Principles of the Physical World: Senior Cycle Physics · 5th Year

Active learning ideas

Introduction to Forces: Pushes and Pulls

Active learning works well for this topic because students need to physically feel and see the effects of forces to move beyond abstract ideas. Engaging in hands-on tasks helps them connect push and pull actions with real-world motion changes, building intuitive understanding before formalizing concepts like net force and balanced forces.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Senior Cycle - Newton's Laws
• NCCA: Senior Cycle - Forces

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

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Tug-of-War Net Force

Pairs mark a line on the floor and tug a rope with equal or unequal forces. Students predict if the center cloth moves based on balance, then measure displacement after 10 seconds. Discuss net force direction in a class share-out.

Differentiate between a push and a pull force with examples.

Facilitation Tip

During Tug-of-War Net Force, have students record force values and arrows on whiteboards before discussing net force outcomes to make thinking visible.

What to look for

Provide students with three scenarios: a book resting on a table, a person pushing a stalled car, and a tug-of-war. Ask them to: 1. Identify if the forces in each scenario are balanced or unbalanced. 2. For the unbalanced scenario, predict the direction of motion. 3. Classify the primary force in the car scenario as a push or pull.

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

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Toy Car Push-Pull Relay

Small groups line up toy cars and take turns applying measured pushes or pulls with rulers. Record speed changes on a data table, then draw force arrows to show net force. Compare predictions to observations.

Explain how multiple forces acting on an object can result in no change in motion.

Facilitation Tip

For Toy Car Push-Pull Relay, provide varied surfaces (e.g., carpet, tile) to let students feel differences in force application and motion.

What to look for

Draw a simple force diagram on the board with two opposing arrows of unequal length. Ask students to write down: 1. The net force's direction. 2. Whether the forces are balanced or unbalanced. 3. What will happen to the object's motion.

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

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 20 min · Whole Class

Balanced Forces Balance

Whole class observes hanging weights on a balance scale, adding equal masses to sides. Students predict equilibrium points, adjust forces, and note no motion. Extend to predict unbalanced outcomes.

Predict the direction of motion when unbalanced forces act on an object.

Facilitation Tip

When using Balanced Forces Balance, ask students to test different mass combinations to determine when forces balance, linking to the concept of equilibrium.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are pushing a heavy box across a floor. If you push harder, the box moves faster. Explain this using the terms 'net force', 'balanced forces', and 'unbalanced forces'. What must be true about the forces for the box to start moving?'

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

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 25 min · Individual

String Pull Predictions

Individuals tie strings to objects and predict motion from multiple pull directions sketched on paper. Test pulls gently, observe paths, and revise arrow diagrams. Share one insight with the class.

Differentiate between a push and a pull force with examples.

Facilitation Tip

In String Pull Predictions, require students to sketch predicted force diagrams before testing to confront initial misconceptions about force direction.

What to look for

Provide students with three scenarios: a book resting on a table, a person pushing a stalled car, and a tug-of-war. Ask them to: 1. Identify if the forces in each scenario are balanced or unbalanced. 2. For the unbalanced scenario, predict the direction of motion. 3. Classify the primary force in the car scenario as a push or pull.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by starting with concrete examples students can relate to, then move to guided inquiry where they manipulate variables to observe outcomes. Avoid introducing inertia too early; focus on observable changes in motion from pushes and pulls. Research shows that students grasp net force better when they experience unequal forces firsthand and see the gradual effects of small unbalanced forces.

Successful learning looks like students accurately describing forces as pushes or pulls, predicting motion based on net force, and explaining balanced versus unbalanced forces using examples from the activities. They should confidently draw force diagrams and justify their reasoning with evidence from observations.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Toy Car Push-Pull Relay, watch for students assuming the car needs continuous pushing to keep moving.

  Pause the relay and ask students to glide the car on a smooth surface after one push, prompting them to observe that motion continues without additional force, linking to the idea of inertia.

• During Tug-of-War Net Force, watch for students believing pushes and pulls are fundamentally different forces.

  Have teams draw vector arrows on the ground with tape, labeling each arrow as push or pull, then compare directions to show they are opposite contact forces.

• During String Pull Predictions, watch for students expecting every force to cause an immediate large change in motion.

  Ask students to predict and test how the car’s speed changes with increasing string pull length, then graph their data to reveal proportional relationships between force and acceleration.

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Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning