YEARS 1 TO 10 SOURCEBOOK MODULE SCIENCE

UPPER PRIMARY

Level
SCIENCE

F 1 2 3 4 5 6 B6

Force and motion

Strand
Energy and Change
Key concept
The forces acting on objects influence their motion, shape, behaviour
and energy.

Purpose
Activities in this module are designed to help students understand that there
are different forces that affect the motion, behaviour and energy of objects,
and that energy is transferred and transformed. Students have opportunities to:
• investigate how forces affect the motion and energy of particular objects;
• analyse the relationship between the forces applied to objects and their
motion and energy;
• communicate their understandings of the relationship between the forces
applied to familiar objects and the motion and energy of those objects.

Overview of activities
The following table shows the activities in this module and the way in which
these are organised in introductory, developmental and culminating phases.

Introductory Developmental Culminating

Types of forces Bouncing balls Guided investigation:
Kinetic energy in toys Making a flic flac Force, energy and
Friction motion
Swings and seesaws
Paper planes

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Core learning outcomes

This module focuses on the following core learning outcomes from the
Years 1–10 Science Syllabus:
Energy and Change 3.1 Students collect data and make and test inferences to describe the effects
of forces (including magnetic and electrostatic forces) on the motion and
shape of objects.
4.1 Students design and perform investigations into relationships
between forces, motion and energy.
5.1 Students analyse situations where various forces (including balanced and
FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

unbalanced forces) act on objects.

Core content

This module incorporates the following core content from the syllabus:
Energy and Change • motion and forces;
– pushing/pulling;
– gravity;
– friction (opposing motion, everyday applications and implications);
• motion and energy changes;
– kinetic energy;
– potential energy (elastic, gravitational).

Assessment strategy

Suggestions for gathering information about student learning are provided in

each of the activities in this module. Once sufficient information has been
collected, judgments can be made about students’ demonstrations of
outcomes. Typical demonstrations of this module’s intended outcomes are
provided here to indicate the pattern of behaviour to look for when making
judgments.
Energy and Change 3.1 Students collect data and make and test inferences to describe the
effects of forces (including magnetic and electrostatic forces) on the motion
and shape of objects.
Students may:
• describe the effect that gravity has on objects;
• generalise that, when something moves or changes shape, it is due to
a force or forces acting on it;
• explain that the effect of friction is to slow down the motion of
something.

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Energy and Change 4.1 Students design and perform investigations into relationships between
forces, motion and energy.
Students may:
• explain that a force must be applied to an object before its motion can
be changed;
• relate the motion (direction and speed) of an object to the forces acting
on it;
• interpret that, when a force is applied to an object, energy is transferred
or transformed;
• conclude that an object has energy if it has the ability to change the

FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

motion of another object;
• design and perform investigations that allow them to illustrate the
relationships between the forces acting on an object, its energy and its
motion.
Energy and Change 5.1 Students analyse situations where various forces (including balanced
and unbalanced forces) act on objects.
Students may:
• analyse the effects of applying different amounts of force to an object;
• identify the relationships between variables which affect the motion of
an object;
• explain the motion of an object in terms of a number of forces acting,
such as air resistance and gravity.

Background information

Current scientific conceptions

Force
A force is an influence that produces, or tends to produce, a change in the
motion of an object. When there is a push, a pull, a bend, a twist, a turn,
a squeeze, a tear, a lift, a stretch, friction or resistance, at least one force is
being exerted.
A force can move something, make it go faster or slower, change its direction,
stop it, or change its shape. Often, an object will be affected by a number of
forces at once. If these forces are balanced, the object will be held in place
and will keep its shape.
When a force is applied, energy can be transferred or transformed. Transfer
of energy refers to the shifting of energy from one object to another. For
example, a bowling ball with kinetic energy (energy of movement) hits the
tenpins and gives them kinetic energy. Transformation of energy refers to the
change from one form of energy to another. For example, electrical energy is
transformed to light and heat energy when you switch on a light.

