Forces in Children's Games

Curriculum Details

Subject: Science
Year Group: Year 6
UK National Curriculum Area: Physics – Forces
Specific Learning Objective:

• Understand how forces such as push, pull, friction, gravity, and air resistance apply to children's games.
• Create a mind map categorising different games based on the forces they use.

Lesson Duration

Total Time: 60 minutes
Class Size: 20 students

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Identify different types of forces used in playground and indoor games.
• Develop a mind map categorising games based on forces.
• Explain how forces make the games work.

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Resources Needed

• Large sheets of A3 paper for group mind mapping
• Coloured pens and pencils
• Small objects (e.g., marbles, toy cars, a parachute, skipping ropes)
• Interactive whiteboard or printed images of various children’s games

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Lesson Breakdown

Starter Activity (10 minutes) – The Forces Challenge

Objective: Introduce the concept of forces through real-life interaction.

1. Display the following words on the board: Push, Pull, Friction, Gravity, Air Resistance.
2. Give students a skipping rope, a marble, and a toy car (or images of these if physical resources aren’t available).
3. Ask them in pairs to discuss what happens when they use these objects in a game.
4. Invite volunteers to demonstrate how each object moves and discuss what force is being used.

Key Questions:

• What force do you think you’re using here?
• What happens when you roll the marble on carpet versus a table?
• Why does a toy car slow down after a while?

Main Activity (35 minutes) – Create a Mind Map of Games and Forces

Step 1: Brainstorming (10 minutes)

1. Ask students to think about their favourite games (both outdoor and indoor). Examples could be:
   • Skipping (push and gravity)
   • Football (push, friction, air resistance)
   • Tug-of-war (pull and friction)
   • Cycling (push, friction, air resistance)
   • Swinging on a swing (push, gravity, air resistance)
2. Write some game examples on the board under ‘Games that use Forces’.

Step 2: Group Mind Mapping (15 minutes)

1. Divide the class into small groups of 4 students.
2. Provide each group with an A3 sheet and markers.
3. Each group draws a central bubble labelled "Children’s Games and Forces".
4. From this, they draw branches for different forces (push, pull, friction, gravity, air resistance).
5. Under each force, they list games that require that force, adding a brief explanation of how the force works in each game.
6. Encourage creative presentation—students can add small drawings of their games next to the branches.

Step 3: Class Discussion (10 minutes)

1. Each group presents their mind map and explains their reasoning.
2. The teacher provides feedback and encourages deeper thought:
   • Why does a football eventually stop moving?
   • When skipping, which force makes you come back down?
   • How does friction help or hinder in different games?

Plenary (15 minutes) – Forces in Action Game

1. Create a quick "Forces in Action" quiz—ask students to act out different game movements whilst the rest of the class guesses the force being used.
2. Example actions:
   • Pretending to kick a ball (Push)
   • Mimicking skipping (Gravity & Push)
   • Holding an imaginary tug-of-war rope (Pull & Friction)
3. Wrap up by revisiting the question: Why are forces essential for playing games?

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Assessment Opportunities

• Informal assessment through group discussions.
• Checking mind maps for correct categorisation and explanations.
• Observing engagement in the plenary quiz.

Differentiation

• Support: Provide key force definitions on a printed prompt sheet for those needing extra help.
• Challenge: Ask confident students to consider opposing forces (e.g., in cycling, how does friction help or hinder speed?).

Cross-Curricular Links

• PE: Understanding how forces affect physical movement.
• Art: Visual representation of forces using drawings.

Teacher Reflection

• Did students correctly identify forces in games?
• Did they provide accurate explanations in their mind maps?
• Which forces needed more clarification?

🎉 Extension Idea: For homework, students could create a small experiment demonstrating one of the forces in action—e.g., testing how a ball rolls on different surfaces!

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This lesson blends hands-on interaction, creativity, and critical thinking while aligning with UK National Curriculum expectations for Year 6 Science. 🚀