KS1 & KS2 science curriculum

This unit builds on pupils' prior learning from Simple forces including magnets, where they explored basic forces such as pushes, pulls, and magnetism. In Forces including simple machines, pupils will deepen their understanding by investigating how levers, pulleys, and other simple machines make work easier by applying forces. This prepares them for the next unit, Forces, where they will further explore the interaction of forces, including contact and non-contact forces, and how they affect the motion of objects.

1. Introduction to gravity
2. Pushes and pulls
3. Friction: plan
4. Friction: do and review
5. Air resistance: plan
6. Air resistance: do and review
7. Water resistance: plan
8. Water resistance: do and review
9. How levers can help us
10. How pulleys can help us
11. How gears can help us
12. Simple machines
13. Design and development of machines

• Find out how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching
• Compare how things move on different surfaces
• Notice that some forces need contact between two objects, but magnetic force can act at a distance
• Observe how magnets attract or repel each other, and attract some materials and not others