Force Detectives Morning Work Packet Force Detectives Academy
Weekly Morning Clue Log
Agent Name
Date
Monday Mission Case File #1: Spotting Pushes & Pulls
Morning Briefing: What is a Force?
Welcome, Agent! A force is a push or pull that makes something move, stop, or change direction. Examine your first clues below and label the actions!
Clue Board: Look closely at each daily action. Circle if it is a PUSH, a PULL, or BOTH!
Evidence A
Brushing Your Teeth
Moving a toothbrush back and forth across your shiny teeth.
PUSH
PULL
BOTH
Evidence B
Moving a Shopping Cart
Guiding a heavy cart forward down the supermarket aisle.
PUSH
PULL
BOTH
Evidence C
Opening a Desk Drawer
Sliding your desk drawer outward to look for your markers.
PUSH
PULL
BOTH
Evidence D
Lifting a Heavy Backpack
Picking up your heavy bag off the school floor in the morning.
PUSH
PULL
BOTH
Detective Log: In your own words, what is the main difference between a PUSH and a PULL?
Unit: Everyday Physical Forces Page 1 of 5
Force Detectives Academy
Weekly Morning Clue Log
Agent Name
Date
Tuesday Mission Case File #2: Clues in the Classroom
Morning Briefing: Classroom Forces
Look around, Agent! Even writing this sentence is a force challenge! Your hand moves your pencil using quick pushes and pulls to draw letters. Let's test this in real-time.
Activity 1: The Pencil Trace Test
Carefully trace the jagged lines below with your pencil. Think about the direction your hand is moving!
START 🏁 FINISH 🏆
▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼
When moving your pencil UP, you mostly:
PUSH PULL
When moving your pencil DOWN, you mostly:
PUSH PULL
Activity 2: Pencil Force Investigation
Press down very gently with your pencil and write your first name below. Then press slightly harder and write it again.
Test 1: Gentle Pressure
Test 2: Firmer Pressure
What did you notice about the pencil mark when you pushed harder on the paper?
Unit: Everyday Physical Forces Page 2 of 5
Force Detectives Academy
Weekly Morning Clue Log
Agent Name
Date
Wednesday Mission Case File #3: Doorway Detectives
Morning Briefing: Doorway Force Locks
Doors keep us out or let us in! Different doors require different types of forces to operate. Grab your notepad and crack these 3 door cases.
Door Analysis: Identify the primary force required to operate each type of door below.
1. The Classroom Pull-Door
CASE #301
You must grab the brass handle to open the classroom door to walk inside from the hallway.
PUSH PULL BOTH
2. The Fire Exit Push Bar
CASE #302
A safety emergency exit door equipped with a wide horizontal panic bar to open it instantly.
PUSH PULL BOTH
3. The Lobby Revolving Door
CASE #303
A circular glass door with panels that spin around a central axis to let multiple people enter.
PUSH PULL BOTH
Mystery Question: What would happen if a door said "PULL" but you pushed on it as hard as you could? Why?
Unit: Everyday Physical Forces Page 3 of 5
Force Detectives Academy
Weekly Morning Clue Log
Agent Name
Date
Thursday Mission Case File #4: Clashing Forces
Morning Briefing: Unbalanced Clues
Sometimes two forces act on the same thing at the same time! If one force is stronger, the object moves in the direction of the stronger force. Let's calculate the motions below.
Clash Lab: Look at each test diagram. Choose which way the box moves.
Test 1: Pushes from Both Sides Box Weight: Medium
Max's Push
5 Units
BOX
Zoe's Push
3 Units
Moves to the LEFT
Moves to the RIGHT
Test 2: Double Tug Pull Box Weight: Heavy
Zoe's Pull
4 Units
BOX
Max's Pull
4 Units
Moves to the RIGHT
STAYS STILL (No Movement)
Investigation: Draw your own diagram! Use arrows to show a PULL on a heavy block from the left side and a stronger PUSH from the right side.
[Draw your block and force arrows in this box]
Unit: Everyday Physical Forces Page 4 of 5
Force Detectives Academy
Weekly Morning Clue Log
Agent Name
Date
Friday Mission Case File #5: Field Agent Report
Morning Briefing: Final Clue Audit
Congratulations, Detective! You are on the verge of graduating! Your final test is to look around you and log real-life pushes and pulls that you used today.
