Gravity KS2

Explore what gravity is, how it affects objects and find clear, ready-to-teach KS2 activities to help your pupils understand this fundamental force with confidence.

PlanBee Forces in Action: Science Forces Year 5 PlanBee lesson pack

Forces In Action - Lesson 1: Gravity

This Forces in Action Year 5 Science scheme of work teaches your children how forces affect everything around us. They will learn about the effects of gravity, friction, air and water resistance a...

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In the lesson:

Teach your KS2 class about gravity with this ready-to-teach lesson. Your Year 5 children will learn about the effects of gravity and, in particular, the ways in which falling objects of different sizes are affected by the force of gravity. They may then either conduct a gravity experiment, or study a range of sources to find out more about the lives and work of some important scientists.

This Gravity KS2 Science lesson includes:

a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities
a slideshow for the teaching input
a range of printable resources for independent learning activities

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Gravity KS2

What is gravity?

Gravity is a force that pulls objects towards one another. The objects do not have to be touching.

Anything that has mass has a gravitational pull.

What is mass?

Mass is a measure of the amount of matter that an object is made of. Mass is measured in kilograms.

What objects are affected by gravity?

Anything that has a mass is affected by gravity. There is a gravitational pull between the Sun and the planets in our solar system, between the Earth and us, and even between two ants!

A dropped object falls to the ground because it is pulled down by the force of gravity that Earth exerts on the object.

Who discovered gravity?

In 1687, an English scientist called Isaac Newton published his theory of gravity. He discovered that the more mass an object has, the greater the pull, or force, that is exerted on it.

The force of gravity is also dependent on the distance between two objects - the further apart they are, the weaker the pull between them is.

Sir Isaac Newton

When should children learn about gravity?

According to the National Curriculum Science objectives, children should learn about gravity in KS2. It is assigned as compulsory learning in Year 5 under the 'Forces' strand of learning.