You will learn
- Say what movement is.
- Name things that move and things that stay still.
- Describe how things move.
- Say that something must make a thing move.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Movement is a change of place.
- Some things move and some stay still.
- People, animals, cars and balls can move.
- Things do not move by themselves; something makes them move.
Words to know
changing place or position
not moving
where something is
to change place
1. Discover: The playground
In the playground, Dayo runs, a bird flies, a ball rolls and a swing sways. The bench does not move. The slide stays still. “Some things move and some do not,” says Dayo.
Think: Which things in the playground are moving?
2. Understand: Things that move
Idea 1: What is movement?
Movement is when something changes its position. A child who runs moves from one place to another. A car that drives moves along a road.
Idea 2: Moving and still
Some things move: people, animals, cars, balls and water. Some things stay still: a house, a tree, a table. A moving thing can stop and become still.
Idea 3: Why things move
A ball does not move by itself. Someone kicks it. A boat moves because wind or water pushes it. A bird moves its wings. Something always makes a thing move.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Moving or still?
A car and a house.
- The car changes place.
- The house stays.
- So the car moves.
Answer: The car moves. The house is still.
Example 2 (We do it together): What changed?
A ball starts on the ground then is across the field.
- It was here.
- Now it is there.
- Its position changed.
Answer: The ball moved.
Example 3 (You try): Why did it move?
A ball rolls.
Show the steps and answer
- Who kicked it?
- A child.
- A kick made it move.
Answer: A kick made the ball move.
Did you know?
The Earth is always moving, but we cannot feel it. It travels around the Sun.
Why this matters
Knowing how things move helps us play safely and understand the world.
4. Explore: Moving or still hunt
Walk around and sort things into moving and still.
- Look around the playground.
- Make a list of things that move.
- Make a list of things that stay still.
- Say what makes each thing move.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Many things move when pushed or pulled.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- A car can ___.
- A house stays ___.
- Movement is a change of ___.
- A kick makes a ball ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is movement?
Changing place.
Question 2. Name something that moves.
A car, ball or bird.
Question 3. Name something that stays still.
A house or tree.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is movement?
- Name something that moves.
- Name something that stays still.
- Does a ball move by itself?
- What can make a ball move?
Level 2: Grow
- How do you know a thing has moved?
- Name two ways animals move.
- What makes a boat move?
Level 3: Stretch
- Draw a moving and a still thing.
- Explain why a ball needs something to move it.
- Compare a swing and a bench.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
What moving things do you see on the way to school?
Show a sample answer
Cars, people, animals and the wind.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Something makes them move.
Fix: Trees stay in one place.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what movement is.
- I can name things that move and things that stay still.
- I can describe how things move.
- I can say that something must make a thing move.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Movement is a change of place.
- Some things move and some stay still.
- People, animals, cars and balls can move.
- Things do not move by themselves; something makes them move.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Moving objects. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is movement? [1 mark]
- Name two things that move. [2 marks]
- Name two things that stay still. [2 marks]
- What makes a ball move? [1 mark]
- How can you tell something moved? [2 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- A change of place [1]
- Any two [1 each]
- Any two [1 each]
- A push or kick [1]
- It was in one place [1]; now it is in another [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is movement?
- Name something that moves.
- Name something that stays still.
- Does a ball move by itself?
- What can make a ball move?
- How do you know a thing has moved?
- Name two ways animals move.
- What makes a boat move?
- Draw a moving and a still thing.
- Explain why a ball needs something to move it.
Homework
Look at your home. List five things that move and five that stay still.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is movement? | Changing place. | 1 |
| 2. Name something that moves. | A car, ball or bird. | 1 |
| 3. Name something that stays still. | A house or tree. | 1 |
| 4. Does a ball move by itself? | No. | 1 |
| 5. What can make a ball move? | A kick. | 1 |
| 6. How do you know a thing has moved? | Its position changed. | 1 |
| 7. Name two ways animals move. | Run and fly. | 1 |
| 8. What makes a boat move? | Wind or water. | 1 |
| 9. Draw a moving and a still thing. | Two drawings. | 1 |
| 10. Explain why a ball needs something to move it. | It cannot move itself. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Changing place.; 2 A car, ball or bird.; 3 A house or tree.; 4 No.; 5 A kick.. Level 2: 1 Its position changed.; 2 Run and fly.; 3 Wind or water.. Level 3: 1 Two drawings.; 2 It cannot move itself.; 3 The swing moves; the bench is still..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what movement is | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Name things that move and things that stay still | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Describe how things move | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Say that something must make a thing move | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Things move by themselves.” Something makes them move.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use a ball and a bench. Say which moves and why.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns what movement is and what makes things move. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Notice things that move on a walk.
- Ask, “What made it move?”
- Play with a ball safely.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what movement is; name things that move and things that stay still; describe how things move; say that something must make a thing move.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. A ball, a toy car, chart paper, pencils and crayons. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Choose a safe space. Prepare a two-column chart: move and still.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Ask, “What moves in the playground?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach movement and still.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners sort moving and still things.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners say what makes things move.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Is it moving? What made it move?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Things move by themselves.” Something makes them move.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use a ball and a bench. Say which moves and why. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 7, topic 1; Next Generation Science Standards, motion and stability: forces and interactions; Cambridge Primary Science Stage 1, forces; IB Primary Years Programme, how the world works. These sources informed the lesson.