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Energy
The concept of energy is complex, and scientists define the term ‘energy’
using different emphases, depending on their disciplines. In this module,
an object is said to have energy if it has the ability to change the motion of
another object. The energy an object has is dependent on its motion and/or
position.
There are many different forms of energy, including:
• kinetic energy (energy of motion or movement);
• heat energy;
• light energy;
FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

• sound energy;
• electrical energy;
• potential (stored) energy, which includes gravitational energy, chemical
energy (food, coal), elastic energy and nuclear energy.

Gravity
According to the Newtonian model, gravity is a force of attraction that any
body with mass has towards any other body with mass. The effect of gravity
increases with increased mass. For example, the effect of gravity is greater on
the Earth than it is on the moon because the Earth has a larger mass than the
moon. The effect of gravity is also greater over shorter distances. For
example, the sun has a greater gravitational pull on the Earth than other
more distant stars do. Gravity contributes towards keeping the planets in
orbit around the sun and is the reason that objects fall towards the Earth
when they are dropped.

Friction
Friction occurs when two objects slide across each other. It results from
contact between the objects’ surfaces.
An object will move across a surface if the force applied to move it is greater
than the force due to friction. The effect of friction can be reduced by
streamlining, and by minimising the amount of contact between surfaces
through the use of wheels, ball bearings, lubricants and flat surfaces — for
example, snow skis. The presence of friction in many everyday situations is
helpful — in fact, movement without friction is difficult if not impossible.
The use of cogs in machinery, bitumen on roads and treads on tyres and
shoes helps to increase the effect of friction.
Air resistance is the friction that occurs when an object makes contact with
particles in the air.

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Students’ prior understandings

Students’ prior understandings may differ from current scientific conceptions
in a range of ways.

Force
Some students may:
• believe that the force of an object resides within the object rather than
being an external effect. This may relate to the common belief that if an
object is not moving there are no forces acting on it, and if an object
is moving there is a force acting on it in the direction it is moving. This
belief is incorrect. For example, if an object is stationary on the ground,

FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

gravity is acting downwards and a reaction force from the ground is acting
upwards. If an object such as a toy car is given a push across a flat surface,
there is initially a forward force acting on it; however, once it is allowed to
move freely, there is no forward force. Friction exerts a force in the
opposite direction to the object’s motion and is the reason it eventually
stops moving.
• believe that forces can be applied only by living things. Thus, they may
realise that a human can apply a force but may not consider the effects of
gravity or friction.
• be aware of one or several forces being exerted on an object but may not
consider all forces. For example, students may realise that gravity is acting
on a ball rolling down a hill but may not consider the effect of friction
acting in the direction opposite to the motion of the ball.

Resource Teachers can help students build on their prior understandings by asking
R Sheet 1 them to discuss and reflect on everyday situations that involve forces. (Some
examples of situations are provided on Resource Sheet 1.)

Energy
Some students may:
• use the terms ‘energy transfer’ and ‘energy transformation’
interchangeably;
• have heard about energy only in relation to food such as bread, breakfast
cereals and sports drinks;
• not be aware of potential (stored) energy;
• believe that energy is associated only with living things or moving things.
Teachers can enhance students’ understandings by emphasising correct usage
of the terms ‘energy transfer’ and ‘energy transformation’ and by providing
opportunities for students to consider different forms of energy, including
potential energy.

Gravity
Some students may:
• believe that the moon has no gravity when, in fact, it does. However, the
effects of gravity on the moon are less than those on the Earth because the
moon has a smaller mass.
Teachers can help students broaden their understandings by encouraging
discussion about the relative effects of gravity on the Earth and on the moon.

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Friction
Some students may:
• be aware of the disadvantages of friction but not its advantages;
• find the concept of air resistance difficult to understand if they are
unaware that the air is filled with many invisible gas particles.
Teachers can build on students’ understandings by providing opportunities
for them to:
• discuss situations where friction is a help and other situations where it is
a hindrance;
• investigate the presence of gas particles in the air — for example, by
exploring why a balloon expands when it is inflated.
FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

Terminology
Terms associated with forces, motion and energy are essential to the activities
in this module — for example:
air resistance energy transformation kinetic energy
elastic energy friction potential energy
energy transfer gravity
Students may already be aware of some of this terminology. If so, the
activities will provide opportunities for them to evaluate current usage.

