Which Way Does Gravity Pull?

5th Grade ScienceGravity3 pages

About this worksheet

A single picture of Earth with six stick figures, each standing beside a dropped ball, anchors this 3-page 5th grade science sheet. The figures stand at the top, bottom, left, right and two diagonal spots. Students draw an arrow from every ball to show which way gravity pulls it. Page 2 has three written questions about down for a person in Australia, why people at the bottom of the globe do not fall off and the pull at the very center. Page 3 shows all six arrows pointing to the center.

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Page 1 of 3

Which Way Does Gravity Pull?: Gravity - page 1
Which Way Does Gravity Pull?: Gravity - page 2
Which Way Does Gravity Pull?: Gravity - page 3

When this preview is focused, use the left and right arrow keys to move between pages.

Curriculum objectives covered

5-PS2-1

“Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.”

Page 1 asks for six arrows that all point toward the center of Earth, and page 2 asks why people at the bottom of the globe stay on the ground.

What's inside this worksheet

Gravity Around the Earth

A blue Earth with six people standing on its surface and a ball beside each one. Students draw six arrows from the balls.

Think About Gravity

Three questions with four writing lines each. Students say which way is down in Australia, why nobody falls off the bottom of the globe and which way gravity pulls at the center.

Answers

The Earth picture again with six arrows aimed at the center, followed by short answers to the three questions.

How teachers use it

Pencil first

Ask students to draw the arrows in pencil before any discussion. The figure at the bottom is the one most students get wrong, so use it to start the talk.

Use a real globe

Stick a small paper figure on a globe near Australia and drop a ball next to it. Students see that down changes with where you stand.

Question 3 stretch

The center of Earth is a hard idea. Let students argue in pairs for a minute about which way the pull goes there before they write.

More 5th Grade Science worksheets

Matter and Its InteractionsEarth's SystemsEcosystemsEngineering DesignPhotosynthesisPhysical and Chemical ChangesDigestive SystemLayers of the EarthLayers of the Atmosphere

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