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3rd grade · Science · Unit 2 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.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) teks student expectation: 3.7(A) · contact forces and forces at a distance such as magnetism and gravity

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 Texas

In the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), this is unit 2 of 12 in 3rd grade Science, after Matter & Particles and 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.

Source: Texas Education Agency (TEA)

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

    When you squeeze a sponge, the force changes its…

    🧽
    • name
    • color
    • smell
    • shape

  2. Question 2

    What force pulls everything toward the Earth?

    🍎
    • pollen
    • electricity
    • friction
    • gravity

  3. Question 3

    Does the force need touching? Tap an item, then tap its basket.

    Sort into: 🤝 contact force · 🧲 non-contact force

    • 🧲two magnets pushing apart
    • 🛒pulling a wagon
    • 🧲a magnet pulling a paper clip
    • 🚪pushing a door open
    • 🎈a balloon sticking to a wall (static)
    • ⚽kicking a ball

  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

    Which kind of force can change a flat piece of clay into a ball?

    🧱
    • squeezing and pushing
    • a magnet
    • gravity only
    • a smell

  6. Question 6

    A soccer ball is kicked harder. What happens?

    ⚽
    • it goes slower
    • it goes faster and farther
    • it turns green
    • it stays still

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