You will learn
- Say what a pull is.
- Give examples of pulling.
- Compare pushes and pulls.
- Say that a stronger pull moves heavier things.
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
- A pull moves something towards us.
- A pull is a force.
- We pull drawers, ropes and wagons.
- A stronger pull moves heavier things.
Words to know
to draw something closer to us
in the direction of us
a thick cord for pulling or tying
to pull something along
1. Discover: The wagon
Ben pulls a wagon with a rope. At first the wagon is empty and it moves easily. Then he puts in two heavy bags. He has to pull harder. “The heavier it is, the stronger I must pull,” he says.
Think: Why did Ben pull harder?
2. Understand: What is a pull?
Idea 1: A pull
A pull moves something towards us. We pull a drawer, a door handle, a rope or a wagon. A pull is also a force.
Idea 2: Push or pull?
When we open a drawer, we pull it towards us. When we close it, we push. Some doors are pushed, some are pulled. Tug of war uses pulls with a rope.
Idea 3: Stronger pulls
A heavy thing needs a stronger pull. We may need two hands or help from a friend. We can also drag things along the ground, but we must be careful not to hurt our backs.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Push or pull?
Opening a drawer.
- The drawer comes towards you.
- That is a pull.
- Closing it is a push.
Answer: Opening a drawer is a pull.
Example 2 (We do it together): Which needs more?
A small box and a big box.
- The small box is light.
- The big box is heavy.
- The big box needs a stronger pull.
Answer: The big box needs a stronger pull.
Example 3 (You try): Tug of war
Two teams pull a rope.
Show the steps and answer
- Both pull.
- The stronger team wins.
- The rope moves towards them.
Answer: Pulling is used in tug of war.
Did you know?
Oxen and horses have pulled carts and ploughs for thousands of years.
Why this matters
Pulls help us move things, open things and work together.
4. Explore: Pull a load
Pull a box with a rope and compare light and heavy loads.
- Tie a rope to a small box.
- Pull it gently across the floor.
- Put books in it and pull again.
- Say which was harder.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? The heavier box needed more pull.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- A pull moves a thing ___.
- We pull a ___.
- A heavy box needs a ___ pull.
- A pull is a ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is a pull?
A force that moves things towards us.
Question 2. Name something we pull.
A drawer, rope or wagon.
Question 3. Is a pull a force?
Yes.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is a pull?
- Name something we pull.
- Is a pull a force?
- What do heavy things need?
- Is opening a drawer a push or pull?
Level 2: Grow
- How is a pull different from a push?
- Why pull a wagon?
- Give two examples of pulling.
Level 3: Stretch
- Sort: opening a door, closing a drawer, pulling a rope.
- Explain why a heavy bag is harder to pull.
- Plan a test of pulls.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
Where do you pull things at home?
Show a sample answer
Drawers, curtains and ropes.
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: A pull moves things towards us.
Fix: They go in opposite ways.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what a pull is.
- I can give examples of pulling.
- I can compare pushes and pulls.
- I can say that a stronger pull moves heavier things.
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
- A pull moves something towards us.
- A pull is a force.
- We pull drawers, ropes and wagons.
- A stronger pull moves heavier things.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Fast and slow movement. 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 a pull? [2 marks]
- Give three things we pull. [3 marks]
- How is a pull different from a push? [2 marks]
- Why is a heavy box hard to pull? [2 marks]
- How do you pull safely? [2 marks]
Total: 11 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- A force [1]; moves things towards us [1]
- Any three [1 each]
- Pull: towards [1]; push: away [1]
- It is heavy [1]; needs more force [1]
- Use safe rope [1]; do not pull people [1]
Score guide: 10 to 11 = secure. 7 to 9 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 7 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is a pull?
- Name something we pull.
- Is a pull a force?
- What do heavy things need?
- Is opening a drawer a push or pull?
- How is a pull different from a push?
- Why pull a wagon?
- Give two examples of pulling.
- Sort: opening a door, closing a drawer, pulling a rope.
- Explain why a heavy bag is harder to pull.
Homework
Find five things at home that you pull. Draw one and say if it is light or heavy.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is a pull? | A force that moves things towards us. | 1 |
| 2. Name something we pull. | A drawer, rope or wagon. | 1 |
| 3. Is a pull a force? | Yes. | 1 |
| 4. What do heavy things need? | A stronger pull. | 1 |
| 5. Is opening a drawer a push or pull? | A pull. | 1 |
| 6. How is a pull different from a push? | A pull moves towards us. | 1 |
| 7. Why pull a wagon? | To move it. | 1 |
| 8. Give two examples of pulling. | Rope and drawer. | 1 |
| 9. Sort: opening a door, closing a drawer, pulling a rope. | Pull, push, pull. | 1 |
| 10. Explain why a heavy bag is harder to pull. | It has more weight. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 A force that moves things towards us.; 2 A drawer, rope or wagon.; 3 Yes.; 4 A stronger pull.; 5 A pull.. Level 2: 1 A pull moves towards us.; 2 To move it.; 3 Rope and drawer.. Level 3: 1 Pull, push, pull.; 2 It has more weight.; 3 Light and heavy loads..
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 a pull 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 Give examples of pulling | 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 Compare pushes and pulls | 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 a stronger pull moves heavier things | 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: “A pull moves things away.” A pull moves things towards us.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use a drawer and a rope. Show a pull.
- 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 that a pull is a force that moves things towards us. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Notice pulls at home.
- Ask, “Is that a push or pull?”
- Pull a toy wagon 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 a pull is; give examples of pulling; compare pushes and pulls; say that a stronger pull moves heavier things.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. A small box, a rope, books, a table and chart paper. 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. Tie a rope to a box. Clear the floor. Prepare a record chart.
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 a child to open a drawer and ask, “Was that a push or pull?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach pulls and force.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners pull light and heavy loads.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners compare pushes and pulls.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Is it a pull? Is it light or heavy?
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. “A pull moves things away.” A pull moves things towards us.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 11-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 drawer and a rope. Show a pull. 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 4; 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.