Science · Year 2

Active learning ideas

Observing Pushes and Pulls

Active learning makes forces tangible for young learners. When students physically push and pull objects, they connect abstract concepts like direction and strength to concrete experiences. This hands-on engagement builds lasting understanding of pushes and pulls in real-world contexts.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9S2U03

• 20–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 35 min · Small Groups

Relay Challenges: Push and Pull Course

Mark a classroom course with tape. Include push zones with balls or hoops and pull zones with string-tied blocks. Teams of four complete the course, switching roles each turn. After two rounds, groups chart what changed motion most.

Differentiate between a push and a pull when opening a door.

Facilitation Tip

During Relay Challenges, space stations at least one meter apart to ensure students have room to move safely while demonstrating pushes and pulls.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a picture of an everyday object (e.g., a door, a swing, a toy car). Ask them to draw an arrow showing a push or a pull and write one sentence explaining their choice.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 25 min · Pairs

Toy Car Tests: Ramp Predictions

Provide toy cars, ramps, and rulers for pairs. Students predict and test distances after gentle vs strong pushes, then pulls with strings. Record results on shared charts and compare smooth vs rough surfaces.

Explain how a push can start an object moving.

Facilitation Tip

For Toy Car Tests, place ramps on different surfaces before the activity so students can quickly move between trials without setup delays.

What to look for

Gather students in a circle. Ask: 'Imagine you are playing with a toy train. How could you use a push to make it move? How could you use a pull? What happens if you push it harder?' Listen for their explanations of force and motion.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 20 min · Whole Class

Doorway Demos: Whole Class Votes

Gather at doors and drawers. Teacher models push or pull; class predicts and votes on outcomes like speed or ease. Everyone tries in turn, noting differences in heavy vs light objects.

Predict what happens to a toy car when you pull it.

Facilitation Tip

In Doorway Demos, use masking tape to mark three clear voting zones on the floor to speed up the whole-class decision-making process.

What to look for

During a game of 'Simon Says,' give commands like 'Simon says push the ball' or 'Simon says pull the rope.' Observe if students correctly demonstrate the requested action, indicating their understanding of the terms.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 40 min · Small Groups

Playground Forces Hunt: Group Observations

Take clipboards outside. Small groups identify and sketch pushes/pulls on swings, slides, or balls. Return to discuss predictions vs real results, like pulling a friend on a tyre swing.

Differentiate between a push and a pull when opening a door.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a picture of an everyday object (e.g., a door, a swing, a toy car). Ask them to draw an arrow showing a push or a pull and write one sentence explaining their choice.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach forces by starting with familiar contexts students encounter daily, like opening doors or playing tag. Avoid over-explaining; instead, let students explore first, then guide their observations with targeted questions. Research shows that early hands-on experiences create stronger mental models than abstract explanations alone.

Successful learning looks like students correctly identifying pushes as away forces and pulls as toward forces. They should predict outcomes, such as how surface changes affect motion, and use vocabulary like 'friction' and 'force' during discussions and activities.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Relay Challenges, watch for students who confuse pushes and pulls or draw arrows in the wrong direction.

  Provide each pair with a rope and a soft ball. Have them take turns pushing the ball away and pulling the rope toward them, then immediately draw arrows on a whiteboard to label the directions. Peer discussion corrects misconceptions in real time.

• During Toy Car Tests, watch for students who assume a harder push always results in farther travel regardless of surface.

  Before starting, ask groups to predict which surface will make the car stop fastest. After testing carpet and tile, have them record distances and explain why friction matters using their observations.

• During Playground Forces Hunt, watch for students who think forces only come from hands or bodies.

  Provide small magnets and paper sails. In small groups, students test how magnets attract without touching and wind pushes sails. They share findings in a circle, adding examples like fans or water currents to their force lists.

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Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning