Science · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Observing Different Types of Movement

Active learning works for this topic because students must physically interact with objects to see how shape affects movement. Watching living things move also connects abstract concepts to real-world examples they observe every day.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9S1U04

• 15–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: The Motion Lab

Set up four stations: 1. Ramps for rolling/sliding, 2. Balls for bouncing, 3. Tops for spinning, 4. Hoops for swinging. Students rotate through, testing different objects and recording the type of movement on a checklist.

Differentiate between sliding, rolling, and spinning movements.

Facilitation Tip

During Station Rotation: The Motion Lab, set clear time limits at each station so students stay focused on testing each object’s movement type.

What to look for

Provide students with a collection of small objects (e.g., a block, a ball, a coin, a toy car). Ask them to pick up each object and demonstrate how it can slide, roll, or spin. Observe and note which students can correctly identify and perform at least two types of movement for each object.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Simulation Game
• 20 min · Whole Class

Simulation Game: Animal Olympics

Students are challenged to move across the room like different Australian animals (slither like a snake, hop like a wallaby, scuttle like a crab). They then discuss which body parts helped them do that specific movement.

Analyze how a ball moves when kicked versus when dropped.

Facilitation Tip

For Simulation: Animal Olympics, ask students to pause and predict how each animal’s body shape will affect its movement before running the simulation.

What to look for

Show students a video clip of a kangaroo hopping and a wombat waddling. Ask: 'How are these animals' movements different? Can you describe the type of movement each animal is making? What might cause them to move differently?'

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

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 15 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Mystery Mover

Show an unusual object (like a cone or a jagged rock). In pairs, students predict if it will roll, slide, or bounce when pushed down a ramp. They test their prediction and explain why the shape mattered.

Construct a list of objects that can move in multiple ways.

Facilitation Tip

During Think-Pair-Share: The Mystery Mover, circulate and listen for students using science vocabulary like ‘roll’ or ‘slide’ when describing movements.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a picture of a common object (e.g., a wheel, a door, a yo-yo). Ask them to write down two different ways that object can move and to draw a small picture illustrating one of those movements.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by starting with concrete objects before introducing abstract ideas. Avoid assuming students will automatically connect shape to movement; guide them with targeted questions during activities. Research shows young learners build understanding best when they test predictions with their own hands and discuss observations in small groups.

Successful learning looks like students correctly identifying and demonstrating at least two types of movement for an object during hands-on tasks. They should also explain how an object’s shape influences its movement after testing multiple examples.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Station Rotation: The Motion Lab, watch for students assuming heavier objects always move slower. If they do, have them race a heavy and light ball down the ramp side by side.

  After the race, ask the class to describe what they saw. Guide them to notice that both balls rolled at a similar speed, showing that weight is less important than shape and push for this movement type.

• During Station Rotation: The Motion Lab, watch for students thinking only objects with wheels or legs move. Redirect them to the ‘flowing’ and ‘slithering’ stations to test water, scarves, and a toy snake.

  Ask students to describe how these objects move without legs or wheels. Have them add these examples to their movement charts to expand their understanding.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation
• Simulation Game
• Think-Pair-Share