ExplorerGrade K⏱ 10 min
Push and pull
Push or pull a ball, a toy car and a heavy box. See how hard and which way changes where they go.
Standards: K-PS2-1K-PS2-2
1Wonder
How do you make a swing go? How do you open a door? You push, or you pull!
2Explore
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Turn your phone sideways, or open this lesson on a tablet or computer. The explanation and quiz below work here.
Push or pull?
How hard?
What to move
Try this
- Give the ball a gentle push. Then a strong push. Which one goes farther? Look at the flags.
- Now try the heavy box with the same push. What happens?
- Choose Pull. Which way does the ball go now?
- Push the ball very hard. What happens when it reaches the wall?
3Explain
Step 1 of 5
A push moves things away
When you push, the thing moves away from you.
Pushes and pulls
A push or a pull can make things start, stop, speed up, slow down or change the way they go. Harder pushes make bigger changes.
4Practice
Question 1 of 5
Is the child pushing or pulling?
5Recap
- A push moves things away from you. A pull moves things toward you.
- A stronger push or pull makes things go farther and faster.
- Heavy things need a bigger push to move.
- A push can change the direction something is moving.