Forces at KS2

Last updated: 15/11/2023
Contributor: Craig Early
Forces: KS2 cover
Main Subject
Key stage
Resource type
Teaching pack

A sequence of exciting and practical investigations to develop children’s understanding of this key area, which features in both the year 3 and year 5 programmes of study.

The pack comprises 12 sections – six for each year group – and includes a variety of activities, from testing the attraction and repulsion forces of magnets to exploring the effects of air resistance.

How can you resist?

What's included?

  • 39 supporting resources
  • includes detailed teaching notes and suggested extension activities to develop children’s questioning and decision making
  • links to the curriculum.

What's inside?

Session 1: What is a force? (pages 5-12)

  • Teaching sequence
  • Forces – rank the materials
  • Friction investigation planner
  • Friction investigation – recording results

Session 2: Magic or magnets? (pages 13-19)

  • Teaching sequence
  • Magic or magnets?
  • The Great Fernando – fact or fraud?

Session 3: Is everything magnetic? (pages 20-36)

  • Teaching sequence
  • Investigation – Is everything magnetic?
  • Magnetic or non-magnetic – sorting activity
  • Sorting interactive– magnetic or non-magnetic
  • Sorting interactive– magnetic or non-magnetic images
  • Magnetic or non-magnetic – recording sheet
  • Metals – magnetic or non-magnetic
  • Are all metals magnetic?
  • Magnetic – yes or no?

Session 4: Which magnet is the strongest? (pages 37-45)

  • Teaching sequence
  • Magnets – attract or repel?
  • Which magnet is the strongest?
  • Which magnet is strongest – super scientist prompts

Session 5: Are two magnets stronger than one? (pages 46-51)

  • Teaching sequence
  • Are two magnets stronger than one?

Session 6: Magnetic gaming (pages 52-64)

  • Teaching sequence
  • Magnet games – how do they work?
  • Design a magnet game
  • Flowchart for making a magnetic game
  • Magnetic game evaluation sheet

Curriculum coverage and mapping – Year 5

Session 7: Gravity investigation (pages 65-76)

  • Teaching sequence
  • Forces in balance
  • Investigation prediction
  • Gravity investigation planner

Session 8: Air resistance (pages 77-87)

  • Teaching sequence
  • Air resistance paper test
  • Air resistance: good or bad?

Session 9: Air resistance investigation (pages 88-96)

  • Teaching sequence
  • Equal and opposite forces
  • Air resistance investigation – letter
  • Air resistance investigation – plan
  • Risk and Reward Service challenge – investigation prompts
  • Parachute jump

Session 10: Water resistance (pages 97-103)

  • Teaching sequence
  • Which shape moves most quickly through water?
  • Which shape moves most quickly through water – investigation prompts

Session 11: Friction investigation (pages 104-115)

  • Teaching sequence
  • The power of friction
  • Sole patterns
  • Which surface creates the most friction?
  • Which surface creates the most friction for a sport shoe – investigation prompts
  • Friction – advantage or disadvantage?

Session 12: Levers and pulleys (pages 116-125)

  • Teaching sequence
  • Gears, pulleys and levers
  • Gear ratios
  • Gears investigation
  • Make your own pulley
Forces: KS2 pack
£10.00
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All reviews

Have you used this resource?

Thanks a lot. Excellent material and good activities.

Elvira Pares

19/03/2020

5

19/03/2020

5

24/03/2019

5

Thanks a lot. Excellent material and good activities.

Elvira Pares

19/03/2020

5

19/03/2020

5

24/03/2019

5

5

5