Playground Forces

Overview

This is lesson 1 of 15 in Playground Physics and Design. Students meet the design brief for a safe, inclusive and exciting community playground, investigate pushes, pulls, gravity and balanced or unbalanced forces, then begin an engineering notebook with an initial plan and questions.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify pushes, pulls and gravity in familiar playground situations.
• WALT describe how forces can change an object’s movement.
• WALT use observations and questions to begin solving a design problem.
• WALT explain why playground designs need to be safe and inclusive.

Success criteria

• I can give an example of a push, a pull and gravity.
• I can explain that balanced forces do not change motion, while unbalanced forces can.
• I can draw and label an initial playground idea.
• I can write a useful question to test during the unit.

Curriculum links

• Explore and explain physical phenomena, including how forces affect movement.
• Investigate scientifically by observing, asking questions, predicting and communicating findings.
• Use evidence from simple investigations to explain ideas.
• Apply science learning to a real-world design that supports wellbeing, participation and care for others.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min – Hook: What makes a playground great? Open with the playground design hook. Show a striking image of two contrasting playgrounds: one exciting but difficult to access, and one accessible but with limited challenge. Ask: “How could we design one playground that works well for everyone?” Briefly introduce the local-community design brief and explain that students will work as playground engineers.

2. 5–10 min – Introduce the design brief and constraints Present the brief on the design brief and constraints slides: design a safe, inclusive and exciting playground for a local community. Agree child-friendly constraints: it must fit in the available space, use sensible materials, include different ways to play, and reduce hazards such as sharp edges, falls and collisions. Explain that engineers test ideas, learn from evidence and improve designs.

3. 10–23 min – Force investigation rotations In groups of four or five, students rotate through three quick investigations using toy cars, balls, ramps and simple playground models. At each station, students first predict, then observe and discuss:

• Push or pull: move a car or ball and identify the force.
• Ramp and gravity: compare a car rolling down, along and up a ramp.
• Balanced or unbalanced: gently push a car or ball, then observe what happens when it is still or moving.

Students record words or sketches on the engineering notebook investigation page. Emphasise that gravity is a pull towards Earth. Avoid suggesting that an object must be moving for a force to act; discuss a book or model resting on a surface as an example of forces being balanced.

4. 23–30 min – Share and build explanations Bring the class together and use the force vocabulary and discussion slides. Invite groups to share one observation and one question. Co-construct simple explanations: a push or pull is a force; gravity pulls objects towards Earth; balanced forces result in no change in motion; unbalanced forces can start, stop, speed up, slow down or change direction. Use the Forces Arrow Diagram Cards as optional visual prompts: the Forces Arrow Diagram Cards.

5. 30–41 min – First playground plan Students complete the design section of the engineering notebook planning page independently, then explain their idea to a partner. Their sketch should include at least three playground features, one safety feature and one inclusive feature. They label one likely push, pull or gravity example, such as pushing a swing, pulling a rope or gravity acting on a slide. Students add two questions they want to test in later lessons, for example: “Which ramp is safest?” or “How can people move around without bumping?”

6. 41–45 min – Plenary and next steps Return to the review and exit discussion slides. Ask students to complete the sentence: “One force I noticed was…”, and “One design question I have is…”. Select several responses to share. Collect notebooks or photograph pages so plans can be revisited and improved in lesson 2.

Resources

• the Playground Physics and Design slide deck
• the engineering notebook and first-plan worksheet
• Toy cars, balls and small playground models
• Ramps made from cardboard, books or blocks
• Masking tape and cones to mark safe working areas
• Rulers or metre rulers for comparing ramp lengths or heights
• Pencils, coloured pencils and clipboards
• the Forces Arrow Diagram Cards
• Safety goggles where appropriate; check equipment before use

Assessment

• Listen for accurate use of push, pull, gravity, balanced and unbalanced forces during group discussion.
• Observe whether students make a prediction, describe an observation and connect it to movement.
• Review notebook sketches and questions for evidence of a safe, inclusive design and a testable next step.

Differentiation

• Provide picture prompts, sentence starters and a force word bank: “I pushed…”, “Gravity made…”, “The object changed because…”.
• Pair students strategically and assign roles such as equipment manager, tester, recorder and reporter.
• Offer pre-drawn playground shapes or allow oral recording, labelled diagrams or teacher scribing for students needing writing support.
• Extend confident students by asking them to identify two forces acting at once and explain how a design could make movement safer or more accessible.
• Support English language learners by demonstrating each force physically, using gestures and revisiting vocabulary throughout the lesson.