Identifying Pushes and PullsActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning turns abstract forces into tangible experiences that young learners can see and feel. When students physically push, pull, and observe motion, they build lasting mental models of pushes and pulls that connect directly to their daily lives.
Learning Objectives
- 1Identify examples of pushes and pulls in everyday classroom activities.
- 2Demonstrate how a push or pull can change an object's motion.
- 3Compare the effects of different strengths of pushes and pulls on an object's movement.
- 4Explain how a push and a pull are different actions.
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Outdoor Relay: Push-Pull Tasks
Set up stations with hoops to push, ropes to pull, and balls to kick. Small groups rotate, timing how far or fast objects move. Groups share one observation per station in a closing circle.
Prepare & details
Explain the mechanisms by which objects are set into motion.
Facilitation Tip: At Station Rotation: Everyday Forces, place a timer at each station and remind students to rotate only after completing the task and recording their findings in a shared notebook.
Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials
Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template
Pairs Challenge: Varying Force Strength
Partners use toy cars on flat surfaces, taking turns with light, medium, and hard pushes or pulls. Measure distance traveled with tape measures and sketch results on charts. Compare notes to spot patterns.
Prepare & details
Differentiate between the actions of a push and a pull.
Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials
Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template
Whole Class Demo: Ramp Explorations
Build simple ramps from books and boards. Class watches as teacher or volunteers push cars up and pull them down with strings, voting on what changes speed. Record class predictions vs outcomes on a shared board.
Prepare & details
Analyze methods for increasing the speed of an object's movement.
Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials
Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template
Stations Rotation: Everyday Forces
Prepare four stations: push doors, pull chairs, swing arms like pendulums, roll balls. Students rotate in small groups, drawing quick sketches of effects at each. Debrief with partner shares.
Prepare & details
Explain the mechanisms by which objects are set into motion.
Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room
Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer
Teaching This Topic
Research shows young children learn forces best when they connect physical action to language and observation. Focus on guided trials where students predict, act, and explain, then refine their ideas through peer feedback. Avoid lengthy explanations before hands-on trials; let the evidence lead the discussion.
What to Expect
Students will confidently identify pushes and pulls in real-world contexts, explain how force strength changes motion, and use vocabulary like push, pull, force, and friction correctly in discussions and demonstrations.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Pairs Challenge: Varying Force Strength, watch for students who believe all objects move the same way regardless of weight or surface.
What to Teach Instead
Hand each pair a light ball and a heavy block, and ask them to push both with the same effort. Have them compare distances and discuss why one moved farther, using the chart to record weight and surface differences.
Common MisconceptionDuring Outdoor Relay: Push-Pull Tasks, watch for students who think a single push makes an object move forever.
What to Teach Instead
Set a clear finish line and ask students to push the object only once, then observe and discuss why it stops before the line. Use the class chart to track stops and relate them to friction and distance.
Common MisconceptionDuring Station Rotation: Everyday Forces, watch for students who believe only hands can push or pull.
What to Teach Instead
At the magnet station, ask students to use a string to pull a paperclip and at the wind station, use a fan to push a feather. After trials, hold a class share where students name the force source and describe what happened.
Assessment Ideas
After Outdoor Relay: Push-Pull Tasks, pause the game and ask each pair to point to an object they moved. Have them name the force used and describe how the object changed speed or direction.
After Station Rotation: Everyday Forces, provide a half-sheet with images of common actions. Students circle pushes and underline pulls, then write one sentence for a chosen image explaining the effect of the force.
During Whole Class Demo: Ramp Explorations, gather students in a circle and ask volunteers to demonstrate a push or pull using the ramp setup. After each demo, ask the class to identify the force used and predict what would happen if the ramp were steeper.
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge early finishers at Station Rotation to write or draw a new force scenario in their notebooks using at least two objects and describing the push or pull.
- For students who struggle, provide picture cards at Outdoor Relay with force arrows to help them visualize direction before acting.
- Deeper exploration: During Ramp Explorations, invite students to design a ramp that makes a ball roll the farthest, then present their findings to the class.
Key Vocabulary
| Push | A force that moves an object away from you. Think about pushing a toy car or pushing a door open. |
| Pull | A force that moves an object towards you. Examples include pulling a wagon or pulling a drawer open. |
| Force | A push or a pull that can make an object move, stop moving, or change direction. |
| Motion | The act of moving or changing position. When an object moves, it is in motion. |
Suggested Methodologies
Planning templates for Young Explorers: Discovering Our World
5E Model
The 5E Model structures lessons through five phases (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), guiding students from curiosity to deep understanding through inquiry-based learning.
Unit PlannerThematic Unit
Organize a multi-week unit around a central theme or essential question that cuts across topics, texts, and disciplines, helping students see connections and build deeper understanding.
RubricSingle-Point Rubric
Build a single-point rubric that defines only the "meets standard" level, leaving space for teachers to document what exceeded and what fell short. Simple to create, easy for students to understand.
More in Forces: Pushes and Pulls
Making Objects Move Faster or Slower
Students will experiment with applying different amounts of force to objects to observe changes in their speed and direction.
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Exploring Magnets
Students will investigate the properties of magnets, identifying which materials are attracted to them and exploring magnetic fields.
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Magnetic Attraction and Repulsion
Students will experiment with two magnets to observe how they can attract or repel each other, understanding the concept of poles.
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Why Things Float or Sink
Students will test various objects in water to determine if they float or sink, discussing the properties that influence this behavior.
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Designing a Floating Boat
Students will use different materials to design and build a small boat that can float and carry a load, applying their understanding of buoyancy.
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