Pushes and Pulls

1 Pu s h e s a n d P u l l s Kindergar ten Science TCAPS. Created June 2010. by J. McCain Table of Contents _____. Science GLCEs incorporated in this Unit .. 2-3. Materials List.. 4. Overview of Lessons.. 5. Lesson 1: Ways That Things Move.. 6. Lesson 2: Pushes and Pulls .. 7. Lesson 3: Position and Gravity.. 8. Lesson 4: Speeding Up, Adding Weight.. 9. Lesson 5: Shapes in Motion.. 10. Lesson 6: Sorting Motion Words.. 11. Lesson 7: What Would Happen If Game .. 12. 1. Science GLCEs Incorporated in Pushes and Pulls Please see the complete Science GLCEs at Below are some areas of the GLCEs for your reference that particularly pertain to this unit. Please reference the document at the link above for all Kindergarten Science GLCEs. Physical Science: Force and Motion Prior to entering kindergarten, many students have developed an understanding of the motion of objects. For example, the young learner has discovered that solid objects cannot move through each other, changes in motion and position of objects are the result of a force outside them, and that objects tend to endure over space and time.

2 They learn even though the ball has rolled out of sight, it still exists behind the wall, under the couch, or behind someone's back. They can also make inferences about reasonable causes of motion of inanimate objects. Pre-kindergarteners have their own concept of force that they use to explain what happens in the motion of objects. They think of forces as active Pushes and Pulls that are needed to explain an object's motion. The kindergarten content expectations for physical science are meant to build on and use the early learners' ability to correctly sense some of the behaviors of simple mechanical objects and the motion of objects. The central idea is for the young learner to be able to attach appropriate language that describes motion, compares motion, and begin to develop an understanding of forces and their relationship to changes in motion. Finally the students are introduced to the concept that objects fall toward the Earth and that the force that Pulls objects toward Earth affects the motion of all objects.

3 PHYSICAL SCIENCE: Force and Motion K-7 Standard : Develop an understanding that the position and/or motion of an object is relative to a point of reference. Understand forces affect the motion and speed of an object and that the net force on an object is the total of all of the forces acting on it. Understand the Earth Pulls down on objects with a force called gravity. Develop an understanding that some forces are in direct contact with objects, while other forces are not in direct contact with objects. Page 3. 2. Position- A position of an object can be described by locating the object relative to other objects or a background. *. Describe the position of an object (for example: above, below, in front of, behind, on) in relation to other objects around it. *. Describe the direction of a moving object (for example: away from or closer to) from different observers' views. *. Gravity- Earth Pulls down on all objects with a force called gravity.

4 With very few exceptions, objects fall to the ground no matter where the object is on the Earth. Observe how objects fall toward the earth. Force- A force is either a push or a pull . The motion of objects can be changed by forces. The size of the change is related to the size of the force. The change is also related to the weight (mass) of the object on which the force is being exerted. When an object does not move in response to a force, it is because another force is being applied by the environment. Demonstrate Pushes and Pulls on objects that can move. *. Observe that objects initially at rest will move in the direction of the push or pull . Observe how Pushes and Pulls can change the speed or direction of moving objects. Observe how shape (for example: cone, cylinder, sphere) and mass of an object can affect motion. *. * Revised expectations marked by an asterisk. Page 4. 3. Materials List Student toys with wheels from home = homework after Lesson 1.

5 Area around your school with a sloped, hard floor Classroom materials to test gravity Geometric shapes (sphere, cube, triangular prism, cone, cylinder, variety of rectangular prisms). Chart paper and marker Wooden cars with string Student journals Weights Tape or glue Pushes and Pulls Timeline .. Lesson Number Description Est. Days for Activities . 1 Ways That Things Move 1. 2 Pushes and Pulls 1. 3 Position and Gravity 1. 4 Speeding Up, Adding Weight 1. 5 Shapes in Motion 1 . 6 Sorting Motion Words 1 . 7 What Would Happen If 1 . Total Number of Days 7. Page 5. 4. Overview of Lessons Lesson 1: Ways That Things Move Students brainstorm words for how things move Homework: students bring 1 toy with wheels to school for scientific experiments for the next 2 lessons Lesson 2: Pushes and Pulls Experiment with Pushes and Pulls on their wheeled toy Game: students, in pairs, push or pull their toy; partner needs to identify whether it was a push or pull Lesson 3: Position and Gravity Simon Says position game with your toy Introduce gravity concept and test it out on a slope with their toy (no Pushes or Pulls involved) last time they will need their toy with wheels Lesson 4: Speeding Up, Adding Weight Wooden cars adding a push or pull when moving Adding weights to wooden cars Lesson 5: Shapes in Motion Geometric shapes sorted by ability to roll Sit in group circle and test shapes to roll across floor Draw which shape rolled best in student journals Lesson 6: Sorting Motion Words Cut apart movement words from lesson 1 to sort into categories: direction, speed, position Lesson 7: What Would Happen If Game Drop, push , pull , etc.

