prompt with questions. Students task: trial once to predict (“Will it stop?”), then trial to observe and complete a simple recording strip: Stop / Not stop.

4. 18–26 min · Station 2: Speeding up / slowing down. Teacher shows two cups/bottles as “speed markers” (farther = faster). Students push a cart with different force strengths using a consistent starting position. Teacher action: model how to hold the start line and use the same track length. Students task: try three pushes—small, medium, big—and sort observations into Fast / Slow, then share one sentence: “When I pushed harder, it went ____.”

5. 26–33 min · Station 3: Turning force. Teacher demonstrates pushing from the side to make a turn, then shows safe boundaries. Students place cones around a central starting circle. Teacher action: remind them to apply the force from one side and observe direction change. Students task: make the cart go straight once, then apply a side push so it turns toward a chosen cone. Record: Straight / Turned (toward left or right).

6. 33–38 min · Whole-class evidence share (conclusions). Teacher uses a class chart with columns: “Force we applied” (push/pull), “What happened” (stop, speed up, turn), and one example student sentence. Students contribute: one observation and one conclusion. Teacher presses for cause-and-effect language: “Because we applied…, we observed…”

7. 38–40 min · Exit ticket (quick assessment). Teacher gives each student one prompt on a card: “If I apply a force to a moving object, I can make it ______.” Students draw one simple picture (cart + arrow) and write one word: stop, faster, or turn.

Resources

• Small toy carts or cars with smooth wheels
• Masking tape for start lines and track guides
• Cones or markers for turning targets
• Ramp or low incline surface (optional but helpful)
• Coloured paper cards for recording (Stop / Fast / Turn)
• Clipboard or recording sheets (one per student or pair)
• Pencils and thick crayons
• Timer or music cue for station rotations
• Safety boundary tape and clear space on the floor

Assessment

• Teacher observation checklist during stations: students apply a push/pull safely and use at least one correct motion word (stop, fast/slow, turn).
• Formative questioning: “What did you do (force) and what happened (motion)?” during pair work.
• Exit ticket: identify which motion change students predict/observe after applying a force.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters on the board: “I applied a push/pull. The object ____.” and offer visual word banks (stop, fast, slow, turn).
• Support: allow students to choose one focus outcome per station (e.g., Station 1 only stop) if needed.
• Extension: challenge students to compare two pushes (“Which one stopped it sooner? Explain how you know.”) and try a stronger/softer force to make a different outcome.
• EAL/SEN: accept pointing to the correct picture/word for the first trial, then require one short spoken sentence before the drawing/writing exit ticket.