Push Power Teacher Plan
NGSS 3-PS2-1 🎮 Fun Game Edition 30 Min Lab
Box Battle: Push Power Game
A playful, low-frustration hands-on science game designed for emerging 3rd-grade learners.
Special Ed / Tier 2-3
Grade 3 Science
🤝
Rule 1: Equal Pushes (A Tie!)
BALANCED = FREEZE!
📢 Call & Response Chant:
Teacher: "When pushes match?" Students: "FREEZE! NO MOVE!"
🏆
Rule 2: Unequal Pushes (A Winner!)
UNBALANCED = ZOOM!
📢 Call & Response Chant:
Teacher: "When one push wins?" Students: "ZOOM! IT MOVES!"
Low-Prep Game Props (Keep it tactile & silly!)
📦 "Box Monster" Decorate with goofy googly eyes!
🏟️ Push Arena Mat Laminated table mat with target zone
🟢 🛑 Dot Stickers Red (Freeze) & Green (Zoom)
⭐ Detective Badges Sticker rewards for every trial
Game Pacing (30 Minutes) Keep it moving & active!
Palm Game (5m)
Model Monster (7m)
3 Box Rounds (12m)
Star Check (6m)
Round 0 High-Five Push Challenge (Sensory Warm-Up) 5 Mins
Step 1: Have students give high-fives with both of their own hands in front of them.
🖐️ Game A: The Statue Hands
"Push gently with both hands at the same strength. Ready... 1, 2, 3, PUSH!"
Prompt: "Did your hands fly away? No! They froze! That is BALANCED!"
🚀 Game B: The Rocket Push
"One hand pushes like a bulldozer, the other hand relaxes like cooked spaghetti!"
Prompt: "Whoosh! The bulldozer hand won! That is UNBALANCED!"
Phase 2 Meet "Barnaby the Box Monster" (Teacher Demo) 7 Mins
Story Hook: "This is Barnaby the Box Monster! Barnaby is lazy. He only moves if an UNBALANCED force makes him zoom! Let's see if we can trick him!"
Teacher Action:
"I push from the left side with 1 finger... zoom! Barnaby slides. Was that a tie or a winner? A winner! Unbalanced force!"
Push Power Forces • Lesson Plan (Part 1 of 2) Turn to Page 2 for 3 Game Rounds & Low-Reader Scaffolding →
Part 2: The 3 Box Game Rounds & SpEd Scaffolds
Quick-paced rounds with high-energy verbal praise and visual cues.
Page 2 of 2
Phase 3 The 3 Box Battle Rounds (Hands-On Lab) 12 Mins
R1
Round 1: Solo Push (One Side Only) ZOOM! 🟢
Student Move: Push the box with 1 finger on the LEFT side. No touching the right side!
Kid Chant: "One push won! Barnaby zoomed! It's UNBALANCED!"
Worksheet action: Stick green dot on "ZOOM" & circle "WINNER / UNBALANCED".
R2
Round 2: The Push Standoff (Both Sides Equal) FREEZE! 🛑
Student Move: Partner A and Partner B push against each other with matching 1-finger gentle power.
Kid Chant: "It's a tie! Nobody won! Barnaby is FROZEN! It's BALANCED!"
Worksheet action: Stick red dot on "FREEZE" & circle "TIE / BALANCED".
R3
Round 3: The Monster Smash (Big Push vs. Pinky Touch) ZOOM! 🟢
Student Move: Partner A gives a firm two-hand push. Partner B just touches with one pinky.
Kid Chant: "Big push won! Barnaby zoomed! It's UNBALANCED!"
Worksheet action: Stick green dot on "ZOOM" & circle "WINNER / UNBALANCED".
Phase 4 Detective Star Quiz & High-Five Wrap-Up 6 Mins
Gesture Check (Non-Verbal):
Say: "Two robots push a car equally. Show me with your body!"
→ Students freeze like ice statues! (Balanced)
Exit Ticket Star Question:
Students stamp or point to the wagon on their sheet: Does it FREEZE or ZOOM?
