Big Idea: Forces and Topic: P7.

2 Different Indicative hours: 8

Fields Forces

Prior knowledge and skills required (KS2/KS3)

During KS2 students will have been introduced to and investigated different forces. In year 3 they will have investigated magnetic forces and learned
that they can act at a distance without contact. In year 5 students will have explored ideas about gravity and investigated the effects of forces on
falling objects such as sycamore seeds and parachutes. They will have been introduced to the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction,
that act between moving surface.
Topic Overview and progression and link to the programme of study
This topic is based around developing ideas of what forces are and what can forces do. The idea is that we revise the concepts of forces and their
effects met at KS2 and extend students' knowledge of friction, gravity and springs. Investigations including stretching springs and floating and sinking
provide good opportunities for the development of scientific skills. Representation of forces as arrows gives the suggestion that forces have direction
Links to KS3 PoS include:-
 forces as pushes or pulls, arising from the interaction between 2 objects
 using force arrows in diagrams, adding forces in 1 dimension, balanced and unbalanced forces
 moment as the turning effect of a force
 forces: associated with deforming objects; stretching and squashing – springs; with rubbing and friction between surfaces, with pushing things
out of the way; resistance to motion of air and water
 forces measured in newtons, measurements of stretch or compression as force is changed
 force-extension linear relation; Hooke’s Law as a special case
 work done and energy changes on deformation
 non-contact forces: gravity forces acting at a distance on Earth and in space, forces between magnets, and forces due to static electricity
Apparatus and techniques developed Working Scientifically skills developed
AT 1 – Use appropriate apparatus to record a range of Experimental skills and strategies - use appropriate measurement techniques and
measurements (to include mass, length, force, extension apparatus, to measure length, mass and force, paying attention to accuracy and health
AT 2 – use of a Newton metre and safety.
Analysis and evaluation - use and derive simple equations and carry out appropriate
calculations including Hookes law. The presentation of data on graphs and the analysis
of data using graphs and tables (Hookes law/extension data)
Scientific vocabulary, quantities - Use of SI units for mass, length, force including
multiples and sub-multiples.

Learning objectives Teaching ideas/ links to resources Indicative success

criteria
Forces and their effects
 Know that forces are pushes and pull and can be  Circus of simple practical activities to identify
measured in Newtons (N) different forces such as stretching a rubber band, an
 Understand that the size and direction of forces can  Describe what
object to weigh using a force meter, two magnets, a force is.
be shown using arrows. rubbing a balloon for static forces etc.
 Understand that friction forces affect movement.  Recall the
 Draw force arrows on simple free body diagrams names of
 Give students practice using force meters by asking simple forces.
 them to weigh a range of objects and to measure  State what is
other forces, such as the force required to open a meant by:
door, to drag a book or other object along a bench, or contact force,
the force they can exert with their little fingers. non-contact
 Demonstrate how a linear air track works to illustrate force.
effects of friction.  Recall the
Opportunities for Extension – investigate factors affecting effects of
friction. forces on an
Exploring Science: 7Ka,7Kc object.
 State what is
meant by:
friction, air
resistance,
water
resistance.
 Classify forces
as contact and
noncontact.
 Recall the unit
for measuring
forces.
 Describe how
to use a force
meter and a
newton
meter.
 Identify
situations and
places where
different
forces
including
friction are
likely to be
found.
 Represent
sizes and
directions of
forces using
arrows.
Gravity, Weight and Mass
 Know that mass and weight are not the same.
 Discussion of difference between mass and weight.  State what is
meant by:
Exploring Sciences: 7Ka mass, weight.
 Recall the
direction in
which gravity
acts.
 Explain the
difference
between mass
and weight
Balanced and Unbalanced Forces  Demonstrate various situations where forces are  State what is
 Understand that the forces acting on an object can balanced (e.g. a helium-filled balloon tied to a mass meant by:
be balanced or unbalanced to stop it rising, floating object). Discuss the types of balanced
 Know that the forces on a floating object are forces and how students know they are balanced. forces,
balanced  Investigate upthrust by measuring weight of objects unbalanced
suspended in water. forces.
 Explain the
Exploring Science: 7Ke effects of
balanced and
unbalanced
forces in
simple
situations,
including
floating and
sinking.
 Explain why a
vehicle needs
a force from
the engine to
keep moving
at a constant
speed.

Springs
 Know that the extension of a spring depends on the
force applied.
 Students investigate the stretching characteristics of  State what is
various materials (e.g. springs and elastic bands) to meant by
 Core Practical: Investigate the extension and work done find out whether a material stretches in a linear or extension,
when applying forces to a spring non-linear fashion. Plot graphs of data. compress,
Opportunities for Extension – investigate how stretch,
springs/rubber bands in series and parallel behave elastic, plastic.
Exploring Science: 7Kb  Describe how
GCSE students will be expected to use F=kx and so learner the extension
should draw graphs with Force on the y axis. of a spring
depends on
the force
applied.
 Explain what is
meant by
elastic limit,
limit of
proportionality
.

Scientific terminology
extension, compress, stretch, elastic, plastic, elastic limit, limit of proportionality, balanced, newton, newton metre, friction, lubrication, gravity, mass,
weight, gravitational field strength, Hookes Law, upthrust

Title: Introduction to Forces

Grade Level: Year 7 (ages 11-12)

Objective: - Understand the concept of forces and their effects on objects - Identify different types of forces and their characteristics - Apply knowledge of
forces to real-life examples

Materials: - Whiteboard or blackboard - Markers or chalk - Chart paper - Sticky notes - Various objects (e.g., books, balls, magnets) - String or rubber bands -
Balloons - Worksheets or handouts (optional)

Lesson Plan:
 1. Introduction (10 minutes) a. Begin the lesson by asking students if they know what a force is. Write down their responses on the board. b. Explain
that a force is a push or pull that can change the motion or shape of an object. c. Show examples of forces in everyday life, such as pushing a door,
throwing a ball, or pulling a wagon.

2. Types of Forces (15 minutes) a. Introduce the different types of forces:

 Gravity: the force that pulls objects towards the center of the Earth

 Friction: the force that opposes motion between two surfaces in contact

 Magnetic force: the force exerted by magnets

 Applied force: a force applied by a person or object b. Discuss each force in detail, including their characteristics and examples. c. Use sticky
notes to create a chart on the board, labeling each type of force and providing examples.

3. Demonstrations and Experiments (20 minutes) a. Divide students into small groups. b. Provide each group with different objects and ask them to
identify the forces acting on them. c. Instruct students to perform simple experiments, such as dropping objects to observe the force of gravity or
sliding objects on different surfaces to observe friction. d. Encourage students to record their observations and discuss their findings as a class.

4. Forces in Action (15 minutes) a. Show videos or images of real-life examples where forces are at work, such as a car accelerating, a rocket launching,
or a person jumping. b. Discuss the forces involved in each example and how they affect the motion or shape of the objects. c. Ask students to share
any personal experiences where they have observed forces in action.

5. Conclusion and Recap (10 minutes) a. Summarize the main points discussed in the lesson, emphasizing the different types of forces and their effects.
b. Conduct a brief class discussion to ensure students have understood the concepts. c. Assign a small worksheet or handout to assess students’
understanding of forces (optional).

Extensions: - Have students research and present on a specific force, such as gravity or magnetism. - Conduct additional experiments to explore the effects of
forces on different objects or surfaces. - Introduce Newton’s Laws of Motion and discuss how they relate to forces.

Note: The duration of each section can be adjusted based on the pace of the class and the availability of time.