Cooperative learning — working in groups

Many of the activities in this module are best conducted in small groups.
When students are working in groups, there should be a focus on cooperative
learning. Information about cooperative learning is provided in the
sourcebook guidelines, Appendix 2.

School authority policies

Teachers need to be aware of and observe school authority policies that may
be relevant to this module.
Safety policies are of particular relevance to the activities that follow. It is
essential that demonstrations and student activities are conducted according
to procedures developed through appropriate risk assessments at the school.
In this module, teachers need to consider safety issues relating to:
• using elastic bands;
• using swings and seesaws;
• making and flying paper planes.

Support materials and references

Australian Academy of Science 1994, Primary Investigations: Teacher Resource

Book 6 — Energy and Investigation, Canberra.
Skamp, K. (ed.) 1998, Teaching Primary Science Constructively, Harcourt
Brace and Co. Australia Pty Ltd, Marrickville, NSW.

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A C T I V I T Y
Types of forces Introductory

Focus
This activity provides opportunities for students to reflect on and share their
ideas about forces.

Materials
Provide two or three of each object:
• locks and keys
• jars with screw lids

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• pens with lids
• toys with wheels
• balls
• playdough or Plasticine
• tweezers or tongs
• bricks (or other objects to be lifted)
• paper (to tear)
• elastic bands
For each student:
• Resource Sheet 1, ‘Force and motion’

Teaching considerations
Classroom organisation
Set up workstations so that students can move around and interact easily with a
variety of objects. (The listed objects are suggestions only. Anything that requires
application of a force is suitable.)

! Safety
Warn students to take care if they are lifting heavy objects or manipulating
elastic bands.

Working scientifically
Time: 30 minutes
Discussing thinking Individually, students make notes on everything they know about forces,
including ways that forces can be exerted. They then share these with a
partner, their group or the class.
Students interact with the objects listed above and identify ways they
exerted a force to move the objects — for example, pushed, pulled, twisted.
They should make notes in each case and then share their ideas.
As a follow-up, students could:
• brainstorm ways that forces are exerted in everyday situations;
• discuss the ways that the term ‘force’ and synonyms for ‘force’ are used in
everyday language — for example, police force, armed force, compel,
coerce, break open. They can then compare this use to the scientific use of
the term ‘force’ (see ‘Background information’, p. 3).

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Resource Students consider the scenarios on Resource Sheet 1, write answers to

R Sheet 1 the questions and share their responses.
Students then return to the notes they wrote about forces at the
beginning of the activity and identify instances where their understanding
has changed. They should modify their notes accordingly.

Gathering information about student learning

Sources of information could include:
• anecdotal notes about students’ contributions to discussion;
• students’ notes about forces;
FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

• students’ responses to scenarios on Resource Sheet 1.

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A C T I V I T Y
Kinetic energy in toys Introductory

Focus
This activity provides opportunities for students to reflect on their
understanding of energy and to investigate kinetic energy.

Materials
• toy cars
• jack-in-the-box
• wind-up toys

FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

• battery-operated toys
• toy gliders
• spinning tops

Teaching considerations
Kinetic energy
Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. If an object is moving, it has kinetic energy.
When students play with the toys during this activity, they exert an initial force
which leads to those toys having kinetic energy. Some intermediate forms of
energy in the toys listed above are:
• elastic potential energy (wind-up toys, jack-in-the-box, some types of gliders);
• electrical energy (battery-operated toys).
Friction will affect the motion of all moving toys, particularly toy cars and
spinning tops.
Classroom organisation
Set up workstations so that students can move around and interact easily with
a variety of toys.

! Safety
Gliders should be played with in an open space such as a playground.
Ensure that students stand well behind the throwers when gliders are launched.

Working scientifically
Time: 30 minutes
Playing Students write sentences using the word ‘energy’ and share these with a
Creating diagrams partner, their group or the class. They can then compile a joint list of
Discussing thinking different types of energy.
Guided by the teacher, students discuss the concept of kinetic energy.
Students then explore the concept by playing with moving toys and
identifying the source of kinetic energy and any other forms of energy
involved. Following this exploration, students could:
• draw diagrams to show how they think the toys work;
• dismantle designated toys to see how they work.

