Science and Forces

Lesson Plan Overview

Subject: Science
Year Group: Year 2
Unit: Cambridge Primary Science Stage 3 – Unit 5 (Forces and Motion)
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 25 students
Curriculum Area: UK National Curriculum – Key Stage 1 Science
Topic: Exploring Pushes and Pulls

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Learning Objectives

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

• Recognise and describe the differences between pushing and pulling forces.
• Identify real-life examples of pushes and pulls in everyday life.
• Conduct a hands-on investigation on forces by exploring how objects move.

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Lesson Structure

Starter Activity (10 minutes) – Think, Pair, Share

1. Engage the class with an interactive PowerPoint slide introducing the key question: "How do things move?"
2. Show a series of images (child on a swing, door opening, toy car rolling) and ask students to predict how each object moves.
3. Pair Discussion: Students talk with a partner and decide whether each action is a push or a pull.
4. Class Discussion: Volunteers share their responses, and the teacher reinforces the concepts.

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Main Activity (40 minutes)

Exploring Forces (10 minutes) – Teacher-led Demonstration

1. Use a set of objects (toy car, ball, chair, and door) to model each force.
2. Demonstrate pushing an object and pulling an object, asking students to describe what they observe.
3. Introduce key vocabulary: force, push, pull, movement, direction.
4. Display PowerPoint slides explaining how forces can start, stop, or change the direction of movement.

Hands-on Experiment (20 minutes) – Small Group Investigation

1. Materials: Each group of 5 students gets a toy car, ramp, string, and a soft object (e.g., sponge).
2. Investigation:
   • Students explore how pushing the car makes it move faster.
   • They use the string to pull it back.
   • Introduce a soft object in its path to observe changes in motion.
3. Discussion: Students record their observations in a simple results table.

Applying Knowledge (10 minutes) – Group Challenge

1. Each group acts out an action involving a push or pull (e.g., kicking a ball, opening a drawer).
2. The rest of the class guesses whether it is a push or pull.
3. Teacher consolidates learning by revisiting key concepts.

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Plenary (10 minutes) – Quick Quiz

1. PowerPoint Slide Review: A recap of the lesson with key terms.
2. Class Quiz:
   • True or False: Pulling always makes something move backwards.
   • What force do you use when closing a book?
3. Exit Ticket: Students draw one object they can push and one they can pull.

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Differentiation Strategies

Support:

• Provide picture cards of push/pull actions for EAL or lower-ability students.
• Use simple sentence starters when discussing forces.

Challenge:

• Encourage higher-ability students to explain how forces can change direction.
• Ask: What happens if you push harder? or Can you think of an example where both push and pull forces are used?

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Resources Needed

• PowerPoint slides
• Toy cars, ramps, strings, sponge
• Picture cards (push/pull actions)
• Whiteboards for student answers

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Assessment Strategies

✔ Observation – During practical activities, check if students correctly demonstrate pushes and pulls.
✔ Discussion – Listen to explanations and reasoning during group activities.
✔ Quiz & Exit Tickets – Assess understanding of key vocabulary and concepts.

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Teacher Notes & Next Steps

🔹 Ensure students have space to safely conduct experiments.
🔹 Link to real-world examples – how do we use forces when riding bikes or playing games?
🔹 Next lesson: Investigating how different surfaces affect movement.

This engaging, hands-on approach will keep students curious and active while deepening their understanding of forces! 🚀