Pushes and Pulls
Background Information & Activities

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Studying forces and motion helps children understand the world around them and explore how things interact with each other. This movie explores forces, or pushes and pulls, which can change the way something moves. It also introduces position and how motion is a change of position. Children will learn that friction is a force that acts in the opposite direction of motion to slow things down, and also learn that speed tells us how fast something is moving. We recommend doing plenty of hands-on experiments and activities with children to help reinforce concepts. What are some objects that we push or pull to move? Would it be easier to push a heavy box across ice or across a rocky surface?

Explain that a position is the location of an object. Have children describe the location of different objects around them. Challenge them to describe the location of one object in as many ways as they can. For example, a book might be on top of the table, but the book might also be under the pencil sharpener and next to the door. Describe the locations of different objects together, using words such as right, left, above, below, under, over, etc.

Remind children that motion is a change of position. When a person throws a ball, he or she puts it in motion and the position of the ball changes. When a baseball player runs around the bases, his or her position changes. Teach children the terms that describe the motions different objects make. For example, a top spins around and around, a swing moves back and forth, and a clock pendulum moves from side to side. When you do jumping jacks, you move up and down. Encourage children to think of things that can twist and turn, curve, or even go in spirals or loops. What things move under their own force, and what things need to be pushed or pulled?

Explain that a force is a push or pull that can change an object's position, and put it in motion. Brainstorm different ways children push and pull things to move them. They might push a door to open it, or pull a door to close it. They might push a shopping cart, pull a wagon behind them, push someone on the swings, pull flowers to pick them, or push a button to turn something on.

Give children pennies, marbles, or other small objects to push on the floor or on a flat surface. What happens to the motion of the object when they push harder? Explain that when they use more force, the object might move faster or move farther. Speed describes how fast something moves. Fast-moving objects go farther distances in a small amount of time. Slow-moving objects take much longer to go the same distance. Have children think about heavy and light objects. Which is harder to put into motion: a bowling ball or a beach ball? Children should know that you need more force to put heavier objects in motion.

Friction is a force that slows down moving things. When someone rides a skateboard, he or she drags a foot on the ground to slow down. When a baseball player slides into a base, the ground pushes against the player to slow him or her down. These are both examples of friction. Friction is a force that acts in the opposite direction of motion. Encourage children to think of other examples of friction. How do their bicycle brakes work? Why might an icy road be slippery? Why is it harder to skate on grass than on concrete?

Studying pushes and pulls will help children explore the world around them. Encourage them to ask questions and create experiments to find the answers. Hands-on activities can help foster learning and inspire children to explore further.

See more lesson plans and resources: BrainPOP Educators.

Pushes and Pulls Teacher Activities

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"Simon Says"

Play "Simon Says" with your whole class. Call out different motions they can do, such as jumping up and down, spinning around, doing a push up, etc. You may also want to call out different positions, like "stand to the right of your desk" or "go under a table." Then have students take turns calling out positions and motions.

Pushes and Pulls Hunt

Put together a list of items that require a push, pull, or both to operate or use. For example, you might list a door that needs to be pushed to open, a box with a top that needs to be pulled off, or a pencil, which requires both a push and a pull. Send small groups on a scavenger hunt around the classroom or the school to find the items. They can either sketch the item and describe its position or location in the school, or take digital pictures of the item, if possible, and describe each item's position to the class.

Pushes and Pulls Family Activities

© 1999-2013 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Push a Block

Give your child a block or a toy car to push across different surfaces. He or she can push the object across the rug, a sweater or sweatshirt, a smooth desk, a rubber mat, or, if possible, on the ground outside on dirt or sand. Encourage your child to push in the same way with the same strength. When was it easiest to push the item? When did the item move the fastest? Try measuring the pushes to find out when it traveled the farthest. Discuss how friction is a force that slows down moving things, and how friction is useful in your daily lives.

Pull

Present a challenge for your child: in one hour, how many activities can he or she do that require pulling or pushing? Have your child brainstorm different activities before beginning their time. Can they push a stroller or cart, or pull a suitcase or box? Have your child think of different activities and then try to fit as many as he or she can in an hour. Be sure your child records his or her activities in a notebook. After time is up, review the activities. Which required the most energy to push or pull? Why? What activities were easy, and what were made difficult by friction?