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The follow-up class discussion should focus on the relationship between

the initial force applied to the toy and the generation of kinetic energy.
Questions to guide students’ thinking could include:
• What was the first thing that had to happen/be done to the toy to make it
move?
• How did this lead to the toy having kinetic energy?
• How do you know the toy had kinetic energy?
• What types of energy are involved before and after the toy moves?
• What are the forces involved?
• When are forces exerted?
FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

Gathering information about student learning

Sources of information could include:
• students’ sentences about energy;
• anecdotal notes about students’ contributions to discussion.

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A C T I V I T Y
Bouncing balls Developmental

Focus
This activity provides opportunities for students to compare how the motion
of two different balls is affected by their elastic energy.

Materials
• different types of round balls (e.g. golf balls, basketballs, netballs, superballs)
• metre rulers/tape measures
• butcher’s paper

FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

• adhesive tape
• marking pens

Teaching considerations
Gravity, energy and motion
When a ball is released, the force of gravity leads to a transformation from
potential energy (due to the ball’s initial position) to kinetic energy (motion) to
elastic energy and back to kinetic energy and so on. A ball eventually stops
bouncing because some kinetic energy is transformed into heat and sound
energy each time it makes contact with the ground. Some energy is also lost due
to friction from the air as the ball falls. Variation in the motion of different balls is
mainly due to the different amounts of potential elastic energy they have. These
amounts vary depending on the material from which the balls are made and their
internal content.
Fair tests
Students may need assistance to ensure their investigations incorporate the
elements of a fair test:
• Only the variable being tested should change (the type of ball).
• All other variables should be kept constant. (Balls must be released from the
same height onto the same surface; the only initial force should be gravity —
balls must not be pushed.)
• Measurements should be taken in the same way each time (height of the first
bounce).
• Measurements should be as accurate as possible. (Attach butcher’s paper to
the wall so that bounce heights can be marked and measured.)
• Several trials should be conducted. (Average measurements should be
calculated from the results of at least three trials.)

Working scientifically
Time: 30 minutes
Making and judging In groups, students choose two different balls and predict what might
observations
Predicting
happen when these are released from the same height. Predictions should be
Analysing
recorded. Students then plan how to test their predictions and establish what
Discussing thinking they need to do to ensure they perform a fair test.
Students release the balls and record measurements of bounce heights,
along with any other relevant observations. They then write a brief
explanation of why the balls bounced as they did and share this with
the class.

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Questions to consider during the follow-up class discussion include:

• Why do the balls fall when released?
• Why don’t the balls go up into the air after they are released?
• Why don’t the balls stay in mid-air?
• What makes the balls bounce?
• Why do the balls eventually stop bouncing?
• Why do some balls bounce higher than others?
• Would the balls behave differently on the moon?
Additional learning
Students could:
FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

• investigate what difference is made when the balls are released from higher
and lower points;
• investigate how a ball’s bounce is affected by the surface on which it
bounces;
• record the order of balls from highest bounce to lowest bounce;
• consider why a ball bounces higher if it is released from a greater height.

Gathering information about student learning

Sources of information could include:
• students’ explanations for why the balls bounced as they did;
• anecdotal notes about students’ contributions to discussion.

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A C T I V I T Y
Making a flic flac Developmental

Focus
This activity provides opportunities for students to analyse the motion of a
jumping toy called a ‘flic flac’ when its stored elastic energy is released.

Materials
• Resource Sheet 2, ‘How to make a flic flac’

Teaching considerations

FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

Stored energy
A force is applied to the flic flac to ‘set’ it initially. The application of the force
leads to a transformation of kinetic energy into stored elastic energy. When the
flic flac opens, the elastic energy is transformed into kinetic energy, as well as
some sound energy.
! Safety
Warn students that they must not have their faces close to the flic flac when it is
‘set’. It could hit them in the eyes, or some other part of their faces, when it
jumps open.

Working scientifically
Time: 30 minutes

Resource Students construct, release and observe a flic flac, following the
R Sheet 2 directions on Resource Sheet 2.
Constructing and In groups, students discuss their observations, make notes about why
using models
they think the flic flac acted as it did and report to the class.
Discussing thinking
The follow-up class discussion should focus on the relationship between
the forces applied, the stored energy and the motion of the flic flac.
Questions to guide thinking could include:
• What forces are applied to the flic flac?
• Where does the energy come from to ‘set’ the flic flac?
• Does the ‘set’ flic flac have energy? How do you know?
• What form of stored energy is in the ‘set’ flic flac?
• What causes the flic flac to move after it is ‘set’?
• Where does the energy go when the flic flac opens?

