Whole lesson
Science: KS2
Lesson Plans
Air resistance
Teaching objectives
Summary
QCA Science
This lesson enables the children to demonstrate
their understanding of the concept of air resistance.
It should therefore be undertaken once they have
investigated air resistance through practical work.
The children are shown a Moovl screen depicting two
objects falling at different rates. The class discusses
how air resistance affects the moving objects, and
adds arrows to show the direction of the forces
acting on the objects. The children then use Moovl to
draw animated diagrams of falling objects, altering
the slippy/sticky slider to simulate the effects of air
resistance.
Unit 6E Forces in action
NC for Science
Sc4 / Physical processes / Forces in action /
2a, 2c
NC for ICT
Developing ideas and making things
happen / 2c
Reviewing, modifying and evaluating work
as it progresses / 4a
Northern Ireland: Programme of
Study for Science
Physical processes / Forces and energy / c
Scotland: 5-14 Guidelines
Science
Knowledge and understanding / Energy
and forces
Level C: describe air resistance in terms of
friction
Level D: give examples of streamlining and
explain how this lowers resistance
Learning outcomes
• The children will produce a simulation
of their investigation into air resistance.
• They will test ideas and, through
discussion, adapt and amend their work
to ensure scientific accuracy.
• They will explain the science behind
their animations.
Moovl 1
Moovl is used:
• to simulate the effects of air resistance
• as a tool to demonstrate children’s understanding
in a visual way.
Introduction
Whole class
• Ask the class to remind you about the work they have
been doing on forces, particularly air resistance.
• Explain to the children that they are going to follow
up their practical work by using Moovl to show what
they have learned.
• On the interactive whiteboard, show the class Moovl 1,
depicting a man with a parachute, and a man without
one. Ask the children to predict how the man without
the parachute will fall. Then ask them for volunteers
to demonstrate this using the hand tool to drag and
drop the man. Ask the children why one man takes
longer to fall than the other one. If necessary, point
out the differences in surface area between the two
objects.
• Ask the children which forces are acting on each
object. Demonstrate how arrows can be added to
show which forces are at work, and their respective
directions.
• Point out to the children that the slippy/sticky slider
has been used to programme the parachute to fall
with high air resistance.
Moovl Lesson Plans © Harcourt Education 2006
Whole lesson
Science: KS2
Lesson Plans
Air resistance contd.
Development
In pairs
• The children use Moovl to create their own parachute
simulation, drawing on their previous practical work.
Remind them that they will need to test their ideas as
they work, to see if their drawing represents real life.
• First, suggest the children create their parachutist.
This could simply be a circle. As the parachutist is
quite heavy, set the heavy/light slider to 9. Set the
tight/loose slider to 0 to make sure the parachutist is
not tied to any other object on the screen. Now, set
the sticky/slippy slider, which in this case represents air
resistance, to 2 - we want this shape to move quickly
through the air. Suggest the children use the hand
tool to drag and drop him, to make sure he falls like a
stone.
• Now ask the children to draw a parachute. What
happens when they lift it up and drop it? How can
they programme it to behave like a parachute? The
answer is to increase the air resistance, by setting the
sticky/slippy slider to 9. How does it fall now?
• Next the children need to attach the parachute to the
parachutist. Tell them to draw the parachute again,
on top of the parachutist, with the tight/loose slider
set high on both objects. This means the objects lock
together.
• Now tell the children to lift up and drop their
parachutist. Does it float gently down?
Plenary
Whole class
• If time permits, view the Moovl screens of each pair
and ask them to talk through what is happening.
Ask them to explain how they tackled the task, and
discuss whether their animations are representative
of real life. Have they adjusted the slippy/sticky slider
correctly to show the effects of air resistance?
Additional tasks
• The children create a man without a parachute and
programme Moovl to make him fall appropriately.
Moovl Lesson Plans © Harcourt Education 2006