Changing Direction of Movement with Forces

Active learning works well for this topic because young students learn best by seeing forces in action. Handling objects, testing predictions, and discussing observations helps them connect abstract ideas like gravity and air resistance to their own experiences.

• Year 1
• Science
• 3 activities
• 20 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Identify how a push or pull changes an object's direction of movement.
2. Compare the paths (straight, curved, zigzag) objects take when acted upon by different forces.
3. Design a simple game that requires changing the direction of a moving object using pushes or pulls.
4. Explain how hitting a ball changes its direction and speed.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Inquiry Circle: The Great Drop

Students gather a variety of safe objects (a feather, a ball, a flat paper, a crumpled paper). They drop them from the same height in pairs and record which ones fall fast and which fall slow, discussing why.

Prepare & details

Analyze how hitting a ball changes its direction.

Facilitation Tip: During Collaborative Investigation: The Great Drop, circulate and ask each group to predict which ball will hit the ground first before they drop them, then circle back to discuss why their predictions matched or didn’t.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Simulation Game

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Simulation Game: Parachute Designers

Small groups attach a 'passenger' (a plastic figure) to different materials (napkin, plastic bag, fabric) with string. They drop them to see which material creates the most 'air catch' to slow down the fall of gravity.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between a straight path and a curved path of movement.

Facilitation Tip: During Simulation: Parachute Designers, remind students to test one variable at a time, such as changing only the size of the parachute while keeping the weight the same.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 20 min·Whole Class

Think-Pair-Share: The Upside Down World

Show a globe and ask students why people on the 'bottom' (like in Australia!) don't fall off into space. Discuss the idea of gravity pulling everything toward the center of the Earth, then share ideas as a class.

Prepare & details

Design a game that requires changing the direction of an object.

Facilitation Tip: During Think-Pair-Share: The Upside Down World, first have students quietly sketch their ideas before pairing up to share, which gives quieter students time to process.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should start with hands-on exploration before introducing vocabulary. Avoid overwhelming students with too many new terms at once. Instead, name the forces as they come up during activities, such as saying, ‘The air is pushing up on the parachute, which is air resistance.’ Research shows that linking new ideas to familiar experiences, like jumping or dropping toys, strengthens understanding.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students using force vocabulary to explain what they see. They should predict outcomes, test ideas, and adjust their thinking based on evidence from the activities. By the end, they should confidently describe how pushes and pulls change direction.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Collaborative Investigation: The Great Drop, watch for students who insist heavy objects fall faster.

What to Teach Instead

Have them drop the golf ball and ping pong ball at the same time and observe. Ask, ‘Which one hit first? What does that tell us about gravity and weight?’

Common Misconception

During Simulation: Parachute Designers, watch for students who think gravity disappears in space.

What to Teach Instead

Show a short clip of astronauts on the moon and ask, ‘Do they float away or stay close to the ground? What does that tell us about gravity?’

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After Collaborative Investigation: The Great Drop, provide students with toy cars and ramps. Ask them to push the car down the ramp and then use a second push to change its direction. Observe which students can successfully redirect the car.

Discussion Prompt

After Think-Pair-Share: The Upside Down World, show a short video clip of a bowling game. Ask students to point out the pushes and pulls they see and describe how the ball’s direction changed.

Exit Ticket

After Simulation: Parachute Designers, give each student a piece of paper and ask them to draw two pictures: one showing a push changing an object’s direction, and another showing a pull changing an object’s direction. They should label each drawing with ‘push’ or ‘pull.’

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to design a parachute that makes an object fall as slowly as possible, then compare their designs with peers.
• Scaffolding: Provide pre-cut materials and a simple template for students who struggle with fine motor skills during parachute construction.
• Deeper exploration: Show students a slow-motion video of a falling leaf or feather and ask them to describe the forces acting on it in detail.

Key Vocabulary

Force	A push or a pull that can make an object move, stop, or change direction.
Push	A force that moves something away from you.
Pull	A force that moves something toward you.
Direction	The path an object takes as it moves from one place to another.
Path	The line or route that something follows when it moves.