Gathering information about student learning

Sources of information could include:
• students’ reports to the class;
• anecdotal notes about students’ contributions to discussion.

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A C T I V I T Y
Friction Developmental

Focus
This activity provides opportunities for students to investigate how friction
affects the motion of a toy car.

Materials
• toy cars
• planks of wood and blocks to create ramps
• various flat surfaces (e.g. polished and unpolished tiles, carpet, desktops,
FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

paper, cement, cement with water on it, grass, dirt, gravel, surfaces
sprinkled with talcum powder)
• marking pens
• tape measures or rulers
• planning and reporting worksheets, model 2 (see the sourcebook
guidelines, Appendix 3)

Teaching considerations
Friction
A toy car will roll across a surface if the force applied to move it is greater than
the force due to friction. The more friction there is between the car and the
surface it is travelling on, the sooner the car will slow down and eventually stop
— thus, the shorter the distance it will travel.
Fair tests
Students may need assistance to ensure their investigations incorporate the
elements of a fair test (see ‘Teaching considerations’, p. 11). The only variable that
should change in this investigation is the type of surface. The force used to
initially move the toy car should be gravity only, thus the use of a ramp. The
height of the ramp should be the same each time, as should the place from
where the toy car is released. Measurements should be taken from the bottom
of the ramp to the front of the car at the point where it stops. Several trials
need to be done for each surface and an average calculated. The car should
generally travel straight ahead each time.

Working scientifically
Time: 60 minutes
Designing and In groups, students write notes in response to the following stimulus
performing
investigations questions and share them with their group or the class:
Identifying and • What do you think of when you hear the word ‘friction’?
controlling variables
Inferring from data
• What do you think the word ‘friction’ means?
Making comparisons • In what situations is friction a help/hindrance?
Creating tables and • How can friction be reduced/increased?
graphs

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In groups, students design and perform investigations to compare the

distance a toy car travels on different surfaces. They should use the planning
and reporting worksheets listed on the previous page to plan and structure
their investigations. Students could design their own table to record results or
draw up one similar to the following:

Distance travelled by toy car from

Surface the bottom of the ramp (in cm)
tested Trials Average
1 2 3

FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

Students report their results and conclusions to the class.

Gathering information about student learning

Sources of information could include:
• anecdotal notes about each student’s participation in the design and
performance of the investigation;
• students’ completed planning and reporting worksheets.

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A C T I V I T Y
Swings and seesaws Developmental

Focus
This activity provides opportunities for students to explore the effect that
different forces have on the motion and energy of swings and seesaws.

Materials
• swings and/or seesaws
Both swings and seesaws can be easily simulated if necessary:
FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

• Use a ruler balanced on a suitable object with weights on the ends instead
of a seesaw.
• Use a pendulum instead of a swing.

Teaching considerations
Forces, energy and motion
A swing or seesaw will move with the application of a force or forces. This leads
to transformation of energy, which in turn leads to movement of the swing or
seesaw. The forces involved are gravity and the force exerted by the muscles in
the body. The energy transformations involved are:
• chemical energy (stored in muscles) → kinetic energy (movement);
• potential energy (due to gravity) → kinetic energy.
To a lesser extent, heat and sound energy are also involved.
! Safety
This activity should be supervised according to school playground safety
procedures.

Working scientifically
Time: 60 minutes

Exploring Students play on swings to explore what happens when they keep their
phenomena legs straight out in front of them or tucked in under the seat.
Playing
Creating diagrams Students investigate what happens in different situations on a seesaw —
Explaining ideas for example, when only one person sits on the seesaw; when there is one
person on each end; when there is one person on one end and two people on
the other end; when one person sits on one end and another person sits half a
metre from the other end.
Students then draw diagrams to show what happens in various situations
on the swings and seesaws and, in each case, add notes explaining why it
happens.
The follow-up discussion should focus on the forces applied, the energy
sources and the motion that takes place. Questions to guide thinking could
include:
• Why don’t you keep going around in a complete circle when you are on
a swing?
• What is the force that pulls you towards the Earth when you are on
a swing?
• Where does the energy that is required to start the swing come from?

