2012 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltdsciencesmart Teacher S Guide Grade 1 Chapter 7 Lesson

Lesson Plans

Chapter 7: Forces

Total number of periods: 12 periods

Overview of Lesson Plans

What Makes Things Move? (4 periods)

Lesson / Specific Instructional Objectives / Cambridge Primary Scientific Enquiry Skills / Process Skills / 21st Century Skills / Number of Periods
7.1 / Pupils should:
-be able to explore and describe the movement of familiar things
-be able to observe and describe different ways of moving our body / Try to answer questions by collecting evidence through observation. (1Ep1) / Observing
Analysing
Communicating / Use systems thinking
Make judgements and decisions / 4

What Is a Force? (2 periods)

Lesson / Specific Instructional Objectives / Cambridge Primary Scientific Enquiry Skills / Process Skills / 21st Century Skills / Number of Periods
7.2 / Pupils should:
-be able to recognise that pushes and pulls are forces / Try to answer questions by collecting evidence through observation. (1Ep1)
Make comparisons. (1Eo4) / Observing
Analysing
Classifying / Use systems thinking / 2

What Can Forces Do? (4 periods)

Lesson / Specific Instructional Objectives / Cambridge Primary Scientific Enquiry Skills / Process Skills / 21st Century Skills / Number of Periods
7.3 / Pupils should:
-be able to recognise that forces can cause things to start or stop moving, speed up, slow down or change direction / Try to answer questions by collecting evidence through observation. (1Ep1)
Explore and observe in order to collect evidence to answer questions. (1Eo1)
Make comparisons. (1Eo4) / Observing
Comparing
Inferring / Use systems thinking
Make judgements and decisions
Apply technology effectively / 4

What Are Some Natural Forces? (2 periods)

Lesson / Specific Instructional Objectives / Cambridge Primary Scientific Enquiry Skills / Process Skills / 21st Century Skills / Number of Periods
7.4 / Pupils should:
-be able to understand that forces are present in nature as well / Explore and observe in order to collect evidence to answer questions. (1Eo1) / Observing
Inferring / Apply technology effectively
Work independently
Communicate clearly / 2

Main Lesson Plans

Lesson 7.1

BSCS 5E / Lesson Notes / Resources
Chapter opener
Background:At the amusement park, the games played at most of the game stalls involve forces. For example, the greater the force of the hammer hitting on the target, the greater the height of the weight raised. Archery involves a pull of the elastic string of the bow to fire an arrow. Helium balloons can exert a lifting force because helium is less dense than air. To keep something moving in a circle, a force is needed. / Textbook page 95
Engage:
An interesting situation is presented to introduce the chapter / Teaching Tip:Ask pupils if they have gone to an amusement park, playground or funfair where there are rides and game stalls. Allow pupils to talk to their classmates about their experiences with rollercoaster rides, merry-go-rounds or carousels, etc. Point out to pupils that there is lots of ‘movement’ in such places.
Get pupils to read or act out the comic strip in the chapter opener.
What Will I Learn?
Emphasise to pupils what their learning journey will be like for this chapter.

A force is a push or a pull.
A force has effects on an object.

/ Textbook page 96
What Makes Things Move?
Background: One characteristic of living things is that they can move by themselves. They get the energy they need for movement from food. Non-living things move when forces act on them. A car moves when the driver applies a force on the acceleration pedal, which allows air and fuel to enter the combustion engine. Water falls towards the ground as a result of gravity. A pinwheel spins due to the force of the wind. A top spins as a result of a string exerting a turning force on the top when it is pulled. A bowling ball, when thrown, will exert a force on the pins when it comes into contact with them.
Explore:
Pupils learn by exploring and observing common phenomena / Teaching Tip: Take pupils for a short walk around the school. Get them to spot things that move.
Ask pupils:

What are some things that move?
What types of movement are there?
What makes these things move?

Ask pupils to observe the type of movement made. Get pupils to describe the movement using words like ‘turn’, ‘jump’, ‘roll’, ‘swing’ etc.For example, “A grasshopper hops away.”; “A flag is flapping in the wind.”; “A wheel is turning.”; “A ball is rolling.”; “A boy is jumping.”; “The door swings open.”
Process Skill: Observing
Background:We have a skeletal system made up of bones that supports our body and gives it shape. Joints occur where two bones meet. Some joints allow movement in all directions, some joints allow restricted movement whereas others are immovable joints. Our muscles exert a force to move our bones. / Textbook page 97
Explain:
Concept is explained to pupils / Explain that:

Living things such as humans move. They can move by themselves.
Living things need food to give them the energy to produce a force.

