Explore the Direction of Force with Your Students

One of the first things we teach our students about forces is that they have the ability to affect objects in different ways. They can cause objects to move, or they can cause objects to slow down, stop or change direction. Different forces will affect different objects in different ways!

This direction of force worksheet has been designed by our experienced teacher team to help your students understand this concept. It consists of two pages, each with slightly different instructions. These directions are outlined below:

• Page 1 – In this worksheet, students will encounter a series of pictures depicting various scenarios involving push and pull forces. The goal is simple yet essential: to determine the direction of the forces. Specifically, students will circle whether the object is moving toward or away from the person in each scenario.
• Page 2 – A slight variation on page 1, students will write a sentence to explain what is happening in each picture, then will circle whether the object is moving toward or away from the person in each scenario.

Some of the everyday scenarios involving the direction of movement included in these worksheets are:

• Opening curtains
• Walking a dog
• Playing ten-pin bowling
• Mowing the lawn
• Going sledding

Answer sheets for both pages are provided in the download.

This direction of force worksheet downloads as an easy-print PDF or an editable Google Slides digital document, making it a versatile inclusion to any unit of work on forces and motion.

Differentiate This Direction of Movement Activity

We understand that every student is unique and that it’s vital to differentiate learning materials to cater to students with varying needs. Here are some strategies you might like to use to differentiate this direction of movement worksheet:

1. Add Visual Cues – For younger or visual learners, you can provide visual cues or symbols that indicate the direction of movement, such as arrows. This additional support can help them make more confident choices.
2. Group Work – Encourage peer collaboration by assigning students to small groups. They can discuss each direction of force scenario, share their thoughts, then arrive at a consensus together.
3. Conceptual Challenge – For advanced students, challenge them to not only identify the direction of the force but also to explain the concept behind it. They can write a brief explanation for each scenario, then share this with the class.

While it may appear simple at first glance, this direction of force worksheet can easily be adapted to meet the needs of your diverse learners.

Download These Direction of Force Worksheets

As mentioned above, these direction of force worksheets download as either an easy-print PDF or an editable Google Slides version. Use the download button to access your preferred file format. (Note: You will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides template on your personal drive before accessing it.)

As the pack contains an answer sheet, we suggest printing one copy of the resource, then removing the answer sheet before making copies for your students.

This resource was created by Lisamarie Del Valle, a teacher in Florida and a Teach Starter collaborator.

Save Time with More Push and Pull Force Resources! 

We understand how time-pressed you are, and we are here to help. Click below for more great teacher-created resources to use when teaching your students all about push and pull forces!

teaching resource

Push and Pull Examples – Matching Game

Have students explore examples of push and pull forces with this matching game to use during your forces and motion science unit.

teaching resource

Push or Pull? Interactive Sorting Activity

Explore push and pull forces with your students by playing this interactive sorting game for lower elementary students.

teaching resource

Force and Motion Bingo

Play a forces and motion game with your students to reinforce key subject-specific vocabulary.