6 And students have to guess what will happen before you do the action you described Encourage scientific language when describing what will happen Page 6. 5. Lesson 1: Ways that Things Move Materials List Chart paper and marker Lesson Overview: 1. Ask your students, What are some words for how things move? . Students may think of fast, slow, rolling, falling, sliding, bouncing, etc. Write these words on a Ways That Things Move chart on chart paper. 2. Tell students their homework is to bring a toy that moves with wheels to school tomorrow. Note: Vocabulary listed with each lesson is highly recommended to use throughout the lessons. Vocabulary words are taken from the GLCE. Companion Document. Suggested Vocabulary: None yet, take student suggestions only during this lesson. Page 7. 6. Lesson 2: Pushes and Pulls Materials List: Student toy from home (extras from your collection or another classroom in your building). Lesson Overview: 1.

7 Pushes and Pulls Students bring in toys that have wheels to work on their Pushes and Pulls , not throwing! Hands have to stay on the item so it does not fly away from them. You may have to split this activity into 2 days. 2. Experimentation Students will first play with their wheeled toy on a level area of floor in the classroom. Ask them to find a personal space to explore where they cannot reach any of their friends. Allow them this time so they can then follow directions of what to do with their toy next. 3. Tell students, push the toy away from you. Then tell them, pull your toy towards you. Ask students, What made your toy move? It is their hand giving it a push or a pull , but the hand has to do this kind of action to make it move. You can do this like Simon Says to make it into a game and give students practice. Students need to know they are practicing Pushes and Pulls , both towards them and away from them. Use these terms to introduce directionality as well.

8 Practice pushing to the right or pulling to the left. 4. Have students work in pairs and either push or pull their toy. The other student has to identify whether they are doing a push or a pull . Suggested Vocabulary: push pull Towards Away from Right Left Page 8. 7. Lesson 3: Lesson Position and 3: Gravity Position and Gravity Materials List: Student Materials List:toy from home Classroom Student toy materials for testing gravity from home Classroom materials for testing gravity Lesson Overview: 1. Position Lesson Overview: Test students' knowledge of position words with their toy. 1. This can also Position Test bestudents'. done as aknowledge game like Simon of position Ask students with theirtotoy. return This cantoalso their bepersonal done as space a gameonliketheSimon floor Says. like last Ask time. Ask them students to to place returntheir to theirtoy personal space on the floor like last time. Ask them to place theiri. toy in front of you, ii.

9 I. inbehind frontyou, of you, iii. above ii. behind you,you, iv. below you, iii. above you, v. below iv. on you,you, vi. v. on under you,you, vii. away from vi. under you, you, viii. vii. close to you, away from you, viii. close to you, hands, ix. between your x. on ix. top ofyour between yourhands, feet. xi. x. Note: on top Students of your are not familiar with any of these xi. terms will eitherwho Note: Students be assisted by the teacher are not familiar with anyor oflearn these quickly by observing their friends. terms will either be assisted by the teacher or learn 2. Gravity Return quicklyto by whole group. their observing Pick up various classroom materials friends. 2. (pencil, Gravity book, Return eraser, etc.). group. to whole Ask students what willclassroom Pick up various happen tomaterials the material if youeraser, (pencil, book, let go etc.). of it while holding itwhat Ask students in thewill This istobecause the of gravity, material if which you letcauses things go of it whileto fall toitthe holding earth.

10 In the air. Do multiple This is because of gravity, which causes things to fall to the earth. Do multipletimes experiments, explaining that scientists try something multiple to make sure it's experiments, true. that scientists try something multiple times explaining 3. to Gravity make Field sure it's Trip You will then take a walking field trip to an area true. around your 3. Gravity Fieldschool Trip that Youhaswilla then pavedtake slope (or use field a walking wooden tripblocks to an to area create ramps). around your school Student releases that has object a paved slopefrom topwooden (or use of the slope blocksandto observes create gravityStudent ramps). at object from top of the slope and 4. observes Discussiongravity Return to the classroom to ask students why the toys will at work. still roll downhill 4. Discussion eventothough Return they didn't the classroom have to ask to push why students or pull . the toys will Students should remember their new science term, still roll downhill even though they didn't have to push or pull .