Activity: Play a fun song such as “The Hokey Pokey” or “If You’re Happy and You Know It” and get pupils to move their bodies in different ways to the rhythm of the music played. Involve different parts of their body including the head, trunk and legs. Describe each movement so that pupils become familiar with the words associated with movement: nod your head, twist your hips, jump up and down, shake your body, swing your arms, bend your body, spin etc. Then, ask pupils the question posed by Smarty: “What other movements can your body make?”
Alternatively, the ‘Freeze’ game can be played with pupils. You can play a song and get pupils to dance with the music. Stop the music at any time and pupils have to freeze in whichever position they are in at that time.
Get pupils to recall that they have already learnt about the different parts of the body in Chapter 1: My Body. This section reinforces what they have learnt about the parts of the body by adding movement to each part.
Background: When we kick a ball, our foot exerts a force on the ball to move it. When we open a door, we push the handle downwards or twist the knob to move the latch and then push the door away or pull it towards us. When we pour a sauce, we exert a force to tilt the jug, and the sauce will flow out due to the force of gravity. / Textbook page 98
Explain:
Further explanation is given / Point out to pupils that we need forces to carry out all movements. The muscles in our body are able to produce these forces from the energy obtained from the food we eat.
Elaborate:
Concept is extended further to stimulate thinking / Teaching Tip: Ask pupils if they are able to carry out different types of movement such as jump up and down or turn round and round if they go without food for a few days. Lead pupils to conclude that food provides us with the energy we need to produce forces needed for movement.
Process Skill: Analysing
21st Century Skill: Use systems thinking
Explain that:

Forces are invisible. We can only see what forces can do.

For example, when we lift up our foot to kick a ball, we can only see the foot lifted but not the muscles at work to pull the foot upward. We can see the ball flying away but not the force that is applied to the ball.Similarly, when we tilt a jug of chocolate syrup, we can see the chocolate syrup flowing onto the pancake but not the force of gravity pulling the syrup towards the Earth.
Evaluate:
Pupils’ understanding is assessed through an activity / Activity: Carry out the activity in Build Your Skills! with the class. Get pupils to work in pairs to answer the questions. Ask pupils if they have been to the playground. Prepare some pictures of common playground equipment in case some pupils are not familiar with the equipment. Get pupils to contribute the answers in the discussion.
Process Skills: Observing, Analysing, Communicating
21st Century Skills: Use systems thinking; Make judgements and decisions / Workbook page 67
Activity 1: This Is Done With a Force!

Lesson 7.2

BSCS 5E / Lesson Notes / Resources
What Is a Force?
Background: The force we exert is a push if the thing moves away from us, and a pull if it moves towards us. We exert a push on a pram, a swing and a ball as these things move away from us. We pull a tug toy towards us. We also pull on a rope during a tug-of-war. A drawer opens with a pull and closes with a push. / Textbook page 99
Engage:
Toys and games are used to introduce the concept / Activity: Get pupils to bring some toys that are played with the help of a force such as a yoyo, Beyblade or spinning top to class. Alternatively, pupils can play a game of tug-of-war in the school field.
Ask pupils:

To play this toy or game, what do you need to do?

Explore:
Pupils learn the concept by studying toys / Explore how the toy works with the help of a force. Allow pupils to try to explain how the toy works. For example, “I play this yoyo by letting it go such that it falls, then pulling it up again.”;“I turn the screw here to wind up the toy so that it can move.”
Process Skills: Observing, Analysing
21st Century Skill:Use systems thinking
Ask pupils:

What is a force? (Answer: A force is a push or a pull.)
What is the difference between a push and a pull? (Answer: A push makes things move away from us whereas a pull makes things move towards us.)

Explain:
Concept is reinforced with explanations / Teaching Tips:

Discuss each of the scenarios in the Textbook to demonstrate what a push is.Reinforce to pupils that in all the scenarios, the thing or person being pushed moves away from the person pushing.

Similarly, use the scenarios in the Textbook to demonstrate what a pull is.
Reinforce to pupils that in all the scenarios, the thing being pulled moves towards the person pulling.

Demonstrate the concepts of ‘push’ and ‘pull’ by pushing an object, e.g. a toy car away from you and pulling it towards you.

