Science · Grade 2

Active learning ideas

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.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• 2-PS1-1

• 30–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• 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.

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.

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

Activity 02

• 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.

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.

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

Activity 03

• 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.

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.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

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.

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.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

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

  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.

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

  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.

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Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning