All lessons › Pushes, pulls and falls › Lesson 1
Australian primary science · Years 3–4 · Lesson 1 of 3
Touch or no touch?
Inquiry question: Which forces need to touch, and which work at a distance?
Marked no materials needed
Classifying
What students learn
Contact forces need touching (kicking, friction). Non-contact forces work at a distance (magnetism, gravity).
Success criteria
- I can sort forces into contact and non-contact.
- I can test what a magnet attracts.
- I can explain a magnet working through cardboard.
Preparation and materials
Before this lesson: Students know a force is a push or a pull.
- iPads with Bottlebrush Education open (nothing else needed) — 13 (one per pair)
- Projector or big screen — 1
Teacher setup
- Open Forces & energy › Play › Contact or not? on your screen to demonstrate.
- Check the iPads are charged.
Safety and adaptations
Follow school science and equipment risk assessment procedures for the materials used.
Review your school policies and curriculum requirements before teaching.
How to investigate
The lesson sequence should leave pupils with evidence to interpret, not only an activity to finish.
- Pairs play Contact or not? and sort each card.
- Open Magnet lab; predict then test at least six objects.
- Test the magnet through layers of cardboard.
- Record predictions and results.
Teacher modelling prompt
On the big screen do two Contact or not? cards, then test one object in Magnet lab: “I predict the paperclip is attracted because it is steel… yes.”
Record and explain evidence
Recording question: Which objects does a magnet attract?
| Object | Prediction: attracted? | Result |
|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
Example recording headings; record actual observations, including inconclusive results.
Discussion prompt
What evidence from Magnet lab helps?
Check understanding
What should pupils know? Give one contact force and one non-contact force.
Explain with evidence: How do we know a magnet’s force can act through things?
Apply the idea: Why do recycling plants use big magnets?
Teacher answer guidance and saved classroom work are available through the main lesson experience where supported.