Evaluate:
Pupils’ understanding is assessed through an activity / Activity: Carry out the activity in Build Your Skills! with the class to distinguish between a push and a pull.
Process Skill: Classifying
Explain that:

Lifting a dumbbell involves a pull of the arm towards the shoulders.
Throwing a basketball involves a push of the ball towards the direction of the net.
Archery involves a pull of the string of the bow to stretch it so that the arrow can be fired.
Cycling involves pressing the foot on the pedal, which is a push.
Rollerblading involves pushing forward with the rollerblade against the ground.
Stretching elastic exercise bands involves pulling on both ends of the bands.

/ Textbook page 100
Elaborate:
Pupils give more examples where the concept is applied / Teaching Tip: Get pupils to suggest and perform different activities that need to be carried out using a force, e.g. pressing the keys of a calculator, throwing or bouncing a ball, pulling the elastic band of a catapult, or cutting a slice of cheese using a plastic knife. Tell pupils that pressing, throwing and cutting are pushing actions. Lifting and stretching are generally pulling actions.
Process Skills: Classifying, Observing
21st Century Skill: Use systems thinking / Workbook page 68
Activity 2: Balloon Power!
Consolidation Worksheet 1

Lesson 7.3

BSCS 5E / Lesson Notes / Resources
What Can Forces Do?
Background: Typing on a keyboard involves using a force to press the keys down. Zipping up a jacket involves using a force to pull the zip up. Writing involves a push and pull on the pencil. Opening a jar involves a twist, which is a push and pull. / Textbook page 101
Explore:
Pupils find the concept applied to daily examples
Elaborate:
Pupils study the concept in examples / Teaching Tip: Ask pupils to state some examples of everyday tasks which are done using pushes and pulls. Examples include pulling up a zip, turning on a tap, tying shoelaces and opening a door.
Tell pupils that we use forces to do things every day. Get pupils to look at the examples in the Textbook so that they can relate to the experiences of using forces.
Ask pupils:

Do you zip up a jacket or a skirt or shorts?
Do you open a jar?
Do you type on a keyboard?
Do you write?

Which of these are pushes? Which of these are pulls?
Teaching Strategy: Relating to real life
Background: A heavier object has a greater reluctance to move compared to a lighter object, so a larger force is needed to start it moving. Similarly, once a heavier object starts moving, it has a greater reluctance to stop moving compared to a lighter object, so a greater force is needed to stop it. / Textbook page 102
Explore:
Pupils learn the concept through a physical activity / Activity: Split the class into groups of 10 and get ready a few balls. Bring the class out into the field and let pupils explore how a ball can be moved.
Ask pupils:

How do you start a ball moving? (Answer: Push the ball forward to make it move.)
How do you stop a moving ball? (Answer: Catch the ball to stop it from moving.)
How do you make a moving ball go faster? (Answer: Use a bigger force to make the ball move faster.)
How do you make a moving ball go slower? (Answer: Apply a force in the opposite direction from the direction of motion to make a ball slow down.)
How do you change the direction of a moving ball? (Answer: Apply a force in a different direction from the direction of motion of the ball.)

Process Skills: Observing, Comparing, Inferring
21st Century Skills: Use systems thinking; Make judgements and decisions
Engage:
Pupils watch a demonstration of the concept in a game / Teaching Tip: Show pupils a short clip of a ball game such as soccer or volleyball,like in the suggested website. Ask pupils to watch the ball being thrown or kicked by one team to start the ball moving, and how the ball is passed from one team member to another, or how it is intercepted by the opponent.
Tell pupils that the ball game is possible because of what forces can do. / URL 7.1
Explain:
Concept is summed up in an explanation / Explain that:

Forces are invisible, but we can see what they do.
When a force is applied to an object at rest, it will start moving.

Give an example such as a bowling ball starting to move when the player gives it a push.
21st Century Skills: Use systems thinking
Explore:
Concept is taught in a demonstration / Teaching Tip:Carry out a demonstration with an empty box. Get a pupil to volunteer to push it across the floor. Add a book in the box and ask the same pupil to push it. Keep adding things into the box. Each time, get the pupil to share his or her experience in pushing it compared to the previous time.
Lead pupils to conclude that a bigger force is needed to move a heavier object.
Process Skills: Observing, Comparing, Inferring
Common Misconception:Pupils may think that forces are visible, and that the string pulling a tug toy is the force causing it to move. Explain that it is the tension in the string caused by the person pulling it that causes the toy to move. The string itself is not a force. We cannot see a force, only its effect.
Explain:
Concept is summed up in an explanation / Explain that:

When a force is applied to a moving object in the opposite direction from its direction of motion, the moving object may stop.

