Fighting Gravity with Pushes and Pulls

Gravity is a force that pulls smaller objects towards larger objects. The size of the force depends on the size of the objects involved. It is the Earth’s gravity that keeps our feet firmly on the ground and stops the air and oceans from flying off into space.

But if gravity is pulling everything down to the ground, how is it that birds can fly, gilders can soar, and airplanes can transport us around the skies of the world without plummeting down to the ground? The answer is simple: these objects use an additional push or pull force to fight against the force of gravity and keep them up in the air!

To further explore the concept of fighting gravity, the Teach Starter team has created this set of 24 digital peg cards, each one containing an image of an object that is either fighting gravity or not fighting gravity. The students must look at the image and decide which is correct, then drag a moon icon over the correct answer.

Some of the objects depicted in the resource are:

• Plane (fighting gravity)
• Helicopter (fighting gravity)
• Parachute (fighting gravity)
• Tree (not fighting gravity)
• Rock (not fighting gravity)
• Mountain (not fighting gravity)

This resource downloads as either a Microsoft PowerPoint or a Google Slides file. Simply project it onto your screen, and you have a ready-made activity for exploring the wonders of gravity with your students! A printable PDF containing the answers is also available via a separate dropdown.

Further Extend This Fighting Gravity Resource

These fighting gravity interactive peg cards make a great introduction to flying objects that use additional push and pull forces to fight against the force of gravity.

If you’re looking to further extend your students’ exploration into this topic, then why not have them choose one of the gravity-defying objects from the peg cards to investigate in more detail? Students could research the object and explain the ways in which it uses additional forces to defy gravity. They could then present their research using a medium of their own choosing and then share it with the class. 

Download to Explore Gravity with Your Students

Use the Download button to access your preferred file format. Please be aware that you will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides file and save it to your personal drive before accessing it.

Be sure to work with this presentation in Edit mode as the draggable features will not work in Presentation mode.

This resource was created by Kaylyn Chupp, a Teach Starter collaborator.

More Resources Targeting Gravity and Other Forces

Teach Starter has more great resources to save you time when teaching forces to your class. Click below for some more curriculum-aligned, teacher-created activities!

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