You will learn
- Give everyday examples of pushes and pulls.
- Say what a force can do.
- Spot forces at home and school.
- Explain that gravity pulls things down.
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
- Forces are pushes and pulls.
- A force can start, stop or change movement.
- Gravity pulls things down.
- We use forces every day.
Words to know
the force that pulls things down towards the ground
a push or a pull
to move something up
to drop to the ground
1. Discover: The morning at home
Titi wakes up and pushes her blanket off. She pulls open the curtains and pushes her feet into her shoes. At breakfast her spoon falls on the floor. “The spoon fell because gravity pulled it down,” says her father. “Forces are everywhere.”
Think: Which forces can you find in Titi’s morning?
2. Understand: Forces at work
Idea 1: Forces we use
We use forces all day. We push a door, pull a drawer, lift a bag and kick a ball. Each one is a force.
Idea 2: What forces do
A force can start something moving, stop it, make it faster or slower, or change its direction. It can also change the shape of things, like squashing a sponge.
Idea 3: Gravity
Gravity is a force that pulls things down towards the ground. When we drop something, it falls. Gravity keeps us on the ground.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Name the force
Pushing a swing.
- Is it a push? Yes.
- What does it do? Starts it moving.
- So a push is a force.
Answer: Pushing a swing is a force that starts it moving.
Example 2 (We do it together): What pulls it down?
A dropped pencil.
- It falls.
- Gravity pulls it.
- It lands on the floor.
Answer: Gravity pulls the pencil down.
Example 3 (You try): Shape change
Squeezing a sponge.
Show the steps and answer
- It gets smaller.
- A force changed its shape.
- It springs back.
Answer: A force can change the shape of a sponge.
Did you know?
On the Moon, gravity is weaker. An astronaut who weighs 60 kg on Earth feels as light as 10 kg.
Why this matters
Forces explain how things start and stop moving and why things fall.
4. Explore: Force detectives
Find pushes and pulls at home or school.
- Walk with an adult.
- Spot five forces.
- Say push, pull or gravity.
- Draw two.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Forces are everywhere.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- Gravity pulls ___.
- A swing needs a ___.
- We ___ a drawer.
- A force is a push or a ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Name a push.
Opening a door.
Question 2. Name a pull.
Opening a drawer.
Question 3. What is gravity?
A force that pulls things down.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Name a push.
- Name a pull.
- What is gravity?
- What happens when you drop a spoon?
- What is a force?
Level 2: Grow
- What can a force do?
- Why do things fall?
- Give two forces in a kitchen.
Level 3: Stretch
- Find five forces at school.
- Explain gravity.
- Draw a push and a pull.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
What forces do you use at home?
Show a sample answer
Pushing doors and pulling drawers.
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: Gravity pulls them down.
Fix: Everyone uses forces.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can give everyday examples of pushes and pulls.
- I can say what a force can do.
- I can spot forces at home and school.
- I can explain that gravity pulls things down.
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
- Forces are pushes and pulls.
- A force can start, stop or change movement.
- Gravity pulls things down.
- We use forces every day.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: What is light. 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 force? [1 mark]
- Give three everyday forces. [3 marks]
- What does gravity do? [2 marks]
- Name two things a force can do. [2 marks]
- Describe a push and a pull you used today. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- A push or a pull [1]
- Any three [1 each]
- Pulls things down [1]; towards the ground [1]
- Start, stop, change direction or shape [1 each]
- A push [1]; a pull [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Name a push.
- Name a pull.
- What is gravity?
- What happens when you drop a spoon?
- What is a force?
- What can a force do?
- Why do things fall?
- Give two forces in a kitchen.
- Find five forces at school.
- Explain gravity.
Homework
Find five forces at home. Write push, pull or gravity for each. Draw one.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Name a push. | Opening a door. | 1 |
| 2. Name a pull. | Opening a drawer. | 1 |
| 3. What is gravity? | A force that pulls things down. | 1 |
| 4. What happens when you drop a spoon? | It falls. | 1 |
| 5. What is a force? | A push or a pull. | 1 |
| 6. What can a force do? | Start, stop or change movement. | 1 |
| 7. Why do things fall? | Gravity. | 1 |
| 8. Give two forces in a kitchen. | Opening a tap and stirring. | 1 |
| 9. Find five forces at school. | A list. | 1 |
| 10. Explain gravity. | It pulls things down. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Opening a door.; 2 Opening a drawer.; 3 A force that pulls things down.; 4 It falls.; 5 A push or a pull.. Level 2: 1 Start, stop or change movement.; 2 Gravity.; 3 Opening a tap and stirring.. Level 3: 1 A list.; 2 It pulls things down.; 3 Two drawings..
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 Give everyday examples of 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 |
| O2 Say what a force can do | 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 Spot forces at home and school | 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 Explain that gravity pulls things down | 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 fall for no reason.” Gravity pulls them down.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Find three forces in the room.
- 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 about everyday forces and gravity. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Spot forces at home together.
- Ask, “What made that fall?”
- Drop a soft ball and watch.
- 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: give everyday examples of pushes and pulls; say what a force can do; spot forces at home and school; explain that gravity pulls things down.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. A ball, a sponge, a spoon, a rope, chart paper 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. Prepare a table for push, pull and gravity. Gather soft objects to drop.
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 forces did you use this morning?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach pushes, pulls and gravity.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners drop soft objects and observe.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners find forces in the room.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Is it a push, a pull or gravity?
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 fall for no reason.” Gravity pulls them down.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-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. Find three forces in the room. 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 8; 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.