A Push and Pull Sorting Worksheet for 3rd Grade Students

Are you looking for a resource that enables your students to demonstrate their understanding of push and pull forces while also enhancing their fine motor skills? If so, Teach Starter’s push and pull sorting worksheet is for you!

This worksheet consists of three everyday examples of push forces being applied to objects, and the same for pull forces. Each example comes in both pictorial and written form. To complete the worksheet, the students will follow the steps below:

1. Cut It Out – Students will begin by cutting out various pictures and sentences depicting push and pull forces along the dashed lines. This hands-on activity encourages fine motor skills and helps them engage with the topic tangibly.
2. Match the Pictures with Their Descriptions – After cutting out the items, students will match the images with the corresponding sentences. This step reinforces their comprehension of what each picture represents and encourages critical thinking.
3. Think About the Forces – Next, students will ponder which force (push or pull) is being used in each scenario. This crucial step involves them in the thought process, prompting them to consider real-world applications.
4. Glue in the Appropriate Row – To complete the activity, students will glue the matched items into the appropriate row, signifying whether it involves a push or a pull. This reinforces their understanding of the concept and allows for visual representation.

Some of the everyday scenarios included in this worksheet are:

• Pushing a stroller
• Doing weights
• Bowling a ball
• Playing tug of war
• Walking a dog
• Pressing a button

An answer sheet is provided in the download.

This push and pull sorting worksheet downloads as an easy-print PDF or an editable Google Slides digital document. Not only will your students be exercising and strengthening the muscles in their hands as they cut the images and paste them in place, but they will also be adding to their knowledge of push and pull forces and how they act on everyday objects in our environment.

Why Download This Push and Pull Sorting Worksheet?

Don’t let the simplicity of this resource fool you! There are many advantages to using cut-and-paste worksheets like this one in your science lessons on push and pull forces. Some of these benefits are outlined below:

1. Engagement – The hands-on nature of this push and pull sorting worksheet ensures that students are actively involved in the learning process. Cutting, matching, and gluing items adds a fun and interactive element to the lesson.
2. Comprehension – Matching the push and pull pictures with their matching sentences encourages comprehension and the ability to apply the concepts they’ve learned.
3. Multiple Representations – Depicting push and pull forces via multiple representations (pictures and words) caters to a wider range of learning styles than if only one representation was used.

Time to Start Sorting the Pushes and Pulls!

As mentioned above, this push and pull sorting worksheet downloads 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 download contains an answer sheet, we suggest printing one copy of the entire resource, then removing the answer sheet before making copies for your students.

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

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Explore More Teacher-Created Push and Pull Resources

If you’re looking to cut down on your science planning by downloading more of Teach Starter’s push and pull resources for elementary students, continue your journey by clicking on the resources below!

[resource:5019909] [resource:5019912] [resource:5020289]