This motion activity helps 2nd to 5th grade students sort everyday actions into pushes and pulls, with 14 sorting cards, a practice page, and an answer key included.
This people riding transportation worksheet asks 2nd grade students to name the vehicle in each clue and draw a place they travel to. An answer key is included for fast, easy checking.
This magnet activity has kindergarten to 3rd grade students sort picture cards into things a magnet will pull and things it will not, with a sorting mat, practice page and answer key.
Post these force and motion word wall flash cards for 2nd to 5th grade: 16 science words with kid-friendly meanings, plus a vocabulary practice page, answer key included.
This fun with magnets science activity has 1st to 3rd grade students predict, sort and check whether magnet poles attract or repel. Answer key included.
Push it, pull it, watch it go!
Second graders learn that a force is a push or a pull that can make things start, stop, speed up, slow down or change direction. A bigger push makes a ball go farther and faster. They also explore magnets, which can push or pull without even touching! The click comes when kids notice forces everywhere: kicking a ball, opening a door, and pulling a wagon.
Force is something kids do all day. These moves make them notice it.
Give each group a toy car and a ramp. Kids give a soft push and a hard push and measure how far it goes. Real tests show that a bigger force makes a bigger change.
Why it works: the U.S. Department of Education's guide for teaching elementary math recommends moving from hands-on objects to drawings to numbers.
Try it withMotion ActivityActivitiesOpen it →Post force words like push, pull, speed and direction on the word wall. Point to a word and kids act it out. Quick daily rounds help the science words stick.
Why it works: pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than rereading it, one of the strongest findings in learning research (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013).
Try it withForce and Motion Word WallFlash CardsOpen it →Let kids test which objects a magnet pulls. Then turn two magnets so they push apart. That "no touching" force always gets a gasp.
Why it works: in a well-known study, a few short sessions of a simple number board game measurably boosted young children's number skills (Ramani and Siegler, 2008).
Try it withMagnet ActivityActivitiesOpen it →Kids are force experts already. These ideas let them show it.
Teacher favorites right now: Motion Activity, People Riding Transportation Worksheet and Magnet Activity.
A force is a push or a pull. Forces can make things move, stop or change direction.
Pushing a swing, kicking a ball and closing a door are pushes. Pulling a wagon, opening a drawer and tugging a rope are pulls.
Let kids test it with toy cars, balls and ramps. Ask what happens with a gentle push versus a strong push.
Roll a ball across the floor with different pushes and measure how far it goes. Then try on carpet and tile to see what changes.
Loved by 2 million teachers & families
Printables, songs and games for every subject, Preschool through 6th. Ready to teach today, and kids beg for more.
