Science · Year 8

Active learning ideas

Forces: Pushes and Pulls

Active, hands-on tasks let students feel pushes and pulls directly, which builds intuition before abstract ideas. These activities turn invisible forces into visible effects, making it easier for Year 8 students to separate what they see from what they assume.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS3: Science - Forces and Motion

• 25–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 25 min · Pairs

Demo: Contact vs Non-Contact Forces

Pairs test pushes on blocks for contact forces, then drop balls and use magnets for non-contact examples. They sketch quick diagrams showing force directions and effects. Discuss differences in a whole-class share-out.

Differentiate between contact and non-contact forces.

Facilitation Tip

During the demo, hold up a magnet above paperclips to show attraction without touching; pause to let students verbalize what their eyes see but their hands cannot feel.

What to look for

Give students a scenario, for example, 'A book sliding across a table'. Ask them to list all the forces acting on the book and classify each as contact or non-contact. Then, ask them to explain one way friction is helping or hindering the book's motion.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Progettazione (Reggio Investigation)
• 45 min · Small Groups

Progettazione (Reggio Investigation): Friction on Ramps

Small groups release toy cars down inclines covered in sandpaper, cloth, or plastic. Measure travel distances and calculate average speeds. Identify patterns linking surface type to friction strength.

Explain how friction can be both beneficial and detrimental.

What to look for

Display images of different activities (e.g., a person jumping, a magnet attracting paperclips, a car braking). Ask students to identify the primary forces at play in each image and state whether they are contact or non-contact forces.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Inquiry Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Parachute Challenge: Air Resistance

Teams build parachutes from bags and string, varying size or shape. Drop from a fixed height and time descent. Chart results to explain how air resistance changes terminal velocity.

Analyze the forces acting on an object in various scenarios.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Can friction ever be a good thing?' Facilitate a class discussion where students provide examples of when friction is beneficial (e.g., walking, holding objects) and when it is detrimental (e.g., wear and tear on machinery, energy loss).

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• Stations Rotation
• 50 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Force Scenarios

Set up stations with balls, fans, springs, and weights. Groups analyze forces at each, draw arrow diagrams, and predict motions. Rotate every 10 minutes with peer teaching.

Differentiate between contact and non-contact forces.

What to look for

Give students a scenario, for example, 'A book sliding across a table'. Ask them to list all the forces acting on the book and classify each as contact or non-contact. Then, ask them to explain one way friction is helping or hindering the book's motion.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with concrete objects students can manipulate, then guide them to draw force diagrams that label both type and direction. Avoid rushing to formulas; instead, build reasoning through repeated observations and peer talk. Research shows that student-generated sketches and justifications improve force concept mastery more than lectures alone.

Students will correctly classify forces as contact or non-contact, describe their effects on motion or shape, and explain when friction helps or hinders movement. Clear diagrams and evidence-based arguments in discussions show solid understanding.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Demo: Contact vs Non-Contact Forces, watch for students labeling all forces as contact because they see hands or surfaces involved.

  After showing the magnet lifting paperclips, explicitly contrast the touched paperclip with the untouched one and ask students to note the difference on a two-column chart before refining their definitions.

• During Investigation: Friction on Ramps, watch for students assuming rougher surfaces always stop motion completely.

  Have students predict and measure how far a block rolls on each surface, then prompt them to notice that friction can slow motion without stopping it, using the ramp angle as a control.

• During Station Rotation: Force Scenarios, watch for students treating gravity and friction as the same kind of force because they both involve the ground.

  At each station, ask students to list forces separately and decide whether each involves touching or not, using the station’s labeled objects to anchor their decisions.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Progettazione (Reggio Investigation)
• Stations Rotation