KINDERGARTEN Sample STEM Activity
Pushes and Pulls
Forces and Motion
Pushes and Pulls
We move things by pushing or pulling them!
Decide whether these pictures show a push or a pull, and place
the pictures in the correct space.
Push
Pull
1
Pushes and Pulls
Forces and Motion
2
Pushes and Pulls
Picture Vocabulary
NGSS
Physical Science Push
Use force to move away.
Pull
Use force to move towards.
Strength
How strong something is.
Direction
The path of the object.
Do 1: Scientific Investigation
Cross the Finish Line
Description
Students determine which object requires more force to be
pushed and moved across a finish line.
Materials
Printed Material
1 Student Journal: Cross the Finish Line (per student)
Reusable
1 Pencil (per student)
1 Small paperclip (per pair)
1 Wooden block (per pair)
Consumable
1 Straw (per student)
Procedure and Facilitation Points
Part One
Lead students in a discussion on how to use the straw to blow the objects
across the finish line. Stress the importance of blowing with the same
strength (force) every time. Remind students to think about what they notice
about the two items before and after they blow because they will be talking
about it afterwards.
Part Two
Give each student a straw.
Group students in pairs and give them one paperclip and one wooden block.
Students make observations about the two objects such as size, color, weight,
etc.
Students should discuss with their partner what they think will happen when
they try to move the two objects by blowing on them with a straw.
Student A uses the straw to blow each object across the finish line. Student B
counts and record how many puffs through the straw it takes student A to get
each object across the finish line.
Student roles are then be reversed to repeat the investigation.
After the investigation, students shade in each block on the graph on their
worksheet to indicate how many puffs through the straw it took to move their
paperclip and wooden block over the finish line.
Procedure and Facilitation Points (cont’d)
Part Three
Discuss
How many puffs through the straw did it take to move the block across the finish line?
The paperclip? Answers will vary, but the amount will be significantly more for the
block than the paperclip.
Which item do you think was heavier? I think the wooden block was heavier.
How did the experiment help you decide which one was heavier? It took more
puffs/force to move the block, so I knew that the block was heavier.
Were you using the force of pushing or pulling during this activity? Pushing.
Why do you think things moved in different ways even though everyone was using a
straw? Some people may be holding the straws higher/lower. Some people might be
blowing harder/softer.
Teacher Note: Group students who need more guided practice together and spend
more time with them as they go through the investigation.
Prompt (CER)
Which object required more force to be pushed (blown) and moved across the finish
line?
Pushes and Pulls
Forces and Motion
Cross the Finish Line
A. Have your partner record the number of puffs through the straw it
took to move your paperclip and wooden block over the finish line.
It took _________ puffs to move the paperclip over the finish line.
It took _________ puffs to move the wooden block over the finish line.
B. Color each block to indicate how many puffs through the straw it
took to move your paperclip and wooden block over the finish line.
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Paperclip
Number of puffs
Wooden Block
Pushes and Pulls
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
Pull!
Put a check in the box to show whether the box was easy or hard to pull.
Station Number
Easy to pull
Hard to pull
1
2
3
4
5
6
1 Pushes and Pulls
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
Pull!
Student CER
B A Which wagon would be easier to pull?
1. I think wagon
would be easier to pull.
2. Draw something you think would be hard to pull.
Pushes and Pulls
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
1
Students use a fan to push a ball on
the floor. How can the students give
the ball a bigger push?
A
B
C
Turn the fan
around.
Use two
fans.
Take the fan
away.
1
Pushes and Pulls
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
2
A student pushed a marble on the
table. The marble moved. It looked
like this.
What did it look like when the
student pushed the marble in the
other direction?
A
B
C
2
Pushes and Pulls
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
3
Students pushed three wagons away
from the door.
Which wagon was given the biggest
push?
A
B
C
3
Pushes and Pulls
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
4
The teacher threw a paper airplane.
Which student threw their paper
airplane farther than the teacher?
A
B
C
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
4
Pushes and Pulls
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
5
Students sat in a chair and tried to
throw balls into a square on the floor.
Which ball went in a different
direction?
A
B
C
5
Pushes and Pulls
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
Pull!
Student Rubric
3
2
1
Based on the picture,
I answered the
question accurately.
I did not answer the
question completely.
I didn’t answer the
question.
I was able to draw an
accurate picture and
tell my teacher about
my answer.
I was able draw an
accurate picture or
tell my teacher about
my answer, but I was
unable to do both.
I wasn’t able to draw
an accurate picture or
tell my teacher about
my answer.
I actively listened to
and followed my
teacher’s instructions.
I listened sometimes,
and I followed some
directions.
I did not listen to or
follow directions.
Answer
Explain
Listening and
Following Directions
Pushes and Pulls
Forces and Motion
1
How can you make something move away from you?
I can
2
it.
How can you make something move closer to you?
I can
it.
1
Pushes and Pulls
Forces and Motion
3
Draw a picture of you moving something heavy.
2
Extensions
Kinesthetic
Play Simon Says with your class! Use push and pull commands. “Simon says stand BEHIND your chair.” Simon
says push your chair quickly (slowly) to another spot. Simon says pull your nose. Simon says push your hair.“
Field Trip
Take a field trip to the zoo. Ask them to describe the way an animal is moving around in its habitat. Does it push
or pull to get food? to climb? to crawl? To help, have the students mimic the behavior to get a better feel of
whether a push or a pull is at work.
Make a Maze
Challenge students to make a maze for a small remote control vehicle. They can use any objects that can make
two "walls,” such as blocks, ropes, masking tape, etc.. Leave some of the maze straight. Other parts of it can zigzag, go under a desk, go up and down a ramp, or go behind a chair, etc.. One variation is to use a small toy car
that students push through the maze. Make sure students focus on what parts of the maze require a stronger
or lighter push.
Marble Roll
You will need a large assortment of toilet paper rolls cut in half lengthwise. Challenge students to make a
marble roll path out of toilet paper troughs taped from end to end from the top of a desk down to the floor. It
should create a variety of motions: straight lines, zig-zags, going around in a curve, up and down, etc.. When
they release the marble at the top, it should follow the tube path as gravity pulls it downward. Students call
out the type of motion as the marble changes movement between path shapes. Another variation is to cut
plastic tubing lengthwise and create a flexible trough that the marble can follow.