Lesson Title: When Push & Pull Come to Shove!

Target Concept(s): Push, Pull, Motion, & Force.

First and Last
Caitlyn Hinnerschitz
Name
School Name EDEL 488 – Coastal Carolina University
Class/Grade Level Second Grade
Standard 2.P.4: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of pushes, pulls,
and friction on the motion of objects.

Performance Indicator 2.P.4A.2: Develop and use models to exemplify the effects of
pushing and pulling.
State Standards
Performance objectives:
 After completing a sorting activity and a push & pull scavenger hunt, students will be
able to correctly determine whether to push or pull an object to put it in motion four
times and provide one sentence to support their decision.
Prerequisite Skills None
Body of the
Lesson
The instructor conducts the following demonstration to hook the students:
 The teacher will have a row of ten dominos displayed in the front of the room.
 Then, the teacher will knock down the first domino using their hand; therefore,
causing a ripple effect for all the rest of them to fall down.
 Next, the teacher will put each domino back into its starting position.
Engage The teacher will then ask the following questions to the students:
 What caused the dominos to fall down?
 What happened if the first domino was never touched, would they have still fallen
down? Why or why not?
 What caused the dominos to be put back up in their original position?
*Note: In this section students will record their observations, predictions, and findings in their science
notebook. If your students do not utilize a science notebook, a sheet of loose-leaf paper or created
worksheet will work as well.
Push, Pull, or Both? Sorting Activity
 To explore their thinking, the teacher will divide students into groups of five. Each
group will receive two hula hoops (one red and one blue).
Explore  The teacher places the two hula-hoops down on the students’ desks to create a Venn
Diagram.
 The teacher will label the red hoop on the left “Pull” and the blue hoop on the right as
“Push.” The overlap section will be labeled “Push & Pull.”
 Each group will receive a bag with 10 everyday objects. The items in the bag will be
a calculator, flashlight, pen with button on top (clicking-pen), ball, eraser, band aid,
 marker with cap, double-pole toggle switch (light-switch), shoelace, tissue box, and
dumdum lollipop with wrapper on.
 The students must then collaborate to decide what category each item belongs in.
o Items to go in push section: calculator, flashlight, clicking pen, ball
o Items to go in pull section: shoelace, tissue, dumdum lollipop
o Items to go in push & pull section: eraser, band-aid, marker, light-switch
 Once completed, one member from the group will take a picture of their finished
product and upload the image to their Google Classroom Page.
 The teacher will display each group’s image of their completed Venn Diagram on the
smartboard.
 The students will come back together whole group. The teacher will lead a discussion
about the similarities and differences between each group’s Venn Diagram by asking
the following questions:
o What objects would you push? Pull? Push and pull?
 Anticipated response: I put the calculator, flashlight, clicking pen, and
ball into the push category. I put the shoelace, tissue, and dumdum
lollipop into the pull category. I put the eraser, band-aid, marker, and
light-switch in the push and pull category.
 If students place the object in a different category, the teacher will ask
them to justify their thinking by demonstrating the force on the object.
At that time, the teacher can clear any misconceptions.
o What was your group’s thinking behind placing this object in this specific
category?
 Anticipated response: Our group placed the tissue in the pull section
because you have to bring the object (the tissue) closer to you.
Answers will vary, but students should be using the terms “away
from” and/or “closer to” to explain their reasoning.
o Did anyone have a different answer? What was your reasoning for placing it
into another category?
 Anticipated response: I did not place the light-switch into the category
of push and pull because you only pull the light switch up and down.
 The teacher would respond by explaining that to turn on the light-
switch you move it away from you (push) and to turn it off you move
it closer to you (pull); therefore, it is both push and pull. The teacher
would use the light-switch in the classroom to demonstrate the
concept.
 To conclude, students will write in their science notebooks (a) what they did, (b)
what they observed, and (c) what they learned.
 The teacher will start the explain process by asking the following probing question:
o What were the two ways you made the ten objects in your bag move?
(Students will answer pushing and pulling. The teacher will explain that one
Explain
could push, pull, or push and pull each of the objects with an equal force.)
 The teacher will then write the following essential terms on the whiteboard in the
front of the room: Motion, Push, Pull, and Force
  The teacher will then ask students what they believe the essential terms mean. The
students will respond using the information they gathered from their observations in
the explore stage.
After the brief discussion, the teacher will present an interactive PowerPoint presentation.
The students will follow along with a guided notes sheet.
*A copy of the PowerPoint and guided notes sheet is attached below the lesson plan.
 Slide one: Cover slide.
 Slide two: The teacher will ask students what they think “motion” means and show a
real-world example of motion taking place. Then, the teacher will define the term and
ask the students to demonstrate “motion.”
o Motion: When something is moving or changing place or position.
 Slide three: The teacher will ask students what they think the term “push” means and
will show real-world examples of objects being pushed. The teacher will then define
the term and ask students to demonstrate “push.”
o Push: When a force moves an object away from something.
 Slide four: The teacher will ask students what they think the opposite of pushing
something is. Students will answer “pulling.” The teacher will then ask students how
they would define the term “pull,” and will show a real-world examples of objects
being pulled. The teacher will then define the term and ask students to demonstrate
“pull.”
o Pull: When a force brings an object closer.
 Slide five: The teacher will ask students if push and pull are similar or different.
o Anticipated response: They are different because a push moves something
away from the starting point, while a pull moves something closer. They are
opposites. Push and pull are similar because they are both forces.
o Then, they will discuss how pushes and pulls can vary in strength and
direction.
 Slide six: The teacher will ask what students think the term “force” means, and will
show a real-world example of force. The teacher will define the term and ask the
students to demonstrate “force.”
o Force: The push or pull on an object. It can make an object move faster,
slower, remain in place, or change shape.
The teacher will then show a brief educational video to reinforce the meaning of the essential
terms. The video is entitled “Forces Can Push or Pull” by Jack Hartmann
 Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-SnC_WKsCg
 After watching the video, the teacher will hold a brief discussion with the students
regarding the following questions:
o What did you observe in the video?
o What things did you see in the video that you push or pull every day?
 The teacher will then give each student a copy of the lyrics and will play the video
again.
To conclude, the students will glue their guided notes and lyrics into their science notebook.
Push and Pull Scavenger Hunt
Extend or To extend or elaborate their thinking, the teacher will take the students on a scavenger hunt
Elaborate outside on the school’s playground. The students will be required to find three objects that
can be pushed, three objects that can be pulled, and two objects that can be both pushed and
pulled. If your school does not have a playground, students could find the objects in the
classroom.
*Students will record their answers on a graphic organizer. A copy can be found below. *
 The teacher will instruct students that they will be going outside on a scavenger
hunt.
 The students will then be placed into groups of three. Each group will be handed a
checklist sheet, clip board, and a graphic organizer.
 The class will then go outside to the playground area and spend five minutes
observing the area.
 The teacher will review with students that their task as a group is to:
o (1) Find at least three objects that can be pushed.
o (2) Find at least three objects that can be pulled.
o (3) Find at least two objects that can be pushed and pulled.
o (4) Record their findings on their graphic organizer.
o Note: Gifted and talented students could be posed with the task of finding
more objects, while learning disabled students would be allowed to find
fewer objects (two, two, and one).
 The students will have twenty minutes to complete their scavenger hunt and
experiment with the different objects.
 Once students have located their items, they will record their findings in the
designated space on their graphic organizer. They will record the following
information:
o Name of the object?
o What happened after you pushed or pulled the object? (observations)
 Once each group has finished their hunt for objects that they could push and pull, the
students will return to the classroom.
 As a group, students will then pick their favorite object from each category (push,
pull, and push & pull) and create a drawing that shows what they observed after that
object was either pushed, pulled, or pushed and pulled. The goal is for students to
demonstrate their understanding of the effects that a push or pull has on an object.
o After the students have chosen their objects, they will discuss with the
teacher what three objects they have chosen.
o The students will then create a drawing that depicts the effect of the force.
o Students will have to include the following criteria: (1) the name of the
object, (2) whether it was pushed, pulled, or pushed and pulled, (3) an
illustration of what the object looked like before the force, (4) an illustration
of what the object looked like after the force, and (5) a one sentence
summary of the observation.
 Once completed, one member will then take a picture of their finished drawings and
post it to the classes’ Google Classroom Page.
 After every group has posted their photograph of their drawings, each student will
comment on at least one of the other group’s illustrations. In their comments,
students will note any similarities or differences they had. The following prompts
will be provided to students to help them get started:
o Our group also put (insert object) in the category of (push/pull/push & pull)
because…
 o Our group put (insert object) into a different category. We put (insert object)
into the category of (push/pull/push & pull) because …
o I would have never thought that (insert object) would be classified as
(push/pull/push & pull) because…
 To conclude, the teacher leads a discussion on the students’ results. Students are
encouraged to share their findings with peers.

