Forces and magnets
Exploring contact and non-contact forces, including friction and magnetism and their effects.
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 - Lower key stage 2 >
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                    Forces and space: Forces and magnets
 
Unit outcomes
Pupils who are secure will be able to:
- Identify examples of pushes, pulls and twists.
 - Define a force, including describing, naming and classifying contact and non-contact forces.
 - Describe the relationship between friction and the roughness of a surface.
 - Identify examples of friction being useful or not.
 - Predict attraction and repulsion between like and opposite poles.
 - Identify examples of magnetic and non-magnetic materials.
 - Name some examples of types of magnets and compare their strengths.
 - Describe some examples of the uses of magnets.
 
When working scientifically, pupils who are secure will be able to:
- Use arrows and scientific vocabulary to show the direction of a contact force.
 - Use evidence to support conclusions.
 - Identify the variables to change, measure and control.
 - Write a method to explain how to use a magnet to sort and classify materials as magnetic or non-magnetic.
 - Label the axes of a bar chart.
 - Draw bars on a chart accurately.
 - Identify key information from a source.
 - Use more than one source to research a question.
 
Please note that Kapow Primary Science lessons are designed to be 1 hour and 30 minutes long to reflect the requirements of a core subject.
Suggested prior learning
There are no previous units on forces, however the unit does build on some knowledge covered in the Year 2 unit 'Uses of everyday materials'.Lessons
Lesson 1: Pushes, pulls and twists
Knowledge
- To describe the effects of contact forces.
 
Working scientifically
- To label a diagram using arrows and scientific vocabulary.
 
Lesson 2: Friction
Knowledge
- To recognise the effects and uses of forces.
 
Working scientifically
- To write a scientific conclusion identifying cause and effect.
 
Lesson 3: Investigating friction
Knowledge
- To interpret how and why things move differently on different surfaces.
 
Working scientifically
- To plan an investigation using variables.
 
Lesson 4: Magnets
Knowledge
- To describe the effects of magnets.
 
Working scientifically
- To write a method.
 
Lesson 5: Investigating magnet strength
Knowledge
- To compare the properties of different types of magnets.
 
Working scientifically
- To display data using a bar chart.
 
Lesson 6: Uses of magnets
Knowledge
- To explain the uses of magnets.
 
Working scientifically
- To research the uses of magnets.
 
Key skills
Key knowledge
Related content
Unit resources
                        
        Knowledge organiser – Science Y3: Forces and space: Forces and magnets
Aimed at pupils, two pages providing key facts and definitions from the unit ‘Forces and magnets’.
                        
        Vocabulary display – Science Y3: Forces and space: Forces and magnets
A display version of the key vocabulary from the unit 'Forces and magnets'.
Cross-curricular opportunities
English:
- Writing, non-fiction writing.
 
Maths:
- Measurement, measuring length.
 - Statistics, drawing bar charts.
 
British values:
- Mutual respect.