Teaching second class students about push and pull forces through an inquiry-based activity can be engaging and effective. It is a topic that is already taught in second class and this has made me think more critically about this topic. You could start by introducing the concept of push and pull forces using simple language and relatable examples, like pushing a toy car as mentioned. Encourage students to share their own experiences of push and pull in everyday life to make the topic more relevant and understandable.
Next, set up hands-on activities where students can explore push and pull forces. For example, provide materials like toy cars, ramps, strings, and balloons for students to experiment with different scenarios. Ask guiding questions to prompt critical thinking, such as “What happens when you push the car harder?” or “How can you make the balloon move faster?” This could be furthered by using a ramp to explore push forces or expanded to include friction from different materials when pushing/ pulling.
Encourage students to work in small groups to observe, test, and record their findings. Whiteboards could be used to plan or sketch diagrams of experiments or to record predictions. Finally, gather students together to discuss their observations, share their conclusions, and reflect on their learning experiences.