Year 5 · Autumn 1.1 · Step 2

Earth & Space

Air resistance

A type of friction between air and a moving object — bigger surfaces catch more air and slow more.

Arrival Starter I do We do Independent Exit ticket

🌱 Seedling · Working towards 🌿 Sapling · Expected 🌳 Oak · Greater depth

⏱ Whole lesson ≈ 44 min · pick a tier in the bar, or leave on "All"

Arrival 4 min

Recap of last lesson: friction.

Recap: friction

🌱 Seedling

Working towards

Finish: Friction is a ____ force that ____ motion.

🌿 Sapling

Expected

Which direction does friction act?
Give one useful example.
Does friction need two surfaces?

🌳 Oak

Greater depth

Could a force like friction happen between an object and the air? What might that feel like?

Bridge into todayFriction happens between touching surfaces. Today: a type of friction that acts as things move through the air.

Starter 5 min

Wave a hand fast, then slow. Feel the air push back.

Pushing through the air

Air resistance is a type of friction that acts between the air and an object moving through it. Bigger, flatter surfaces catch more air.

🌱 Seedling

Working towards

Which falls slower?

open parachute · a marble

🌿 Sapling

Expected

Why does an open parachute slow a skydiver down?

🌳 Oak

Greater depth

Does air resistance only act on falling things? Think of a train or plane.

I do · 1 6 min

Teacher models. Watch, then connect shape and size to air resistance.

What is air resistance?

▶ Can't see it? Watch "What is air resistance? — Year 5 Forces" on YouTube

Swap the clip: change the ID after /embed/ (now x6ovQErh4Mw).

Say thisAir resistance is a friction force between air and a moving object. Its size depends on the object's shape and surface area. It acts in any direction of movement — not just downwards.

🪂

Big surfacemore air resistance

✈️

Streamlinedless air resistance

↕️

Any directionnot only falling

We do · 1 6 min

Sort designs: catch air or cut through it?

Catch it or cut it?

🪂 open parachute ✈️ pointed plane nose 🚄 streamlined train 📄 flat sheet of paper 🚀 rocket

Design choice

Want to slow down (parachute) → large flat surface. Want to go fast (train, plane, rocket) → streamlined shape.

Engineers choose the shape to control air resistance.

I do · 2 4 min

Play the animation. Bust: air resistance only acts when falling / forces are invisible so do nothing.

Big surface, slow fall

The big canopy catches more air, so it falls slowly; the small shape falls fast.

Model the ruleAir resistance pushes against movement. A bigger surface area meets more air, so it slows more. Forces are invisible, but they do change an object's speed, shape or direction.

Watch for: "air resistance only happens when falling" and "invisible forces don't do anything".

We do · 2 5 min

Draw the two forces on a falling parachute together.

Two forces on a parachute

Label it

Gravity pulls ____ ; air resistance pushes ____ .

When the parachute opens, air resistance grows and the fall slows. Gravity down, air resistance up.

Independent 10 min

On your own. Sort each one, then write at your tier.

Air resistance sorter

⬆️ More air resistance

➡️ Less air resistance

🚫 Myth to bust

Tap a card to sort it…

🌱 Seedling

Working towards

Sort the cards. Then finish: A bigger surface area means ____ air resistance.

🌿 Sapling

Expected

Sort them, then explain why a parachute slows a skydiver but a streamlined train speeds up.

🌳 Oak

Greater depth

Explain why air resistance is a type of friction, and why it acts in more than one direction.

Exit ticket 4 min

Answer at your tier, then hand it in.

Show what you know

🌱 Seedling

Working towards

Air resistance is a type of ____.
Which slows a fall — a big or small surface?

🌿 Sapling

Expected

How is a train designed to reduce air resistance?
Name the two forces on a falling parachute.

🌳 Oak

Greater depth

A feather and a coin are dropped. Explain, using air resistance, why the feather falls more slowly.