Assess students’ understanding about how things move and the cause of the movement.

• Make observations while circulating around the room, seeing whether students are engaged with the various discussions and activities. Make notes of student responses throughout your observation.

• Use the following checklist to assess students’ progress:

• The student can sort objects that are pushed and pulled.

• The student can identify something that rolls and something that slides.

• The student is able to build a ramp.

• The student can create a model that moves.

• Individually assess students in describing their movement model. Ask them to move their movement model in different directions to see their comprehension of directional vocabulary.

• Observe students during interactive discussions on how things move and the causes of movement.

Show students a glass with an index card over the glass. Place a coin on top of the index card. Stimulate some thought and curiosity from students with the following questions:

• “Is the coin moving?”

• “How can we move the coin without touching it?”

• “How can the coin be moved into the glass?”

Have students discuss in small groups and then record predictions and ways to move the coin. Organize their ideas on a chalkboard or large poster for all students to see. “What would happen if I flicked the card?” Collect ideas again from students and organize them on the chalkboard or poster. Then flick the card on the side. The card should fly to the side and the coin should fall into the glass. “Magic, right? Why did the coin fall into the glass if we didn’t touch it?” Have students draw conclusions about why this happened and list their ideas on the chalkboard or poster. List the lesson vocabulary words on the board and encourage students to use those words when describing their conclusions. Review any questions about the vocabulary words first and possibly redefine the vocabulary words with more age-appropriate definitions.

• Force: causes something to move

• Push: causes something to move away from a force

• Pull: causes something to move towards a force

• Roll: turning over and over to move

• Slide: dragging across a surface to move

• Motion: the act of moving

Help students understand that the index card moved because you hit it out from under the coin, and gravity caused the coin to fall into the glass. The index card was stopping gravity from pulling it into the glass. Now put the coin on a flat surface and watch it for awhile.

• “Does the coin move?”

• “How could we cause the coin to move?”

• “What would happen if we quickly took the table away?”

Brainstorm ways for the coin to move. Explain to students that the goal of today’s lesson is to understand why things move and what causes the movement.

Activity 1

Have students sit in a circle and place different toys and objects in the center of the circle. Encourage children to think about how these objects could be moved. “Do they need to be pushed or pulled?” As a class, try to group the objects under pull or push. Make sure students explain their answers.

Provide each student with a block or cube, a ball, and a writing device (crayon, marker, or pencil). Have students work with partners or small groups to decide whether each object rolls or slides. Have them place the objects into two piles accordingly. Explain to students what a ramp is and show the class how a ramp can be made.

Assemble a simple ramp in the center of the floor for all students to see and experiment to determine whether their objects slide down the ramp or roll. Encourage partners to discuss what is going on.

Activity 2

Have students discuss the effect of speed on the object. “Does the object go fast or slow?”

• “How do you make it go fast or slow?”

• “Are all ramps the same?”

Finish with a short discussion on where ramps are located at their school and homes and why they are used to help people.

Review the vocabulary that was introduced today and have students act out the various vocabulary words.

Have students stand up and show how they pull, push, slide, and roll. Make this an active process. Students can use props such as a chair to show pushing. Have students share the meanings of the vocabulary words with each other.

Have students look around the room and name items that moved with a push or a pull. List the items on a chart or board. Review the list with students, and say “As I say each word, tell me if it moves with a push or a pull.” Write the following sentence starter on the board or chart and have students respond.

I can move the ______ with a _____.

Extension:

Here are activities for students who may be going beyond the standards:

• Give students time to try flicking the index card and having the coin fall in the glass, or have them come up with other experiments similar to this.

• Have students create a movement model. They are to design a model. Have students discuss how the model moves (direction and what type of force is applied).

Here is an activity for students who might need an opportunity for additional learning:

• Have students look through magazines to find pictures that show a push or a pull force being used.