3rd grade · Science · Unit 1 of 12
Pushes, Pulls & Forces
Gravity, magnets, friction and changing motion
What your child practices
Forces as pushes and pulls, contact and non-contact forces (gravity, magnetism, static electricity), friction, how bigger forces change motion more, and helmets and seat belts as safety devices.
Alabama Course of Study content standard: 3.1; 3.3 · balanced and unbalanced forces, and forces that act without touching
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- A force is a push or a pull. A bigger force changes motion more.
- Contact forces need touching. Gravity, magnetism and static work without touching.
- Friction slows moving things. Helmets and seat belts spread out forces to protect us.
Example: A magnet pulls a paper clip from a short distance. Contact or non-contact force? The magnet does not touch the clip. Answer: non-contact
Pushes, Pulls & Forces in Alabama
In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 1 of 12 in 3rd grade Science, before Speed & Motion.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Two magnets push each other apart without touching. This shows a…
🧲- twisting force
- non-contact force
- friction
- contact force
non-contact force
Hint: The magnets act from a distance.
Question 2
To reduce damage from flooding along a river, people can…
🌊- build barriers and keep homes away from the riverbank
- pour more water on the banks
- remove all dams
- cut down trees on the bank
build barriers and keep homes away from the riverbank
Hint: Flood forces from fast water are hard to stop; planning where to build helps keep people safe.
Question 3
Why do we put sand on an icy sidewalk?
🧂- to add friction so people don't slip
- to make the ice melt in a second
- to make it brighter
- to make it slipperier
to add friction so people don't slip
Hint: Sand makes the surface rough, so shoes can grip.
Question 4
Which force can act without touching?
🧲- friction
- pushing a swing
- magnetism
- kicking a ball
magnetism
Hint: Magnets can push or pull things from a distance, so magnetism is a non-contact force.
Question 5
Which kind of force can change a flat piece of clay into a ball?
🧱- a magnet
- a smell
- squeezing and pushing
- gravity only
squeezing and pushing
Hint: Pushing and squeezing change shape.
Question 6
A bike helmet helps keep you safe in a crash because it…
⛑️- takes away gravity
- stops the bike from falling
- makes the bike faster
- cushions and spreads out the force
cushions and spreads out the force
Hint: The helmet slows down the force on your head so it hurts less.