Make things move with air
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can analyse familiar objects that use air to make them work.
Key learning points
- Air is invisible and all around us.
- Some things need air to move and work.
- We can force air to move and use this to make things work.
- Blowing up a balloon involves forcing air from your lungs into the balloon. The balloon expands and inflates.
Keywords
Expand - grow in size, take up more space
Inflate - fill with air to change the shape, as with a balloon
Deflate - remove or release air, causing something to shrink in size
Common misconception
Air is empty because we can't see it.
Air takes up space and can make things move or change shape, such as when we inflate a balloon or a bike tyre.
Teacher tip
Model blowing up a balloon by mouth and using a hand pump.
Equipment
Have a selection of suitable (safe) products that use air for pupils to explore - pinwheels, bubbles etc.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What does the word rotate mean?
Q2.What do we breathe?
Q3.You can't see air but when do you feel it most?
Q4.Which of these tools would you use to measure how much something has grown?
Q5.What happens if you blow up a balloon too much?
Q6.Which of these uses air to move?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What does the word inflate mean?
Q2.A fully inflated bicycle tyre has __________ inside.
Q3.Match the product to the way they use air.
Q4.Which word beginning with the letter 'e' means to get bigger in size and take up more space?
To help you plan your 3 design and technology lesson on: Make things move with air, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 3 design and technology lesson on: Make things move with air, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 design and technology lessons from the Pneumatics: moving toys unit, dive into the full primary design and technology curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.