Forces: Pushes and Pulls

Forces | Whole Class

Grade 2 Science Forces Whole Class Very Easy Professional 5 Views

Professional Lesson Plan

Forces: Pushes and Pulls

Forces | Whole Class

GradeGrade 2

SubjectScience

TopicForces

Duration90 Minutes

Lesson TypeWhole Class

DifficultyVery Easy

Lesson Overview

Students will explore forces by learning that pushes and pulls can move objects. Through simple demonstrations and hands-on whole-class activities, students will observe how different forces change motion in everyday situations.

Learning Objectives

Identify a push and a pull as types of forces.
Describe how a force can move, stop, or change the direction of an object.
Use simple science vocabulary to talk about forces in everyday examples.

Materials Needed

Small toy cars or balls
Books or boxes to push and pull
String or ribbon
Chart paper or whiteboard
Markers
Sticky notes
Optional: magnets, blocks, or classroom objects for demonstration

Vocabulary

Term	Definition
force	A push or a pull that can change how something moves.
push	To move something away from your body.
pull	To bring something closer to your body.
motion	The way something moves.

Lesson Sequence

Warm-Up: What Moves Things?10 minutes

Teacher Actions

Show a toy car or ball and ask, 'How can we make this move?' Record student ideas on the board.

Student Actions

Share ideas and predict ways to move the object.

Direct Teaching: Push and Pull15 minutes

Teacher Actions

Model pushing a book across a table and pulling it back with string or by hand. Explain that pushes and pulls are forces.

Student Actions

Watch, listen, and repeat the words push and pull with the teacher.

Guided Practice: Class Sort15 minutes

Teacher Actions

Call out or show simple actions and objects. Ask students to say whether each is a push or a pull.

Student Actions

Respond orally and use hand motions to show push or pull.

Hands-On Exploration: Move It!25 minutes

Teacher Actions

Set up a whole-class demonstration with a few objects. Invite volunteers to push, pull, stop, or change the direction of the objects.

Student Actions

Take turns demonstrating force actions and describing what happened.

Practice and Talk: Everyday Forces15 minutes

Teacher Actions

Lead a discussion about examples from daily life, such as opening a door, kicking a ball, or tugging a backpack.

Student Actions

Share examples and explain whether they are pushes or pulls.

Review and Quick Draw10 minutes

Teacher Actions

Ask students to draw one push and one pull example on paper or in the air with their finger.

Student Actions

Draw or mime examples and tell a partner what each one shows.

Support

Use gestures and sentence frames such as 'I see a push when ___.''
Pair struggling students with supportive classmates during oral activities.
Keep directions short and model each task before students respond.
Use real objects and repeated vocabulary to reinforce understanding.

Challenge

Ask advanced students to explain how a force can make an object start moving, stop, or turn.
Invite students to find two push examples and two pull examples in the classroom.
Have students compare which force seemed stronger in a demonstration and explain why.

Checks for Understanding

Listen for correct use of push, pull, and force during discussion.
Observe whether students can sort examples correctly as pushes or pulls.
Ask quick oral questions such as 'Is opening a drawer a push or a pull?'
Check student drawings or mime responses for accurate examples.

Closure

Review the key idea that a force is a push or a pull. Ask students to name one push example and one pull example before ending the lesson.

Homework

At home, find three examples of pushes or pulls and tell a family member what each one is. If possible, draw one example to share in class.