Give an example such as a player catching a ball in a softball game. Point out that similar to the earlier demonstration, a bigger force is needed to stop a heavier object.
Ask pupils to brainstorm and think of a scenario where a bigger force is needed to stop a heavier object.
Background:A greater force, when applied in the direction of a moving object, can cause it to move faster. For example, a boat with eight people rowing will move faster than the same boat with only two people rowing in the same direction. A force applied opposite to the direction of motion of an object will cause it to slow down. For example, a braking force acts in opposition to the motion of a bicycle and will slow it down. A parachute that is falling due to gravity has an upward force of air known as air resistance acting on it to slow it down. / Textbook page 103
Ask pupils:

How does a moving object speed up or slow down?

Teaching Tips:

Ask pupils if they can cycle. Ask them:

What do you do when you want to move faster?
What do you do when you want to slow down?
What do you think is the direction of the braking force?

Explain:
Concept is summed up in an explanation / Explain that:

It is also possible that a force applied to a moving object in the opposite direction from its motion can cause a moving object to slow down.

(Give an example such as the force acting in the opposite direction from a bicycle’s motion and slowing it down when the cyclist presses on the brakes.)

When a force is applied in the direction of motion of a moving object, it will move faster.

(Give an example such as when more people row a boat in the same direction, the boat will move faster than when there are fewer people rowing the boat. You can point out the importance of teamwork in an activity such as rowing a dragonboat.)

Pupils can learn more about forces and motion from the suggested website.

/ URL 7.2
Explain:
Concept is summed up in an explanation / Explain that:

When a force is applied in a different direction from the direction of motion of a moving object, the object will change its direction of motion.

(Give an example such as volleyball players intercepting a ball at the net or a softball player hitting a ball thrown by the pitcher.)
Relate the different effects of forces to pupils’ experiences with the ball out in the field earlier on.
Background:A force can cause some objects to change their shape. Some changes are temporary, e.g. squeezing a sponge and pulling an elastic band. When the forces are removed, the objects return to their original shapes. Some changes are permanent, e.g. cutting a cake, grinding coffee beans and moulding clay. When the forces are removed, the objects do not return to their original shapes. / Textbook page 104
Engage:
Concept is taught in a demonstration / Teaching Tips:

Bring to class some elastic hair bands. Show pupils how they can be stretched and twisted to tie hair. Ask pupils to predict what will happen when the elastic band is removed from the hair.
Bring some playdough in the shape of an egg to the class. Press dents on the dough to create eyes. Pinch some dough from the centre to form a nose. Lastly, add a curved slit to form a mouth. Some dough can be added to the two sides to form ears. You may want to practise this first before the lesson, so that you can do a good demonstration in class.

Explain:
Concept is summed up in an explanation / Ask pupils:

What is the effect of forces that you have observed? (Answer: A force can change the shape of an object.)

Get pupils to give more examples of forces resulting in a change in the shape of an object.
Process Skills: Observing, Inferring
Evaluate:
Pupils’ understanding is assessed through an activity / Activity: Get pupils to assess what they have learnt about forces and what they can do by doing an activity and a quiz as suggested in Discover More!
21st Century Skill:Apply technology effectively / URL 7.3
Workbook page 69
Activity 3: Shape Changer!
Evaluate:
Pupils contribute to discussion that sums up the section / Ask pupils:

What are examples of forces affecting the movement and shape of things?

Teaching Tip: Discuss the effect of forces in each of the scenarios outlined.

A great crushing force during a crash has changed the shape of the car.
A braking force has slowed down the motorbike and sent sand on the ground flying in the air.
A force applied by the hammer has caused the walnut shell to break into pieces.
A rocket is fired upward when combustion inside the rocket sends fuel gases exiting rapidly from the rear end of the rocket.
A pounding force on the garlic cloves has crushed them and changed their shapes.
A force applied on the cake has squashed it and changed its shape.
The woman exerting a force on the punching bag changes its shape as well as moves it.

/ Textbook page 105
Workbook page 70
Activity 4: Forceful Words!
Workbook page 71
Activity 5: What a Force Can Do!
Consolidation Worksheet 2

Internet links for Lesson 7.3