3 Pushes I Used Today
CLUE 1:
CLUE 2:
CLUE 3:
3 Pulls I Used Today
CLUE 1:
CLUE 2:
CLUE 3:
Grand Graduation Question: If there were NO PUSHES in the world, only PULLS, how would your daily morning routine change? Try to name one thing that would be impossible.
FORCE DETECTIVE CERTIFICATE
This certifies the agent has decoded physical pushes and pulls.
TEACHER SIGNATURE
Unit: Everyday Physical Forces Page 5 of 5
Force Detectives Answer Key Teacher Guide Teacher Guide & Answer Key
Force Detectives Academy
Answer Key
Pedagogical Goals: Push & Pull Basics
This packet introduces standard physical science vocabulary (force, push, pull, friction, direction) by asking students to analyze physical movements they do every day. Use these daily answers for quick 5-minute morning check-ins or science openers.
Monday Key Case File #1: Spotting Pushes & Pulls
Evidence A: Brushing Your Teeth
Toothbrush back-and-forth movement.
BOTH (Push & Pull)
Evidence B: Moving a Shopping Cart
Guiding the cart forward.
PUSH
Evidence C: Opening a Desk Drawer
Sliding the drawer outward.
PULL
Evidence D: Lifting a Heavy Backpack
Picking up the bag off the floor.
PULL
Detective Log Teacher Cue:
"A push is a force moving something away from you. A pull is a force moving something closer to you."
Tuesday Key Case File #2: Clues in the Classroom
Moving Pencil UP PULL / PUSH
Accept either or both depending on grip style, but typically drawing up requires a pull towards the arm.
Moving Pencil DOWN PUSH
Pressing pencil down into paper is a downward push of the wrist.
Pressure Test Analysis:
When students push harder, the graphite line becomes darker and wider because more force transfers to the paper. Introduce the word Friction : the force that stops things from sliding too easily.
Unit: Everyday Physical Forces Page 1 of 2
Teacher Guide & Answer Key
Force Detectives Academy
Answer Key
Wednesday Key Case File #3: Doorway Detectives
1. Pull-Door
PULL
Classroom handle doors are designed to be pulled open towards you.
2. Emergency Bar
PUSH
Wide crash bars are designed to open as you push your body weight forward.
3. Revolving
PUSH
Panels must be pushed forward to spin them around.
Wrong Action Prompt:
"If you push on a pull door, the door frame stops it from swinging. No work is done because the door does not move."
Thursday Key Case File #4: Clashing Forces
Test 1: Pushes Clash
Left force: 5 units. Right force: 3 units.
Moves to the RIGHT
Test 2: Balanced Pulls
Force Detectives Intro Slides Force Detective Academy
AGENT BRIEFING 01
Decoding Pushes & Pulls
Welcome to the team, Agent! Forces are hidden all around you. Your mission today is to discover how physical actions shape our entire morning.
Classroom Introductory Slide Deck
Slide 1 of 5
Force Detective Academy
THE BRIEFING
What is a Force?
A force is simply a push or a pull that acts upon an object.
👉
Push: Forces things away from you.
👈
Pull: Brings things closer to you.
Direction Clue
Push & Pull
Discussion: Can you move anything without using a force?
Slide 2 of 5
Force Detective Academy
CASE CLUE #2
UPWARD Slight Pull
DOWNWARD Active Push
Pencils require forces in all directions to make curves and patterns.
Forces of the Pencil
When your pencil touch paper, you use small muscle forces in your fingers.
✔ Downward Push: Keeps the lead touching the paper.
✔ Sideways Pull: Drags the pencil to draw letters.
✔ Friction: The paper pushes back slightly, keeping lead steady!
Class Experiment: Push your pencil too hard. What happens to the lead?
Slide 3 of 5
Force Detective Academy
CASE CLUE #3
Doorway Machines
Doors are excellent tools because they are designed to rotate easily. However, you must apply the correct force to make them work:
Pull Handles: Designed to be pulled towards your body.
Push Bars: Designed to open outwards when pushed forward.
Entering a Room
Usually requires pulling the door open towards you.
Exiting a Building
Usually requires pushing the safety exit door open.
What happens if a door is locked? Does the force change?
Slide 4 of 5
Force Detective Academy
FINAL FIELD TEST
Ready for the Field, Agent?
Your final assignment to achieve your official Force Detective Badge is to spot real physical forces inside your classroom or home today.
🔍 Task A: Spot Pushes
Look for things you move forward, slide away, compress, or click down.
