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.
