Testing Push & Pull Designs
Analyse data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the speed or direction of an object with a push or pull
Lesson
Set out your lesson
“Testing Push & Pull Designs means testing a simple push/pull design (like a ramp) and using trial results to see if it works as intended. We will practise once together, then check a fresh example.”
Bring to the table
- Small ball or toy car, books to make a ramp
- Paper tally: trial 1–3 success yes/no
Extra for the adult
Worked example. Goal: reach the line. Trials: yes, no, yes. The ramp mostly works; we could make it a little steeper.
Optional challenge. For Testing Push & Pull Designs, change one variable and compare new tally results.
What to notice. Keep one parent note: goal; tally; decision; support used. This session samples design testing, not mastery of engineering.
Share and support
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Teaching approaches
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1 approach
Testing Push & Pull Designs means testing a simple push/pull design (like a ramp) and using trial results to see if it works as intended. We will practise once together, then check a fresh example.
Spend about 12 minutes setting a goal, running three ramp trials, then deciding if the design worked.
Family records and proof options
Keep a record of your learning
Save photos, notes, and attendance. Export a proof packet for compliance or portfolio reviews.
Practice this concept
Start practiceTesting Push & Pull Designs practice
Use trial data to judge if a push/pull design worked.
Free · no login · no ads · Practice answers and completion are not saved. Parent observation remains the lesson record.
Learning resources
Extra practice links — they do not replace Gakuva’s teaching approach.
PhET Interactive Simulations · Practice link — not the full lesson
Forces and Motion: Basics
Before you open · source notes
Forces and Motion: Basics supports hands-on exploration for Testing Push & Pull Designs. Not every lab worksheet.
Free interactive page, no sign-in required for the tested path.
Before you openAsk the learner what they changed in the sim or page and what they observed.
Opening this link does not save learning or assess mastery.
Source, access and review notes
Public PhET Interactive Simulations page. An anonymous GET on 2026-11-12 returned HTTP 200 with no login or payment prompt for this URL. Opening the link does not save practice or assess mastery. An adult should preview and guide the learner.
PhET Interactive Simulations. “Forces and Motion: Basics.” External page; Gakuva does not copy, host, embed, or redistribute materials.
Unknown — link only
Check understanding
- Test a simple design (e.g. ramp, launcher) and collect data on whether it meets the goal
- Analyse results to determine if the design works as intended
- Suggest modifications based on the data to improve the design's performance
“If your child builds a ramp to make a ball go into a cup, can they test it and figure out what to change if the ball misses?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Procedural
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Forces & Motion
- Age range
- Ages 5–12
Standards