Reward with a gold science detective star sticker!
Low 3rd-Grade & SpEd Super Supports
🧠 Reduce Reading Load
Rely on visual color-coded symbols: 🛑 Red = Freeze/Still, 🟢 Green = Zoom/Move, 🤝 Hands = Tie/Balanced.
✋ Motor & Writing Help
No handwriting required! Use pre-peeled dot stickers, bingo daubers, or pointing.
🎉 Attention & Engagement
Use silly sound effects ("WHOOSH!", "FREEZE!"). Keep turns fast so no student waits long.
Push Power Forces • Grade 3 SpEd Game Protocol Classroom Ready • Designed for High Success
Push Power Slides
🎮 3rd Grade Science Game
⭐ NGSS 3-PS2-1
📦 MEET BARNABY THE BOX MONSTER!
The Push Power Game!
Will the box FREEZE or ZOOM?
🛑 FREEZE = Stays Still 🟢 ZOOM = Starts Moving Ready to play? Let's go! 🚀
Secret Word Step 1
What is a FORCE?
A force is a PUSH!
When your hand pushes the box, you give it push power!
👉 📦
PUSH THE BOX!
Arrows show which way the push is going.
🗣️ Say it with me: "A FORCE IS A PUSH!"
Warm-Up Game Hands Ready
The High-Five Push Challenge!
🖐️ 🛑 🖐️
Matching Pushes
Push both palms together with the same gentle power.
IT'S A TIE = FREEZE! 🛑
💪 🟢 💨
One Big Push
Push hard with one hand, and keep the other limp!
ONE WON = ZOOM! 🟢
Now let's test Barnaby the Box Monster!
Round 1 Push ONE Side
👉 PUSH
📦
(None)
Only one finger pushes!
What happened?
IT ZOOMS! 🟢 💨
Was it a tie or a winner?
WINNER! (Unbalanced) 🏆
✏️ Put a green dot on ZOOM and circle WINNER!
📢 Shout the chant: "ONE PUSH WINS = ZOOM!"
Round 2 Equal Pushes from BOTH Sides
👉 PUSH
📦
PUSH 👈
Both partners push equally!
What happened?
IT FREEZES! 🛑 ❄️
Was it a tie or a winner?
IT'S A TIE! (Balanced) 🤝
✏️ Put a red dot on FREEZE and circle A TIE!
📢 Shout the chant: "PUSHES MATCH = FREEZE!"
Round 3 Big Push vs. Little Pinky
💪 BIG!
📦
tiny 👈
One push is way stronger!
What happened?
IT ZOOMS! 🟢 💨
Was it a tie or a winner?
WINNER! (Unbalanced) 🏆
✏️ Put a green dot on ZOOM and circle WINNER!
Force Rules Anchor Chart
📦
Tabletop Game Mat • Grade 3 Science
The Push Power Arena!
⭐ FORCE = A PUSH!
MATCHING PUSHES
IT'S A TIE! (Balanced)
🤝
👉 PUSH
📦
PUSH 👈
Both sides push with same power!
What Does Barnaby Do?
🛑 FREEZE! ❄️
Box stays completely still!
ONE SIDE STRONGER
A WINNER! (Unbalanced)
🏆
💪 BIG PUSH
📦
tiny 👈
One push beats the other push!
What Does Barnaby Do?
🟢 ZOOM! 💨
Box zooms across the desk!
Hands-On Battle Arena Place your box monster in the middle! 👇
🖐️ Partner A Push →
📦
BOX MONSTER PARKING
Ready... 1, 2, 3, PUSH!
✋ Partner B ← Push
💬 Point & Say Helper (Voice / Communication Board):
Touch the answer!
🛑
"It FROZE! It's BALANCED!"
Because both pushes matched.
🟢
"It ZOOMED! It's UNBALANCED!"
Because one push won.
Grade 3 Science • Standard 3-PS2-1 Visual Mat Print & Laminate • Push Power Game Station
