Science Fenns K-5Grades K to 5
A boy pulling a red wagon across a schoolyard while a girl pushes a swing nearby.

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Pushes and Pulls

Forces you can feel and forces you can see.

Lesson 14 of 41

Try this first

Before we start

Today’s story

Pushes and Pulls

Eli grabs the handle of a wagon and pulls. The wagon rolls. His sister gets in and he pulls again. It is harder.

Then he walks behind it and pushes. The wagon rolls the other way. A push moves a thing away. A pull moves it closer.

A push or a pull is a force. Most forces touch the thing they move. The steps show how to spot them.

See it

Five steps. Every time.

    Hands on

    Push and pull hunt

    20 minutes · Do this with a grown-up nearby

    You need

    • A toy car or wagon
    • A rope or string
    • A box
    • A ball
    • Paper and pencil

    Do this

    1. Predict whether pushing or pulling will move the toy car farther.
    2. Push the car gently.
    3. Pull it with the string.
    4. Push it harder.
    5. Pull it harder.
    6. Try other objects.
    7. Write push or pull and what happened.
    Write or draw: A table with the object, push or pull, and what moved.

    Watch for: Notice that harder pushes or pulls change motion more.

    Safety: Clear the floor so nobody trips. Keep fingers clear of doors.

    Same every time

    Three rules

    Rule 1A force is a push or a pull.

    Look for what is pushing or pulling.

    Rule 2Contact forces touch.

    The hand touches the door.

    Rule 3Bigger forces cause bigger changes.

    A hard kick sends a ball far.

    Grandpa Fenn’s notebook

    Say it like a scientist

    force
    A push or a pull.
    contact
    Touching.
    push
    A force that moves something away from you.

    Poppy’s quiz

    Six questions

    Tap an answer. Green means right. You will see why.

    Talk about it

    Say it out loud

    • How do you know that was a push? What did you notice?
    • What pushes and pulls happen when you do chores?
    Did you know

    A strong horse can pull a loaded wagon that weighs far more than the horse, because wheels roll easily.

    Someone who does this

    A rancher pushes and pulls gates and bales all day.

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