Teacher sheet · Ages 6–7 · about 45–50 minutes
Grippy or slippy?
Lesson page: echoesof.science/school/friction/ages-6-7/ · Pupil worksheet: echoesof.science/school/friction/ages-6-7/print/
Learning aims
- Friction is a force that works against sliding.
- Friction slows things down and stops them starting to slide.
- Friction is useful (walking, gripping) and can be reduced (ice, oil, water).
- Compare surfaces in a simple fair test.
Lesson plan
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 5 min | Slide a book across the table. Why does it stop? |
| 10 min | Read the text; rub hands together; look at shoe soles. |
| 15 min | Toy car on different floors in small groups. |
| 10 min | Play Grippy or slippy? |
| 5 min | Quiz together. |
Materials for the experiment
- A toy car
- A low ramp (a board on two or three books)
- Different surfaces: carpet, a towel, the smooth floor, kitchen foil
- Masking tape
- Hand spans or a ruler to measure
Safety: Keep the ramp low and steady. Let the car roll, never throw it. Keep the floor clear so nobody trips.
Common misconceptions
| Pupils may think… | Actually… |
|---|---|
| Things stop because they get tired or run out of push. | Friction from the floor and the air slows them down. |
| Friction is always bad. | We need friction to walk, hold things and stop a bike. |
| Smooth things have no friction at all. | Even smooth things have tiny bumps and some friction. |
Worksheet answers
- A sole with ridges or bumps (any reasonable pattern), because more grip means more friction and less slipping.
- Slippy.
- Usually the towel or carpet: these surfaces give the most friction, so they slow the car fastest.
Quiz answers
- What do we call the force that slows down sliding things? Friction. Friction works against sliding and slows things down.[3]
- Why can you walk without slipping? Friction lets your shoes grip the ground. Friction gives the grip we need to walk.[2]
- Where is it most slippery? On ice. There is very little friction on ice.[1]
- What happens when you rub your hands together fast? They get warm. Friction turns movement into heat.[5]
- What does oil do between two moving parts? Makes them more slippery. Oil is a lubricant: it reduces friction.[3][1]
Going further
Put a little water, then a drop of soapy water, on a smooth tray and slide a coin or a toy across it. What changes? (Wipe up straight away.)
Sources used in this lesson
- [1] University Physics Volume 1, 6.2 Friction (OpenStax, Rice University): reliability High
- [2] Friction (Encyclopaedia Britannica): reliability High
- [3] Friction (Science Continuum F–10) (Victorian Department of Education (Australia)): reliability High
- [4] Forces and motion: friction is a force (Monash University and Victorian Department of Education (Science Continuum F–10)): reliability High
- [5] College Physics 2e, 7.5 Nonconservative Forces (OpenStax, Rice University): reliability High
Full list with links and a note on each source's reliability: echoesof.science/school/friction/sources/
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