Extension Activity:
Students will rotate through five stations to conduct different experiments regarding the
effects of pushing and pulling an object. Students will fill out a designated portion of their
graphic organizer at each station.
*A copy of the graphic organizer and station directions be found below.
 To prepare each station, the teacher should use painter’s tape to label where students
will be aiming to have the object land.
 Students will be divided into five groups. With their groups, students will rotate
through each station. Students will have fifteen minutes to complete each station.
 Station One: Pulling a door open with a small rope to a specific angle.
 Station Two: Pushing a “Hot Wheels” car a certain distance.
 Station Three: Pushing a pencil a certain distance.
 Station Four: Pulling a rubber band back so it travels at a certain
distance.
 Station Five: Pushing a ball to the target line without using hands.
 At each station, students will have to determine whether to push or pull an object to
Extend or put it in motion. Students will indicate their decision on their graphic organizer.
Elaborate  Once they decide, students will have to exert just the right amount of force so that an
object stops on or near a target line. It becomes a contest among groups to see who
can move their object closest to the target line.
 Each student in the group will get the opportunity to practice moving the object three
times. During this time, the group will create their strategy.
 Once the practice round is complete, the group will get five total attempts to land the
object on the target line. This enables each student the chance to push or pull the
object during the competition round. When it is not their turn to push or pull the
object, students will record two observations about what is happening on their graphic
organizer.
 The students will take a picture of their attempt using their personal learning device.
 As a group, they will analyze each attempt and choose the picture that displays the
object closest to the target line. The group will also create a one to two sentence
explanation that describes the strategy they implemented to have the object stop at or
near the target line.
 One group member will post their group’s photograph and strategy explanation to the
appropriate place on the classes’ Google Classroom page.
 Once the picture is uploaded, each student will have to respond individually to at least
one other group’s strategy for that specific station. Students are encouraged to ask
questions, support their peer’s thoughts, or suggest recommendations.
 To conclude each station, the students will write a brief one sentence statement on
their graphic organizer answering the following question:
o What did you do, and why?
  After each group has been through all five stations, the teacher will hold a brief
discussion focusing on the students’ observations and results. The teacher will ask the
following questions:
o What objects did you pull and why?
o What objects did you push and why?
o Were there some objects that you could push and pull?
o What strategies did you use to have the objects stop on or near the target line?
Formative Assessment (Informal)
 During each phase of the lesson, the teacher will complete a checklist that serves as a
formative assessment tool. The teacher will check off a wanted behavior when it is
performed by each student during informal observations.
 During each phase of the lesson, the teacher will ask probing questions to formatively
assess student learning.
 The teacher will use the students’ drawings from the elaborate phase as a formative
assessment.
Post- Test (Formal)
 Students will complete a five-question assessment via Go Formative. For each
question students will:
o (a) Determine whether to push or pull an object to put it in motion (worth .5
points)
o (b) Provide a one-to-two sentence explanation for their choice using the words
force, motion, and push or pull. (worth .25 points)
o (c) Create an illustration or diagram that explains what would happen to the
object after the push or pull. (worth .25 points)
 The five tasks on the post-test assessment are opening a fridge, sliding in a chair,
mowing the lawn, lifting a backpack, and making a slam dunk in basketball.
* A copy of the checklist & post-test assessment with the answers labeled can be found below.
Evaluate
Evaluation Explanation
 If 80% of students correctly answer four out of the five questions on the post-test, then
I will know that students have met the learning goals in place.
 Learning goals:
o The students will be able to evaluate what force (push or pull) is needed to put
an object in motion.
o The students will be able to know the effects of a force.
o The students will be able to synthesize a model depicting the effects of a force.

