Pushes and Pulls

Pushes and pulls are foundational physics concepts that students can best grasp through direct interaction. Active learning methodologies allow students to physically experience how forces affect objects, moving beyond abstract definitions to concrete understanding.

• Grade 2
• Science
• 3 activities
• 30 min–45 min

Experiential Learning

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Force Investigation Station

Set up stations with various objects like toy cars, balls, and spring-loaded toys. Students experiment with pushing and pulling these objects in different ways, recording how the object moves, stops, or changes direction.

Prepare & details

Explain how a push is different from a pull.

Facilitation Tip: During the Experiential Learning activity 'Force Investigation Station,' encourage students to record their observations using drawings or simple sentences before moving to the next station.

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

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Directional Push Challenge

Provide students with toy cars and ask them to predict and then demonstrate what happens when the car is pushed from the front, side, or back. They can then experiment with pushing from two different directions simultaneously.

Prepare & details

Analyze how the strength of a push affects an object's movement.

Facilitation Tip: In the Stations Rotation 'Directional Push Challenge,' circulate to ensure students are testing different directions and speeds as they rotate through the car and ramp setups.

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

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Pulling Power Exploration

Students use strings to pull various objects across different surfaces (e.g., carpet, tile). They observe how the surface affects the ease of pulling and discuss the force required.

Prepare & details

Predict what will happen to a toy car if it is pushed from two different directions.

Facilitation Tip: During the Think-Pair-Share 'Pulling Power Exploration,' prompt pairs to articulate specific differences in how objects moved on carpet versus tile before sharing with the whole group.

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

This topic benefits from a constructivist approach where students build understanding through experimentation. Avoid simply telling students about forces; instead, structure activities that allow them to discover these principles themselves. Emphasize observation and prediction to build scientific reasoning skills.

What to Expect

Students will be able to clearly differentiate between pushes and pulls, and describe how the strength and direction of these forces change an object's motion. They will use precise language to explain their observations and predictions during investigations.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the 'Force Investigation Station,' students might believe objects move on their own without any force.

What to Teach Instead

Redirect students by asking them to observe what happens when they stop pushing or pulling the toy cars or balls; prompt them to notice that friction or air resistance acts as a force to slow them down.

Common Misconception

During the 'Directional Push Challenge,' students may confuse pushing and pulling.

What to Teach Instead

As students experiment with the toy cars, ask them to explicitly state whether they are pushing the car away or pulling it closer, and to demonstrate the action clearly before making predictions.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

During the 'Pulling Power Exploration,' ask students to hold up two fingers: one for 'push' and one for 'pull,' and then point in the direction of the force as you describe different scenarios.

Discussion Prompt

After the 'Force Investigation Station,' ask students to share one object that required a strong push to move and one that required a gentle pull, explaining why based on their observations.

Exit Ticket

After the 'Directional Push Challenge,' have students draw a picture of a toy car being pushed or pulled and write one sentence describing the direction of the force.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: For students who quickly grasp the concepts, ask them to design a simple machine using only pushes and pulls to move an object across the classroom.
• Scaffolding: For students needing support, provide sentence frames like "When I push the car, it..." or "The string helps me pull the box because..." during the activities.
• Deeper Exploration: Engage students in exploring friction by having them test pulling objects on surfaces with varying textures, or investigate inertia by seeing how much force is needed to stop moving objects.