Forces resources

Explain what affects the distance travelled by toy cars, and why they eventually stop. Assessment focus: science explanations using ideas about forces and energy.

Choose which toy vehicle will roll further, and explain why. The two vehicles are set up under different conditions (ramps at different slopes, rolling onto different surfaces at the bottom). Assessment focus: science explanations using ideas about forces and energy.

Students construct three different sized parachutes from plastic bags. They then carry out a fair test to see which sized parachute is the most effective. Students answer questions about fair tests, collect and record their results, and make a conclusion.

Task: Match terms with definition. Assessment focus: science vocabulary.

Task: Identify patterns in a table and suggest ways to make a toy travel further. Assessment focus: interpreting data; energy; forces.

Task: Describe which cyclist uses more energy and why. Assessment focus: forces created by air resistance.

Task: Answer a multiple choice question about the material attracted to magnets, select which magnet of four is strongest, and give a reason for choice. Assessment focus: magnetism.

Students name the force that delivers water to households from a water tower and then explain advantages and disadvantages of a wind-powered pump compared to a petrol-powered pump.