Evaluation of Own Learning

 The students will be able to evaluate their own learning through the various group
discussions that occur in the full lesson.
 The students will be able to evaluate their own learning and their peers’ learning in the
elaboration stage when posting and reflecting on the photographs uploaded on Google
Classroom.
 The students will be able to see their scores on their post-test assessment and will
receive individualized feedback from the teacher. This will enable students to monitor
their progress.
Materials and Resources Required Per Student Group
Engage Phase:
 Ten dominos for engage phase demonstration
Explore Phase:
 One red and one blue hula-hoop with appropriate labels for each group
 One bag full of everyday objects per each group (Objects can be same or different
for each group)
 One iPad or Chrome Book per student with a camera application
 Access to the classes’ Google Classroom page
 One science notebook per student to record what they learned
Explanation Phase:
 One whiteboard and expo marker
 Teacher PowerPoint presentation
 One copy of the song lyrics per student
 One copy of the guided notes sheets per student
Extend or Elaborate Phase:
 One copy of the graphic organizer, checklist, and a clipboard per group
Materials  One iPad or Chrome Book per student with a camera application
 Access to the classes’ Google Classroom page
 Station materials (extension activity – optional)
o Station one: Classroom door and one piece of rope
o Station two: One “Hot Wheels” car
o Station three: One number two pencil
o Station four: One rubber band
o Station five: One bouncy ball
o One copy of the graphic organizer used during stations per student
o One roll of blue painter’s tape
o One copy of the station task cards
Evaluate Phase:
 Access to Go Formative
Materials used in each phase:
 Writing utensils for student use
 Observational Checklist (teacher use only)
 One science notebook per student
Video used during explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-SnC_WKsCg
Internet Resources Go Formative: https://goformative.com & https://goformative.com/join (code: YVPZGJ)
Google Classroom: https://classroom.google.com/h (class code: z80m7j6)
References None