Science UKS2 LESSON PLAN Can we move objects with our minds?

Investigate the physics of Roald WHAT Dahl’s Matilda and explore her THEY’LL special telekinetic powers with LEARN Deborah Herridge

@deborahscience l Develop ‘working scientifically’ Wouldn’t it be great to be like Roald Dahl’s skills and work collaboratively Matilda Wormwood and be able to move to investigate objects just by thinking about it? First different forces published 30 years ago, this much-loved tale

l Experience is perfect to explore in the classroom – based as some unusual it is around school life and packed with effects of forces memorable characters, from the wicked Miss

l Identify Trunchbull to magical Matilda herself. Once forces that work you’ve enjoyed the story, continue the learning at a distance journey with this physics exploration which focuses on Matilda’s special powers and how this relates to forces.

MAIN LESSON of forces too. Sometimes we can START HERE move objects without touching them. Can anyone guess how? 1|EXPLORING Ask your children TELEKINESIS 2|MAGNETIC FORCE what they remember In this lesson, and with a little Think about magnets and what about forces. They help from the laws of physics, we know about how they attract may remember that children can investigate action- and repel each other. Give at-a-distance forces. Begin the children some magnets to forces are ‘pushes’ by thinking about ‘contact’ or investigate and remind them and ‘pulls’, can make ‘applied’ forces. Read the part of the forces between these. things move or change in the book where Matilda Magnetism is a non-contact speed or direction, or knocks over a glass of water force – it can move something that they can change with her mind (download this like a paperclip at a distance the shape of some objects. Ask for some examples. extract from teachwire.net/ without touching it. Challenge teaching-resources/matilda- pupils to move a paperclip It is likely that children will think in terms of opening resources), and ask children if without touching it. How and closing doors or kicking a ball. Some may mention they can remember other times can we move the paperclip gravity (weight) or magnetism. Remind children about when she moves things in the further? (Stronger magnets Matilda moving chalk with her telekinetic power. Can same way. or more of them). this happen? We know that forces can move objects, Explain that we can Think now about weight and physically touch objects and how gravity pulls two objects but can they really be moved without being touched? use that force to make them together without contact; you Watch the clip from the 1996 film where Matilda moves move. We call a physical push can demonstrate this easily objects with her mind. Let’s investigate! or pull a ‘contact’ or an ‘applied’ just by dropping an object and force, but there are other types watching how it falls to Earth or,

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90-91 Deborah Herridge LP.indd 90 14/12/2018 16:53 what will happen when you turn EXTENDING it upside down. Demonstrate THE LESSON this – you may want to wear wellies! Explain that the non-contact force of weight, l In the 1996 film version, the force of gravity, is pulling Matilda dances around the water towards the Earth. the room moving objects We didn’t need to touch it with the power of her mind. for the water to move. The #MatildaChallenge Now you are going to do is a YouTube trend that something really special. Tell involves recreating the the children you are going to scene, with friends hidden defy gravity. You are going to out of shot making everyday turn a bucket of water upside objects appear to move down over your head and stop on their own. Watch some the water from falling to Earth. #MatildaChallenge videos Does anyone have any ideas on YouTube and talk about about how you could do this? how the objects actually The force that keeps objects move, then make your own. moving in a circle is called What types of forces can centripetal force. Centripetal you include? means ‘centre seeking’. Explain l For more able students, that when an object is moving, explain that although the it will keep moving in a straight bucket exercise seems like a line unless acted upon by other gravity-defying trick, gravity forces. Amanda’s plaits are is still working here. The holding her in a circular path water’s inertia (tendency and when Miss Trunchbull lets towards a straight path) them go, Amanda travels in a wants to keep it travelling straight line until gravity pulls in a straight line but gravity her back down to Earth. pulls it down. While the water Now try the same thing with is falling, crucially, so is the your bucket of water. Tie cords bucket, so it catches the to the bucket so that it hangs water as they move together. centrally. Fill it half full of water. The string acts as the Now start swinging the bucket centripetal force that pulls so that the cord is taut and make both bucket and water into © 2019 Roald Dahl Story Company / Quentin Blake a vertical circle with the bucket the centre and keeps them swinging overhead. Keep going! from following their paths of objects towards the Earth Providing the motion continues inertia (straight lines) – just Free online without needing contact. and is fast enough, the water like Amanda’s plaits. Read the part in the should stay in the bucket. Too resources book where Miss Trunchbull slow and gravity will take over Download accompanying ‘hammer throws’ Amanda and you’ll get wet. This is the worksheets to help you Thripp, starting at ‘My same force that keeps you from deliver this lesson from m-m-mummy thinks I look falling out of a roller coaster teachwire.net/teaching- lovely, Miss T-T-Trunchbull’ when it loops the loop or keeps USEFUL resources/matilda-resources (download the extract from the space station in orbit. QUESTIONS teachwire.net/teaching- Exit to applause. resources/matilda- resources). Ask children to If you enjoyed this try and describe the motion of lesson plan, find more on l What is a force? What Amanda – how is she moving? the Roald Dahl website is gravity and why do (In a circle). What happens at roalddahl.com/ unsupported objects fall when Miss Trunchbull lets go create-and-learn to the ground? of her? (She stops moving in a l What other forces can circle and travels in a straight Deborah Herridge is science you name? How many line. Scientists call this inertia). subject leader for initial of them act without as in the book, pouring a glass Which force brings Amanda teacher education at the contact? of water (with or without newt) down to Earth? University of Northumbria l What would life be like into a bucket or glass. The water in Newcastle. She is if there was no or less has weight and is drawn towards 3|HEAD OUTSIDE co-author of Pearson’s gravity? the Earth by the non-contact Take a bucket of water outside Science Bug programme l Which famous scientist force of gravity. Gravity moves and ask children to predict for primary science. first wrote about gravity?

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90-91 Deborah Herridge LP.indd 91 14/12/2018 16:54