Are you looking for ways to teach forces? If you’re new to the Science Learning Hub, you may want to start with our introductory video on teaching physics.
Alternatively, use the links below to explore the Science Learning Hub resources for primary teachers related to forces in the Physical World strand of the New Zealand Curriculum.
Topic: Flight
Flight explores the physics fundamentals of gravity, lift, drag and thrust – using birds and planes as the context
Investigating flight – an introductory article with links to media, articles and student activities
How birds fly – Article
Principles of flight – Article
Forces affecting flight – Image
Wing aspect ratio – Article
Wing loading – Article
Wings and lift – Article
Gliders and kites – Article
Aerofoils and paper planes – Activity
Kites – Activity
Making a glider – Activity
Observing wings for flight – Activity
Wings for flight – Interactive
Topic: Rockets
Rocket design is all about finding an optimal balance between thrust, mass and aerodynamics.
Unit plan: Rockets teaching sequence
Investigating rockets – an introductory article with links to media, articles and student activities
Lift-off – Article
Rocket aerodynamics – Article
Rockets and mass – Article
Rockets and thrust – Article
Calculating rocket acceleration – Article
Getting rockets into space – Article
Balloon car challenge – Activity
Effervescent canister rockets – Activity
Rocket launch challenge – Activity
Rocket launch challenge – Interactive
Water bottle rockets – Activity
Skateboard forces – Image
Topic: Satellites
The science ideas that allow satellites to remain in orbit are principally ones of gravitational forces and circular motion.
Investigating satellites – an introductory article with links to media, articles and student activities
Gravity and satellite motion – Article
Launching satellites – Article
Alternative conceptions about gravity – Article
I’m looking at how we can reduce pressure drag with different position and using different types of helmets and also reduce the skin friction drag by using different skinsuits.
Lindsay Underwood
Topic: Cycling aerodynamics
Our collection of resources on cycling aerodynamics is a great opportunity to look at forces and speed in relation to cycling and think about how these might be measured and how one affects the other.
Cycling Aerodynamics – an introductory article with links to media, articles and student activities
Causes of aerodynamic drag – Article
Forces and speed – Article
Faster bikes – Article
Individual pursuit graphs – Activity
Investigating airflow over shapes – Activity
On your bikes – Activity
An aerodynamic bike – Image
Forces on a tyre – Image
Aerodynamics and drag – Video
Testing aerodynamics of elite cyclists – Video
The wind tunnel – Video
What is rolling resistance? – Video
Sports and physics quiz – Activity
Topic: Sporting edge
Muscles can only contract and then relax – they can never push. So for every body movement there are muscles that contract to make the bones move and others that contract to pull the bones back to their original position.
Measuring the power output of elite athletes – Activity
Sports and physics quiz – Activity
Science concepts
Another way to explore the physical work is by exploring some of the key science concepts. Check out the resources curated regarding Newton's laws.
Teacher ideas and professional learning development
In these videos, teacher Sinead Senek explains how her students learned about forces through hands-on experiences and Hub resources.
Learning about rockets – Video
Thinking and talking like scientists – Video
The Science Learning Hub has a range of recorded webinars to support you with your physics teaching. Have a look at Physics made simple – force and motion, gravity, waves and Exploring magnetism.
The gravity well – a physics analogy explains how to construct and use the gravity well demonstrated in the Physics made simple – gravity webinar. It includes an interactive with conceptual simulations that can be demonstrated on a gravity well and links to related Hub content.
