Lesson Plan - Gravity: From Falling Apples to Orbiting Planets
The lesson plan for Gravity: From Falling Apples to Orbiting Planets helps parents and carers guide their children through one of science’s most fascinating forces. Covering everything from why things fall to how planets stay in orbit, this topic explores gravity in a way that is both easy to understand and full of amazing facts.
Designed for use at home, this plan includes thoughtful questions, creative tasks, and activities to suit a range of ages and learning styles. Whether your child is just starting to learn about forces or is already interested in space and physics, you’ll find something in here to stretch their thinking and spark their curiosity.
There’s no need for a science degree to teach this topic. We’ve included plain-English explanations, useful discussion prompts, and flexible ideas so that families can work through the material in a way that suits them best. You can use the lesson as a one-off science day or build it into a longer project about the universe, motion, or famous scientists like Newton.
This resource is ideal for Elective Home Education and supports confident learning at home—while keeping things flexible, engaging, and fun to explore.
This topic is part of our Info Zone collection. You can read the full topic, once logged in, here: Gravity: From Falling Apples to Orbiting Planets
You’ll also find a full Lesson Plan and a handy Parent Q & A sheet, for this topic, ready to use..
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Lesson Plan Gravity – From Falling Apples to Orbiting Planets |
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| Overview | This lesson introduces the force of gravity, exploring how it affects objects on Earth and in space. It begins with Newton's famous apple, explains gravity’s role in orbits, and ends with black holes. Learners will build their understanding through reading, discussion, and creative thinking. Suitable for a range of ages and abilities. |
| Learning Objectives |
- Understand the concept of gravity and how it works - Explain the difference between mass and weight - Describe why planets and moons stay in orbit - Explore Newton’s contributions to physics - Investigate the extremes of gravity in space |
| Estimated Time | 60–90 minutes |
| Starter Activity |
Ask: “What would happen if gravity suddenly stopped?” Watch a slow-motion video of an object falling, like an apple or basketball. Discuss what is pulling it down. Write down anything learners already know about gravity—or think they know! |
| Read and Learn |
Read the topic Gravity: From Falling Apples to Orbiting Planets aloud together or independently. Pause between sections to ask and discuss:
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| Activities |
Comprehension Questions:
Creative Task: Write a short story set in a world where gravity works differently. What happens to people, buildings, and nature? Be imaginative! Hands-On Challenge: Drop different household objects from the same height. Predict which will hit the ground first. Were your predictions right? Why or why not? Science Drawing: Draw an orbit with arrows showing the balance between forward motion and gravity’s pull. Add planets or moons to your picture. |
| Deeper Thinking |
Big Question: “If gravity pulls everything together, why don’t we all just squish into a ball?” Discuss the balance between forces, like motion and gravitational pull. Try to think of examples (like orbits or jumping) that show gravity at work in a balanced way. |
| Creative Projects |
- Build a model of the solar system using paper, string, or craft materials. Show how each planet orbits the Sun. - Design a gravity-powered invention. How would it use falling or pulling to do something useful? |
| Review & Reflect |
Ask the learner:
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| Extensions & Homework |
- Watch a short animation explaining gravity and orbits (e.g., on BBC Bitesize or YouTube) - Research black holes and write three facts that surprised you - Try to weigh yourself on a bathroom scale, then calculate what your weight would be on the Moon (divide by 6!) |