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Gravity Pulls Things Down

CONCEPTUAL
Science›Space Exploration|Ages 9—11|ID: mt_Y2WcY2lOTK

Understand gravity as a force that pulls objects towards the centre of the Earth, that 'down' means towards Earth’s centre regardless of where you stand on the sphere, and that gravity keeps the Moon orbiting Earth and planets orbiting the Sun

Mastery Evidence

  • Define gravity as a pulling force that attracts objects towards the centre of the Earth
  • Explain that 'down' points towards Earth's centre, so people on opposite sides of the globe both feel pulled 'down'
  • State that gravity keeps the Moon orbiting Earth and planets orbiting the Sun

Assessment Prompt

“Can [child] explain why things fall 'down' and that gravity is the same force keeping the Moon going around the Earth?”

Prerequisites2

Show full prerequisite tree
  • The solar system soft

    Curriculum spherical bodies/orbits topic underpins exploratory gravity understanding

    • Naming the Planets hard

      Describing sun, Earth, and moon as spherical bodies and planets orbiting the sun requires solar system vocabulary

    • Sun, Moon, and stars hard

      Must observe sun/moon patterns before learning about the solar system model

      • Naming the Planets hard

        Describing predictable patterns of sun, moon, and stars requires planet, star, moon, orbit vocabulary

      • Why seasons change hard

        Must observe sun/moon/star patterns before relating daylight to time of year

        • Naming the Planets soft

          Relating daylight length to time of year draws on orbit and solar system vocabulary

        • Seasonal changes soft

          Seasonal changes observation supports daylight pattern recognition

  • Earth's Spin & Orbit hard

    Must understand Earth's orbit and rotation before understanding gravity as the force maintaining them

    • Seasons & Weather Patterns soft

      Seasons concept benefits from knowing Earth orbits Sun

    • The Sun is a star hard

      Must know the Sun-centred system before understanding Earth's rotation and orbit within it

      • Sun, Moon & Stars hard

        Must know the Sun is a sky object before learning it is a star

        • Why seasons change soft

          Curriculum daylight/seasons observation supports exploratory Sun/Moon/stars identification

          • Naming the Planets soft

            Relating daylight length to time of year draws on orbit and solar system vocabulary

          • Seasonal changes soft

            Seasonal changes observation supports daylight pattern recognition

      • Our Solar System hard

        Must know about the solar system before learning the Sun is at its centre

        • Sun, Moon & Stars hard

          Must know the Sun and stars before learning about planets and the solar system

          • Why seasons change soft

            Curriculum daylight/seasons observation supports exploratory Sun/Moon/stars identification

            • Naming the Planets soft

              Relating daylight length to time of year draws on orbit and solar system vocabulary

            • Seasonal changes soft

              Seasonal changes observation supports daylight pattern recognition

Unlocks1