Grade: Kindergarten Subject: Science Unit: Simple Forces Lesson: 5 of 6 SAT: Information+Ideas ACT: Science

What Made It Move?

Scientists explain WHY things happen. Let's learn to explain how forces make things move!

📖 Learn

Good scientists don't just say WHAT happened. They explain WHY it happened!

How to Explain Movement

When something moves, ask yourself:

  1. What moved? (the ball, the car, the book)
  2. What force moved it? (a push or a pull)
  3. Who or what made the force? (I pushed it, the wind pushed it)

Key Ideas

  • ➡️ A push makes things move away
  • ⬅️ A pull brings things closer
  • Things don't move by themselves - a force makes them move!

💡 Examples

Here is how to explain what made something move:

Example 1: Ball Rolling ⚽

What happened: The ball rolled across the floor.

Good explanation: "The ball moved because I pushed it. My push made the ball roll away from me." ➡️

Example 2: Wagon Coming Closer 🛷

What happened: The wagon came toward me.

Good explanation: "The wagon moved because I pulled the handle. My pull made it come closer to me." ⬅️

Example 3: Swing Going High 🏃

What happened: My friend went high on the swing.

Good explanation: "The swing moved because I pushed my friend. My big push made the swing go high!"

Example 4: Car Race 🚗

What happened: The toy car zoomed across the room!

Good explanation: "The car moved far because I gave it a big push. A big push makes things go far!" ➡️➡️➡️

✏️ Practice

Explain what made each thing move:

1. ⚽ A ball rolled down the hill. What made it move?

2. 🚗 You pushed a toy car. Why did it move away from you?

3. ⬅️ You pulled a box toward you. What kind of force did you use?

4. A door opened. Someone pushed it. Explain why the door moved.

5. 🛷 A sled went just a tiny bit. Was it a big push or a small push? How do you know?

6. ➡️ A block is sitting on the table. It is not moving. Why not?

7. 🏃 You want your friend to go really high on the swing. What should you do?

8. A toy car went super far! Explain why it went so far.

9. You pull a wagon with your dog in it. ⬅️ Why does the wagon move toward you?

10. ⬆️ You throw a ball up in the air. Explain what force you used and why the ball went up.

11. ⬇️ Leaves fall from a tree. What might be pulling them down?

12. Tell a partner about a time you used a push or pull to move something. Explain what happened and why!

✅ Check Your Understanding

Think about what you learned:

Can you explain WHY a push makes things move away? ➡️

Can you explain WHY a pull brings things closer? ⬅️

Can you explain the difference between a big push and a small push?

🚀 Next Steps

  • Practice explaining pushes and pulls to your family
  • When you see something move, ask: "What made it move?"
  • Get ready for the Unit Checkpoint to show what you learned!