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• What do you do when you want to swing higher on a swing?

• What is the position of the swing when its potential energy is greatest?
• What happens when you try to use a seesaw on your own?
• What forces help you to go down on a seesaw?
• How do you exert a force when you go up on a seesaw?
• Where does the energy come from to enable you to go up on a seesaw?
• Why is it easier for you to go up on the seesaw when there are two people
on the other end?
Additional learning
Students could investigate the relationship between forces, motion and

FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

energy in:
• balanced and unbalanced forces;
• pendulums;
• levers.

Gathering information about student learning

Sources of information could include:
• anecdotal notes made during discussion and play;
• students’ diagrams and explanations for what happens on the swings
and seesaws.

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A C T I V I T Y
Paper planes Developmental

Focus
This activity provides opportunities for students to explore the flight of paper
planes in order to develop an understanding of how different forces affect the
motion of the planes.

Materials
• pictures or diagrams of planes
• sheets of A4 paper
FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

• materials to use as weights (e.g. Plasticine)

• string (for taking measurements)
• tape measures/metre rulers and protractors

Teaching considerations
Forces and motion
Gravity, thrust (the force exerted by the engines), air resistance and uplift
(due to the difference in the air pressure above and below the wings) affect the
motion of an aeroplane.
The motion of a paper plane is affected by gravity, thrust (the force exerted by
muscles when the plane is thrown) and air resistance. If the wings of a paper
plane are flat, uplift will not be a factor which affects its motion.
The distance and direction the paper plane travels are determined by the overall
effect of the forces. For example, if the effect of the forces acting upwards is less
than the effect of the forces acting downwards, then the plane will tend to move
towards the ground. If the forces acting on the plane in one direction are less
than the forces acting in the other direction, then the plane will tend to turn.

! Safety
Paper planes should be tested in an open space such as a playground.
Ensure that students stand well behind the throwers when planes are launched.

Working scientifically
Time: 60 minutes
Assessing and Students view pictures or diagrams of planes and then, individually or
reassessing in groups, design and construct their own paper planes. Their planes should
Inferring from data
be able to travel a reasonable distance in a straight line, or turn to the left or
Constructing and
using models right.
Creating
presentations
Students draw diagrams showing the design of their planes and make
Explaining ideas and notes about the reasons they designed them in this way.
decisions
Students test their planes and modify designs to achieve the best possible
result. (If possible, they should take specific measurements of the distance the
plane travelled or angle of the turn.) Students record details of the plane’s
performance, any adjustments made, the reasons for these adjustments and
the results of adjustments.

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After completing their testing, students infer why the paper plane
behaved as it did and record this in their notes, along with supporting
diagrams. Their inferences should focus on how the forces affected the
motion of the plane.
Students give presentations to the class based on their investigations.

Gathering information about student learning

Sources of information could include:
• students’ notes and diagrams about the design and performance of
their planes;
• students’ presentations.

FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

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A C T I V I T Y
Guided investigation: Force, energy and motion Culminating

Focus
This activity provides opportunities for students to investigate how applying
different amounts of force to a toy car affect its motion and energy.

Materials
• toy cars
• planks of wood and blocks to make ramps
• flat surfaces
FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

• material to use as weights (e.g. Plasticine)

• kitchen scales
• marking pens
• tape measures or rulers
• planning and reporting worksheets, model 2 (see the sourcebook guidelines,
Appendix 3)

Teaching considerations
Fair tests
Students may need assistance to ensure their investigations incorporate the
elements of a fair test (see ‘Teaching considerations’, p. 11). This activity is similar
to the activity titled ‘Friction’ (see p. 14), except that in this case students decide
for themselves which variable to change. Variables that could be changed are
angle of the ramp; mass of the car (by adding weights); shape of the car (by
attaching paper or Plasticine).
Teacher–student consultation
Teacher–student consultation should take place throughout the investigations so
that students receive guidance where necessary.

