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.

• Year 2
• Science
• 4 activities
• 20 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Identify examples of pushes and pulls in classroom activities and playground games.
2. Demonstrate how a push can start an object moving and how a pull can change its direction.
3. Explain the difference between a push and a pull when interacting with common objects like doors.
4. Predict the effect of varying the strength of a push or pull on the motion of a toy.

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.

Prepare & details

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.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

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

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.

Prepare & details

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.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

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

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.

Prepare & details

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.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

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

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.

Prepare & details

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

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

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

Teaching This Topic

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.

What to Expect

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.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

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

What to Teach Instead

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.

Common Misconception

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

What to Teach Instead

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.

Common Misconception

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

What to Teach Instead

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.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Doorway Demos, give each student a card with a picture of an everyday object. Ask them to draw an arrow showing a push or a pull and write one sentence explaining their choice.

Discussion Prompt

During Relay Challenges, gather students in a circle and ask: 'How did the direction of your push change when you ran versus walked? What happened when you pulled the rope backward?' Listen for explanations that include force direction and strength.

Quick Check

During Toy Car Tests, give commands like 'Show me a hard push' or 'Show me a gentle pull.' Observe if students adjust the force on the car or rope correctly, indicating understanding of force magnitude.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to design a mini obstacle course using pushes and pulls, then test it with a partner.
• Scaffolding: Provide picture cards of pushes and pulls for students to sort into two columns before starting the Playground Forces Hunt.
• Deeper: Introduce the concept of balanced and unbalanced forces by having students observe a toy car slowing down on a ramp without being touched.

Key Vocabulary

Push	A force that moves an object away from the source of the force. Pushing a swing makes it move forward.
Pull	A force that moves an object closer to the source of the force. Pulling a wagon makes it come towards you.
Force	A push or a pull that can make an object move, stop moving, or change its direction.
Motion	The act or process of moving or being moved. When an object changes its position, it is in motion.