Air Resistance KS2

Help your KS2 class understand air resistance with clear explanations, practical investigation ideas and ready-to-teach Science resources designed for Year 5 pupils.

Air resistance is an important part of the KS2 Forces topic. Children need to understand that air resistance is a force that acts against moving objects, slowing them down as they travel through the air. It is often explored through practical investigations, such as testing parachutes or comparing how different shapes fall.

If you are teaching air resistance KS2, PlanBee’s Forces in Action scheme includes a complete Year 5 air resistance lesson with a detailed lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable differentiated activities.

👉 View the ready-to-teach Air Resistance lesson

What is air resistance?

Air resistance is a force that slows objects down when they move through the air. Although we cannot see air, it is made up of tiny particles. When an object moves, these air particles push against it. This pushing force is called air resistance.

The faster an object moves through the air, the more air resistance it usually experiences. Objects with a larger surface area, such as an open parachute, also experience more air resistance because they have to push more air out of the way.

Air resistance examples for KS2

Children can spot examples of air resistance in everyday life. A cyclist feels air pushing against them as they ride quickly. A parachute slows a skydiver down as they fall. A feather falls more slowly than a stone because it is affected more by air resistance. These simple examples help pupils understand that air resistance acts in the opposite direction to movement.

Teaching air resistance in Year 5

Air resistance is usually taught in Year 5 as part of the KS2 Science Forces topic. Pupils learn to identify the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction, and explore how these forces act between moving surfaces.

A good air resistance KS2 lesson should give children the chance to:

understand that air resistance is a force;
explain how air resistance slows moving objects down;
compare how different objects move through the air;
plan and carry out a simple fair test;
record results and draw conclusions from an investigation.

Air resistance investigation ideas

One of the most effective ways to teach air resistance is through a practical investigation. Children might test parachutes made from different materials, compare parachutes with different surface areas, or investigate how changing the shape of an object affects the way it falls.

For example, pupils could make paper parachutes with different canopy sizes and time how long each one takes to fall from the same height. This helps them see that a larger surface area creates more air resistance, slowing the parachute down.

Ready-to-teach air resistance KS2 lesson

PlanBee’s Forces in Action scheme includes a complete air resistance KS2 lesson for Year 5. The lesson introduces what air resistance is, explores real-life examples and gives children the opportunity to carry out practical investigations into how air resistance affects falling objects.

The air resistance lesson includes:

a detailed lesson plan;
a slideshow for the teaching input;
differentiated activity ideas;
printable worksheets and resources;
practical investigation tasks to support working scientifically.

View the Air Resistance KS2 lesson in Forces in Action

Air resistance vocabulary for KS2

When teaching air resistance, children will need to understand key vocabulary linked to forces and movement. Useful words include:

force: a push or pull that can change how something moves;
air resistance: a force that slows objects moving through the air;
gravity: the force that pulls objects towards the Earth;
surface area: the amount of space the outside of an object covers;
streamlined: a shape that moves easily through air or water;
fair test: an investigation where only one thing is changed.