Working scientifically
Time: 2 hours
Designing and In groups, students design and perform an investigation to explore the
performing
investigations relationship between the total force applied to a toy car and the distance it
Identifying and travels. They should use the planning and reporting worksheets listed above to
controlling variables plan and structure their investigations. Students’ notes should include a description
Looking for patterns of how variations in the force applied to the car affect its motion and energy.
and meanings
Drawing conclusions Groups report their findings to the class.
Inferring from data
Creating tables
and graphs Gathering information about student learning
Sources of information could include:
• anecdotal notes about each student’s participation in the design and
performance of the investigation;
• anecdotal notes made during teacher–student consultation;
• students’ completed planning and reporting worksheets;
• students’ reports.

20 © The State of Queensland (The Office of the Queensland School Curriculum Council) 1999
• SCIENCE • • SOURCEBOOK MODULE •

Resource Sheet 1
Force and motion
R1

FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

When someone kicks a ball,
it rolls across the ground. If
the person stops kicking the It is harder to ride a bicycle
ball, it will eventually stop up a hill than it is to ride it on
rolling. Why? flat ground. Why?
________________________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________

If you place a book on a table, Why wouldn’t it be advisable

it stays still. What forces are to ride a skateboard on dry
acting on the book? sand?
________________________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________

© The State of Queensland (The Office of the Queensland School Curriculum Council) 1999 21
 • SCIENCE • • SOURCEBOOK MODULE •

Resource Sheet 2
How to make a flic flac
R2
You will need:
• 2 pieces of stiff cardboard (about 6 cm x 6 cm)
• scissors or hole puncher
• adhesive tape
FORCE AND MOTION • UPPER PRIMARY

• elastic band (about 8 cm long)

• matchstick with head removed

1. Make holes mid-way along the side of both

cardboard squares with scissors or a hole
puncher. Make the holes about 1 cm from
the edge.

2. Tape the two pieces of card together to form

a hinge opposite the holes.

3. Thread one end of the elastic band through one

of the holes in the card. Break a matchstick in
half and put one piece through the loop.

4. Do the same for the other end of the elastic

band and tape down the two matchsticks.

5. Set the flic flac by bending it inside out.

Place it on a desk and hold it down with
your finger. Making sure that you do not
have your face close to the flic flac, move
your finger away.

Source: Australian Academy of Science 1994, Primary Investigations: Teacher Resource Book 6 — Energy and Investigation,
Canberra, pp. 23–26.

22 © The State of Queensland (The Office of the Queensland School Curriculum Council) 1999
Acknowledgments

This module includes material developed by Madeline Fisher, Fraser Coast Anglican College,
Hervey Bay (trial school).
Grateful acknowledgment is made to the following organisation for granting permission to
use copyright material:
Australian Academy of Science, Canberra, for material from Primary Investigations:
Teacher Resource Book 6 — Energy and Investigation.

This sourcebook module should be read in conjunction with the following Queensland
School Curriculum Council materials:
Years 1 to 10 Science Syllabus
Years 1 to 10 Science Sourcebook: Guidelines
Science Initial In-service Materials

ISBN 0 7345 2066 2

© The State of Queensland (The Office of the Queensland School Curriculum Council) 1999
Queensland schools are permitted to make multiple copies of this module without infringing copyright
provided the number of copies does not exceed the amount reasonably required for teaching purposes in
any one school. Copying for any other purposes except for purposes permitted by the Australian
Copyright Act 1968 is prohibited.
Every reasonable effort has been made to obtain permission to use copyright material in all sourcebook
modules. We would be pleased to hear from any copyright holder who has been omitted.
The State of Queensland and the Queensland School Curriculum Council make no statements,
representations, or warranties about the accuracy, quality, adequacy or completeness of, and users should
not rely on, any information contained in this module.
The State of Queensland and the Queensland School Curriculum Council disclaim all responsibility and
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information or the information being inaccurate, inadequate, or incomplete.
Any inquiries should be addressed to:
Queensland School Curriculum Council
PO Box 317
Brisbane Albert Street, Q 4002
Australia
Telephone: (07) 3237 0794
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Email: [email protected]

Illustrations by Stephen Francis (p. 21) and Brent Hagen (p. 22)
PIP 98158