Year 5 Forces

Knowledge and Understanding

Statutory Requirements

5e1: explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object

5e2: identify the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction, that act between moving surfaces

5e3: recognise that some mechanisms, including levers, pulleys and gears, allow a smaller force to have a greater effect.

Knowledge and Understanding

Notes and Guidance

Pupils should explore falling objects and raise questions about the effects of air resistance. They should explore the effects of air resistance by observing how different objects such as parachutes and sycamore seeds fall. They should experience forces that make things begin to move, get faster or slow down. Pupils should explore the effects of friction on movement and find out how it slows or stops moving objects, for example, by observing the effects of a brake on a bicycle wheel. Pupils should explore the effects of levers, pulleys and simple machines on movement. Pupils might find out how scientists, for example, Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton helped to develop the theory of gravitation.

Pupils might work scientifically by: exploring falling paper cones or cup-cake cases, and designing and making a variety of parachutes and carrying out fair tests to determine which designs are the most effective. They might explore resistance in water by making and testing boats of different shapes. They might design and make products that use levers, pulleys, gears and/or springs and explore their effects.

Upper KS2 - Working Scientifically

Statutory Requirements

uks2w1: planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary

uks2w2: taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate

uks2w3: recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs

uks2w4: using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests

uks2w5: reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations

uks2w6: identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.

Upper KS2 - Working Scientifically

Notes and Guidance

Pupils in years 5 and 6 should use their science experiences to: explore ideas and raise different kinds of questions; select and plan the most appropriate type of scientific enquiry to use to answer scientific questions; recognise when and how to set up comparative and fair tests and explain which variables need to be controlled and why. They should use and develop keys and other information records to identify, classify and describe living things and materials, and identify patterns that might be found in the natural environment. They should make their own decisions about what observations to make, what measurements to use and how long to make them for, and whether to repeat them; choose the most appropriate equipment to make measurements and explain how to use it accurately. They should decide how to record data from a choice of familiar approaches; look for different causal relationships in their data and identify evidence that refutes or supports their ideas. They should use their results to identify when further tests and observations might be needed; recognise which secondary sources will be most useful to research their ideas and begin to separate opinion from fact. They should use relevant scientific language and illustrations to discuss, communicate and justify their scientific ideas and should talk about how scientific ideas have developed over time.

These opportunities for working scientifically should be provided across years 5 and 6 so that the expectations in the programme of study can be met by the end of year 6. Pupils are not expected to cover each aspect for every area of study.

Investigating levers Investigation Free!

Outstanding Science Year 5 | Forces | OS5E006

Learning objective

I can explain how a lever works.

Children set up their own lever, with fulcrum, beam and load, and investigate how far from the fulcrum different forces (weights) need to be in order to balance the load. They transfer their results to a line graph and attempt to find a relationship between the force required and the distance from the fulcrum.

5e3: recognise that some mechanisms, including levers, pulleys and gears, allow a smaller force to have a greater effect.

A lever is a simple machine which can provide a mechanical advantage.

A longer lever can lift heavy loads more easily.

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Gravity and weight Worksheet

Outstanding Science Year 5 | Forces | OS5E001

Learning objective

I can explain why objects fall to Earth.

Children explore why people don't fall off the 'bottom' of the Earth, and why the Moon dies not fall out of the sky. Children investigate the force of gravity by weighing 5 objects in grams, and then measuring the pull between them and the Earth using a force meter, measuring the force in newtons (N). They look for a relationship between their two measurements.

5e1: explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object

Objects fall towards the centre of the Earth due to the force of gravity.

The Moon is constantly falling towards the Earth, but its motion has a 'sideways' component which causes it to 'miss' the Earth.

2 pages

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Force meters Investigation

Outstanding Science Year 5 | Forces | OS5E002

Learning objective

I can make and calibrate a force meter and explain how it works.

Children create their own force meter using simple classroom equipment. They use known masses to calibrate their force meter, adding a sensible scale. Children learn that a mass of 100g experiences a pull towards the Earth due to the force of gravity of approximately 1 newton. Children explain how their force meter works and why they needed to calibrate it before using it.

5e2: identify the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction, that act between moving surfaces

A force meter is a device which measures the strength of forces.

Forces can be measured in newtons (N).

On the surface of the Earth, a 100g mass experiences a force of gravity approximately equivalent to 1N.

calibration is the act of checking that a device records accurate measurements.

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Air resistance Investigation

Outstanding Science Year 5 | Forces | OS5E003

Learning objective

I can investigate the effects of air resistance.

Children investigate how canopy size affect's a parachute's rate of descent. They construct 4 parachutes with different canopy areas and predict and then measure how long they tale to descend from a given height. They take each measurement 3 times and calculate the mean. Children show their results in a bar chart and attempt to answer the scientific question.

Parachutes work by slowing the movement of its wearer by creating drag.

The size of a parachute's canopy is a major contributor to its effectiveness.

2 pages

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Water resistance Worksheet

Outstanding Science Year 5 | Forces | OS5E004

Learning objective

I can identify when objects are experiencing high or low water resistance.

Children look at 6 different situations, identify whether the object is experiencing high or low water resistance, and explain why.

Water resistance is a force which prevents an object from moving easily through water.

High and low water resistance can be desirable in different situations.

2 pages

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Investigating friction Investigation

Outstanding Science Year 5 | Forces | OS5E005

Learning objective

I can investigate the effects of friction on different materials.

Children investigate the best surface to place on a floor to prevent people from slipping. They predict and then measure the force required to make a shoe containing a weight slide across a range of surfaces. They present their results in a bar chart and attempt to answer the scientific question.

5e2: identify the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction, that act between moving surfaces

Friction is a force that prevents objects from sliding past each other easily when they are in contact.

In some situations, friction can be overcome with a greater force.

2 pages

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Investigating pulleys Investigation

Outstanding Science Year 5 | Forces | OS5E007

Learning objective

I can explain how a pulley works.

Children construct a simple pulley from 2 karabiner clips. They use a force meter to compare the force required to lift loads with and without the pulley. They record their results in a table and then transfer their results to a line graph showing two lines. They compare both sets of results and explain the advantage that a pulley provides.

5e3: recognise that some mechanisms, including levers, pulleys and gears, allow a smaller force to have a greater effect.

A pulley is a simple machine that can be used to change the direction of a force, and can also be used to reduce the force required to lift a load.

2 pages

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Gears Worksheet

Outstanding Science Year 5 | Forces | OS5E008

Learning objective

I can explain how a gear train works.

Children look at 8 different examples of gear trains. They work out whether the driven gear will rotate clockwise or anticlockwise and whether it will rotate more quickly or slowly than the driver. If possible, they use Lego gears to test their ideas.