Year 5 · Autumn 1.1 · Step 8

Earth & Space

Explore gravity

The non-contact force pulling everything towards Earth — and why mass doesn't change the rate of fall.

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: water resistance.

Recap: resistance forces

🌱 Seedling

Working towards

Name two forces that slow moving things down.

🌿 Sapling

Expected

What do air and water resistance have in common?
Which shapes reduce them?

🌳 Oak

Greater depth

All these forces need contact. Can you think of a force that works without touching?

Bridge into todayFriction and resistance are contact forces. Today: a non-contact force that pulls everything down — gravity.

Starter 5 min

Drop a heavy and a light object (same size). Which lands first?

Which hits the ground first?

Gravity is a non-contact force. Every object with mass has a gravitational pull — the greater the mass, the greater the pull. Gravity pulls everything towards Earth's centre.

🌱 Seedling

Working towards

Gravity pulls objects ____ (up / down).

🌿 Sapling

Expected

Why is gravity a non-contact force?

🌳 Oak

Greater depth

Predict: do heavier objects always fall faster? Explain your thinking.

I do · 1 6 min

Teacher models. Watch, then separate mass from weight.

Gravity, mass and weight

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

Swap the clip: change the ID after /embed/ (now 6rE78Ieu7s0).

Say thisMass is how much matter is in an object. Weight is the downward gravitational pull on it, measured in Newtons (N) with a Newton meter. Gravity acts towards Earth's centre because Earth has the greatest mass.

⚖️

Massamount of matter

🡇

Weightpull in Newtons

🌍

Towards centreEarth's huge mass

We do · 1 6 min

Use a Newton meter together; read weight in N.

Measure weight in Newtons

⚖️ mass = grams (matter) | 🡇 weight = Newtons (pull of gravity)

Show it

Hang an object on the Newton meter → the spring stretches → read the force in N.

Same object on the Moon would have the same mass but less weight — the Moon's gravity is weaker.

I do · 2 4 min

Play the animation. Bust: heavier objects always fall faster.

Same size, same fall

Two balls, same surface area, different mass — they land together.

Model the ruleWhat really changes how fast something falls is air resistance and surface area — not its mass. Objects with the same surface area fall at the same rate, whatever their mass.

Watch for: "heavier things fall faster" and "there is no gravity on the Moon" (there is — it's weaker).

We do · 2 5 min

Sort a few statements as a class.

True, myth, or mass/weight?

Decide together

"Gravity pulls towards Earth's centre." "Heavier objects always fall faster." "Weight is measured in Newtons."

True fact, myth to bust, or a point about mass/weight?

Independent 10 min

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

Gravity sorter

✅ True about gravity

🚫 Myth to bust

⚖️ About mass & weight

Tap a card to sort it…

🌱 Seedling

Working towards

Sort the cards. Then finish: Gravity pulls objects towards Earth's ____.

🌿 Sapling

Expected

Sort them, then explain the difference between mass and weight.

🌳 Oak

Greater depth

Explain why two same-sized objects of different mass hit the ground together.

Exit ticket 4 min

Answer at your tier, then hand it in.

Show what you know

🌱 Seedling

Working towards

Gravity is a ____ force (contact / non-contact).
Which way does gravity pull?

🌿 Sapling

Expected

What is the difference between mass and weight?
What unit is weight measured in?

🌳 Oak

Greater depth

Is there gravity on the Moon? Explain what happens to mass and weight there.