You will learn
- Describe motion.
- Read distance–time graphs.
- Distinguish distance and displacement.
- Describe steady and changing speed.
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
- Motion is relative to a reference point.
- A straight sloping line shows steady speed.
- A flat line shows being still.
- A steeper line shows faster motion.
Words to know
how far something has moved
distance in a straight line with direction
the place you measure from
a graph showing how distance changes with time
1. Discover: The walk to school
Ama walks 400 m from home to the shop in 5 minutes, stops 3 minutes to buy bread and then walks 200 m to school in 3 minutes. Her graph slopes up, goes flat, then slopes up again.
Think: What does the flat part show?
2. Understand: Motion
Idea 1: Describing
Describe motion using a reference point: “The ball is 3 m east of the door.” Distance is the length travelled; displacement includes direction and is the straight-line change in position.
Idea 2: Graphs
A distance–time graph has time along the bottom and distance up the side. A straight slope means steady speed; a flat line means stationary; a steeper slope means faster.
Idea 3: Reading
Read speed from a graph by dividing distance by time over a part of the line.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Read
Graph.
- Flat.
- Sloping.
- Steeper.
Answer: Still or moving.
Example 2 (We do it together): Draw
Journey.
- Axes.
- Points.
- Join.
Answer: Distance–time graph.
Example 3 (You try): Compare
Distance and displacement.
Show the steps and answer
- Path.
- Straight line.
- Direction.
Answer: Different.
Did you know?
A marathon runner covers about 42 km, but if they finish where they started a circular route their displacement would be zero.
Why this matters
Graphs let us see motion at a glance.
4. Explore: Walk the graph
Walk different speeds across a classroom while a partner times each metre, then draw a distance–time graph for each walk.
- Mark metres.
- Walk slowly.
- Time each metre.
- Plot the graph.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Faster walks gave steeper lines.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- ___ is how far something moved.
- ___ has direction and is a straight-line change.
- A ___ point is where you measure from.
- A distance–___ graph shows motion.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is distance?
How far.
Question 2. What is displacement?
With direction.
Question 3. What shows still?
Flat line.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is distance?
- What is displacement?
- What shows still?
- What shows faster?
- What is a reference point?
Level 2: Grow
- Why a reference point?
- Why flat?
- Why steeper?
Level 3: Stretch
- Walk.
- Plot.
- Explain.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
Describe a journey from a distance–time graph.
Show a sample answer
Use the shape.
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: Still.
Fix: Not always.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can describe motion.
- I can read distance–time graphs.
- I can distinguish distance and displacement.
- I can describe steady and changing speed.
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
- Motion is relative to a reference point.
- A straight sloping line shows steady speed.
- A flat line shows being still.
- A steeper line shows faster motion.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Speed. 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.
- Define distance and displacement. [2 marks]
- Describe a graph with slope, flat and slope. [3 marks]
- Explain how to read speed from a graph. [3 marks]
- Safety rule. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- 1 each
- Moving [1]; stopped [1]; moving again [1]
- Choose part [1]; divide [1]; units [1]
- Any [1]; reason [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
- What is distance?
- What is displacement?
- What shows still?
- What shows faster?
- What is a reference point?
- Why a reference point?
- Why flat?
- Why steeper?
- Walk.
- Plot.
Homework
Draw a distance–time graph for your walk to school.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is distance? | How far. | 1 |
| 2. What is displacement? | With direction. | 1 |
| 3. What shows still? | Flat line. | 1 |
| 4. What shows faster? | Steeper. | 1 |
| 5. What is a reference point? | Starting place. | 1 |
| 6. Why a reference point? | Describe position. | 1 |
| 7. Why flat? | No movement. | 1 |
| 8. Why steeper? | Faster. | 1 |
| 9. Walk. | Table. | 1 |
| 10. Plot. | Graph. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 How far.; 2 With direction.; 3 Flat line.; 4 Steeper.; 5 Starting place.. Level 2: 1 Describe position.; 2 No movement.; 3 Faster.. Level 3: 1 Table.; 2 Graph.; 3 Sentence..
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 Describe motion | 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 Read distance–time graphs | 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 Distinguish distance and displacement | 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 Describe steady and changing speed | 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 flat line means going fast.” Still.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Read distance–time graphs.
- 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 describes motion. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Time a walk.
- Ask “How fast?”
- Stay safe.
- 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: describe motion; read distance–time graphs; distinguish distance and displacement; describe steady and changing speed.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 5 ideas: pushes, pulls, gravity, friction and air resistance.
Materials. Stopwatch, metre sticks, graph 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. Mark the course.
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 learner to walk across and ask, “How can we show this on a graph?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach motion.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners walk.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners plot.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What does the line show?
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 flat line means going fast.” Still.
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. Read distance–time graphs. 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 6 Unit 6, topic 7; Next Generation Science Standards, forces and interactions; Cambridge Lower Secondary Science, physics; IB Primary Years Programme, how the world works. These sources informed the lesson.