Inquiry

In Term 4, the Year 2 students will embark on an exciting journey into the world of forces – push and pull! Through engaging activities and hands-on experiments, they will explore these concepts and discover how they impact objects in our everyday lives. Students will explore their surroundings to see forces in motion. From understanding the force needed to open a door to sliding down the slide, students will dive into our Inquiry question “How do force impact objects?”. This foundational knowledge will support them as they look at forces in play and explore a problem that can be improved. This learning will be supplemented by Global Goal 10: Reduce Inequalities as well as our Inquiry learning from the past three terms. 

Through engagement with the STEAM process learners will be encouraged to design a prototype to solve their identified problem in play. Their prototype must fit the design brief to include forces, be sustainable and bring people together through play. Learners will present their prototypes and design process at the end of the year at our Prototype Expo, where we invite parents and other GWPS students to witness our learning.  

Students will also be invited to attend our Scienceworks excursion. During this excursion, the knowledge that the students gained last year will be strengthened. Students will participate in a Toys and Forces show, as well as engage with the interactive exhibit to think about the types of forces that are at work every day. We will also be seeking parent helpers for this excursion, so please let your child’s classroom teacher know if you would like to attend. 

To support your child’s learning at home, you could engage in the following: 

• Everyday Observations: Encourage your child to observe and discuss forces in their daily life. Ask questions like, "What makes the swing move back and forth?" or "Why does the ball stop rolling when you stop pushing it?" These discussions will help reinforce their understanding of push and pull in real-world scenarios.
• Simple Experiments: Try fun and safe experiments at home, like using magnets to see how they attract or repel objects or using different materials to create ramps for toy cars. These hands-on activities will allow your child to explore forces in a playful and memorable way.
• Reading and Exploration: Share age-appropriate non-fiction books or online resources about forces and motion. Watching educational videos together can further enhance their understanding. Encourage them to ask questions and be curious about the world around them.