Unit Plan 2 (Grade K Science): Pushes & Pulls
Kindergarten unit explores pushes and pulls, comparing strength and direction to show how forces change motion through hands-on investigations.
Focus: Explore how pushing and pulling cause objects to move, and compare how different strengths and directions of pushes/pulls affect an object’s motion.
Grade Level: K
Subject Area: Science (Physical Science • Inquiry/Investigation)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Students explore motion through hands-on play that becomes real science investigation. They test how pushes and pulls make objects start moving, stop, speed up, slow down, or change direction. Across the week, students compare “more” and “less” force using simple tools (ramps, toy cars, blocks) and collect class data with pictures, tallies, and simple graphs.
Essential Questions
- How do pushes and pulls change the motion of an object?
- What happens when we change the strength (gentle vs. strong) of a push or pull?
- What happens when we change the direction (forward, backward, sideways) of a push or pull?
- How can we do a simple investigation to compare results and use evidence to explain what happened?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Describe and demonstrate a push and a pull using classroom objects.
- Plan and conduct a simple investigation to compare how different strengths of pushes/pulls affect motion.
- Compare how different directions of pushes/pulls affect motion (straight, turn, stop, bounce).
- Record observations using pictures, tallies, or simple class charts as evidence.
- Share a claim (kid-friendly) about how pushes/pulls affect motion using results from the investigation.
Standards Alignment — Kindergarten (NGSS-Aligned)
- K-PS2-1 — Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.
- Example: Compare a gentle vs. strong push on the same toy car, or compare pushing forward vs. pushing sideways.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can show a push and a pull.
- I can tell what happened when I pushed or pulled (it moved, stopped, sped up, or changed direction).
- I can try two different pushes/pulls and say which made it move more or less.
- I can use our chart/data to explain what I noticed.
- I can share what I learned using because.