Science · Grade 3

Active learning ideas

Identifying Forces: Push and Pull

Active learning helps grade 3 students grasp pushes and pulls by letting them feel and see forces in action. Moving objects with their own energy builds memory and confidence before moving to abstract ideas like balanced forces.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• 3-PS2-1

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Push-Pull Challenges

Prepare four stations with ramps, balls, toy cars, and ropes. At each, students apply pushes or pulls of different strengths, measure distance traveled with rulers, and record changes in motion. Groups rotate every 10 minutes, discussing patterns before switching.

Differentiate between a push and a pull force.

Facilitation Tip

During Station Rotation, position yourself to notice hesitant students and ask guiding questions, like 'Which way did the car roll when you pushed from the top?'

What to look for

Present students with images of everyday activities (e.g., opening a door, throwing a ball, pulling a wagon). Ask them to label each action as a 'push' or 'pull' and briefly describe how it changes the object's motion.

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

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs Experiment: Force Balances

Partners select objects like blocks or balls. One applies a push while the other counters with a pull, adjusting until motion stops. They sketch scenarios showing multiple forces and predict results before testing.

Analyze how different forces can change an object's motion.

Facilitation Tip

In Force Balances, circulate and ask pairs to demonstrate balanced forces by holding the rope steady; this spot-checks understanding of equal pulls.

What to look for

On a slip of paper, have students draw one object and show two different forces acting on it, one push and one pull. They should label each force and write one sentence predicting what will happen to the object.

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

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 35 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Demo: Playground Forces

Take students outside to observe swings, slides, and balls. Class brainstorms pushes and pulls acting together, then demonstrates with volunteer scenarios. Compile observations on a shared chart.

Construct a scenario where multiple forces act on a single object.

Facilitation Tip

Before Playground Forces, demonstrate how to mark start and stop points with chalk so students focus on force direction rather than measuring distance.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine you are pushing a swing. What other force is acting on the swing at the same time? How does this second force affect the swing's motion?' Guide them to identify gravity and air resistance.

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

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 20 min · Individual

Individual Journal: Force Scenarios

Students draw and label three everyday scenes with pushes or pulls, like opening a door or sliding on ice. They write predictions for motion changes if force strength varies.

Differentiate between a push and a pull force.

Facilitation Tip

At the journal station, prompt students to sketch arrows showing force direction; this targets misconceptions about force direction early.

What to look for

Present students with images of everyday activities (e.g., opening a door, throwing a ball, pulling a wagon). Ask them to label each action as a 'push' or 'pull' and briefly describe how it changes the object's motion.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with tangible experiences so students build intuition before vocabulary. Avoid introducing terms like 'balanced forces' too soon; let students feel the tension first. Research shows movement-based lessons strengthen spatial reasoning, which supports physics learning later. Model curiosity by asking 'What happens if we push here instead?' to keep the focus on exploration.

Students will confidently label pushes and pulls in real settings, predict how force strength and direction change motion, and explain why some forces do not cause motion. Clear labeling, accurate predictions, and thoughtful discussions show readiness to advance.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Station Rotation: Push-Pull Challenges, watch for students who assume a force only exists when an object moves. Redirect them by asking, 'What do you feel in your hands when you hold the rope still after tugging? Could that be a force?'

  During Station Rotation: Push-Pull Challenges, have students hold the rope taut after tugging and feel the tension. Ask them to predict what would happen if one partner let go; this connects tension to potential motion.

• During Force Balances, watch for students who label pushes and pulls as always opposite. Redirect them by setting up two ropes pulling the same object sideways and asking, 'Are both forces pushing or pulling? How does the object move?'

  During Force Balances, guide pairs to arrange forces in the same direction using two spring scales. Ask, 'What happens when both pulls go the same way?' to correct the opposites-only idea.

• During Station Rotation: Push-Pull Challenges, watch for students who overemphasize weight when predicting force needs. Redirect them by asking, 'Did the heavy ball start moving with the same push as the light ball?' after testing on the ramp.

  During Station Rotation: Push-Pull Challenges, provide two balls of different weights and ask students to push each one with equal effort on the ramp. Discuss why the heavier ball needs more force to start, but keep the focus on the push strength, not weight alone.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation
• Experiential Learning