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3rd grade · Science · Unit 2 of 10

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.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 3-PS2-1; 3-PS2-3 · balanced and unbalanced forces, and magnetic forces that act without touching

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. A force is a push or a pull. A bigger force changes motion more.
  2. Contact forces need touching. Gravity, magnetism and static work without touching.
  3. 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 New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 2 of 10 in 3rd grade Science, after How Plants Grow & Change and before Basic Needs & Life Cycles.

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.

Source: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    To reduce damage from flooding along a river, people can…

    🌊
    • build barriers and keep homes away from the riverbank
    • remove all dams
    • pour more water on the banks
    • cut down trees on the bank

  2. Question 2

    A ball rolls across the grass and slowly stops. What force slows it down?

    ⚽
    • friction
    • a push from the Moon
    • magnetism
    • static electricity

  3. Question 3

    Which surface has the most friction?

    🧱
    • sandpaper
    • polished glass
    • a wet bar of soap
    • ice

  4. Question 4

    Which surface had the most friction?

    How far the toy car rolled (cm)
    020406080100120140carpettilewood floor
    • tile
    • carpet
    • wood floor

  5. Question 5

    Why do we put sand on an icy sidewalk?

    🧂
    • to make the ice melt in a second
    • to make it brighter
    • to add friction so people don't slip
    • to make it slipperier

  6. Question 6

    Two magnets push each other apart without touching. This shows a…

    🧲
    • contact force
    • friction
    • non-contact force
    • twisting force

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