Pushes and Pulls — Answers
Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 2 forces & motion worksheet.
Success TutoringWorksheetsAnswer sheetYear 2 · Science · Forces & MotionPushes and Pulls — Answers
Part A: Push or pull?
Read the box. Then circle the best answer.
A force is a push or a pull.
A push moves something away from you. A pull moves something towards you.
Forces can make things start moving, stop, speed up, slow down or change direction. Forces can also change the shape of things, like squashing play dough.
- Apush
- Bpull
Answer: push
Your foot pushes the ball away from you.
- Apush
- Bpull
Answer: pull
You pull the drawer towards you.
- Apush
- Bpull
Answer: push
You push the button away from you.
- Apush
- Bpull
Answer: pull
The wagon moves towards the person pulling it.
- AIt goes a shorter way.
- BIt goes further and faster.
- CIt does not move.
- DIt changes colour.
Answer: It goes further and faster.
A bigger push makes the car speed up more, so it goes faster and further.
Part B: What can forces do?
- catching a ball
- squeezing a sponge
- hitting a ball with a bat
- pushing a swing from still
- changes its direction
- makes it stop
- starts it moving
- changes its shape
Answer: catching a ball → makes it stop; squeezing a sponge → changes its shape; hitting a ball with a bat → changes its direction; pushing a swing from still → starts it moving
Answer: pull
Answer: shape
Part C: True or false?
Write True or False.
Answer: True
A still ball stays still until a push or pull makes it move.
Answer: False
Moving something towards you is a pull.
Answer: False
A strong push usually makes the ball roll further.
Answer: True
You can push a swing away and pull it back towards you.
Part D: Working scientifically: a fair test
Try it at home on a clear floor with a soft ball. Use footsteps to measure how far it rolls.
Sam wants to find out if a strong push makes a ball roll further than a gentle push.
In a fair test, you change only one thing and keep everything else the same.
Answer: How hard I push the ball (gentle or strong).
Answer: Any one of: the same ball, the same floor, the same starting place, the same way of measuring.
Model answer: I think the ball will roll further with a strong push, because a bigger push makes it go faster.
Success criteria:
- Makes a prediction
- Gives a reason linked to the size of the push
Marking tips
- Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
- For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
- Celebrate what went well first, then pick one thing to work on next.
Great work. Here's what to try next: