Pēhanga me te Tō

Overview

Students investigate how a pēhanga (push) or tō (pull) can make objects move, stop, change direction or change speed. Through safe, playful testing with toy cars, balls and classroom objects, they observe and describe what happens, building early scientific language and fair-testing habits.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify pushes and pulls as forces.
• WALT observe and describe how a push or pull changes movement.
• WALT use simple bilingual science vocabulary: pēhanga – push, tō – pull, neke – move, tū – stop, tere – fast, pōturi – slow.
• WALT work safely and cooperatively while investigating.

Success criteria

• I can show and name a pēhanga and a tō.
• I can describe what happened to an object after a push or pull.
• I can use words such as neke, tū, tere and pōturi.
• I can take turns, handle equipment safely and listen to my group.

Curriculum links

• Ō Ahupūngao – Forces and Motion: investigating how pushes and pulls affect the movement of familiar objects.
• Te Marautanga o Aotearoa: learning through observing, questioning, predicting, testing and communicating findings.
• Ngā Marau: connecting science learning with te reo Māori, collaborative learning and respectful participation.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and prior knowledge. Display a picture of a child pushing a swing and ask, “He aha te pēhanga? What is a push?” Open with the movement hook and vocabulary slides. Students act out a gentle push and pull with their hands, then share examples from home or school. Establish that a force is a push or pull that can affect movement.

2. 5–10 min · Model and safety. Demonstrate pushing a toy car, pulling it with a short piece of string, and gently rolling a ball. Introduce the vocabulary with actions: pēhanga – push, tō – pull, neke – move, tū – stop, tere – fast, pōturi – slow. Students repeat the words and actions. Explain tikanga and safety: care for people and taonga, use gentle controlled movements, keep objects on the floor or table, point cars and balls away from faces, and stop immediately on the teacher’s signal.

3. 10–22 min · Investigation one: toy cars. Place students in five groups of five, with one car and a clear floor lane per group. Show the instructions on the car investigation instructions and distribute the pushes and pulls recording sheet. Students take turns as pusher, observer, recorder and equipment monitor. They test a gentle push and a stronger push, then compare: Which car moved tere? Which moved pōturi? They draw or write what they observed.

4. 22–32 min · Investigation two: balls and objects. Groups test a soft ball and two safe classroom objects, such as a pencil case and empty container. Students try a push and a pull where appropriate, predicting first whether the object will move, stop or change direction. They record one example of a pēhanga and one example of a tō on the observation table. Encourage precise observations rather than competition. Pause halfway for a quick whole-class check: students show thumbs up if the object moved and hands still if it did not.

5. 32–39 min · Share and explain. Bring students together with equipment safely put away. Revisit the discussion and sorting slides. Invite groups to demonstrate one movement and say a sentence such as, “The pēhanga made the car neke,” or “The tō changed the direction.” Sort oral examples into push and pull. Ask: “What changed when the push was stronger?” and “Can a pull make something move towards us?”

6. 39–45 min · Plenary and assessment. Students complete the final picture-and-sentence prompt on the reflection and exit prompt: draw one push or pull and finish, “I saw the object…” Collect sheets as students leave. Finish with a calm kati signal and acknowledge groups that showed manaakitanga, careful handling and fair turn-taking.

Resources

• Toy cars, one per group
• Soft balls, one per group
• String or short ribbons for pulling cars and objects
• Safe classroom objects, such as pencil cases and empty containers
• Floor lanes marked with tape
• bilingual introduction, modelling, instructions, discussion and plenary deck
• pushes, pulls and movement recording sheet
• Teacher signal, such as a bell or hand signal
• Open floor or table space cleared of hazards

Assessment

• Listen for students correctly identifying pēhanga and tō during modelling and group talk.
• Observe whether students can predict, test and describe a change in movement using neke, tū, tere or pōturi.
• Use the worksheet drawings, observations and exit prompt to identify students who can connect a push or pull with an outcome.

Differentiation

• Support learners with picture cues, gesture-based vocabulary, sentence frames such as “The ___ pushed/pulled the ___” and adult or peer scribing.
• Pair students strategically and assign clear roles; allow oral responses, drawing or pointing instead of extended writing.
• For students needing sensory or physical support, use larger soft balls, shorter testing distances and a quieter observation role.
• Extend confident learners by asking them to compare gentle and strong pushes, explain a change in direction, or design a fair test by changing only one factor.
• Use inclusive, respectful grouping and pronounce Māori vocabulary carefully; invite students to share relevant local or whānau examples without requiring personal disclosure.