How Gravity Pulls Things Down, Read and Answer

Toss a soft ball straight up and ask your child to describe what slows it, stops it and brings it back. Then ask why down means toward the middle of Earth everywhere on the planet.

Read how gravity pulls apples, rain and thrown balls toward Earth's center and answer 6 questions. An object is a thing you can see and touch, such as a book or a cup. The directions on the page read: Read the passage. Then, turn the page and answer the questions. On page 2: Circle the letter of the best answer for questions 1 to 3, and write the answers to questions 4 to 6 on the lines. The answer key covers the questions on page 2.

Yes, both. We made it for 3rd Grade forces and motion, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens with gravity. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.

Gravity teaches students that all objects with mass attract each other, and that Earth's gravity is the force that keeps us on the ground and makes things fall when dropped. Third graders explore how gravity affects the motion of objects on ramps, in free fall, and during sports and play activities. The concept provides a foundation for later study of forces, motion, and engineering design.

Gravity is introduced in Grade 3 as part of the forces and motion unit, typically alongside friction and balanced and unbalanced forces. At ages 8-9, students have ample everyday experience with gravity and can connect the scientific explanation to familiar observations. The concept is often explored through investigations involving rolling objects, pendulums, or dropped items from different heights.

Drop two different objects at the same time and ask your child to predict and then observe what happens, then use the worksheet vocabulary to explain the result. The prediction and explanation activities are great for independent practice, but the 'why does this happen' questions benefit from thinking out loud together. Connecting the science to sports your child plays, why does a basketball come back down?, makes gravity feel personally relevant.

2 printable worksheets, all free to preview. Downloads are included with a ClassWeekly free trial, and every page prints on standard 8.5 x 11 paper.

These are written for 3rd Grade students, roughly ages 8-9. Many teachers also use them a grade up for review or a grade down as an extension, so use the preview to judge the fit for a particular child.