Year 3 Science: Forces and Magnets – KS2 Science Unit

Investigate how things move, what magnets can do, and how forces affect our world with our Year 3 Forces and Magnets science unit. Part of the Scintillating Science programme, this engaging topic supports the KS2 science curriculum and introduces key concepts through hands-on experiments and structured scientific enquiry.

Across six lessons, pupils explore the effects of friction, magnetic forces, and contact versus non-contact forces. They investigate magnetic materials, test the strength of different magnets, and design fair tests to solve challenges using their scientific thinking skills.

What’s included?

Everything you need to teach Year 3 forces and magnets lessons with confidence:

• Interactive animated slides for whole-class teaching
• Differentiated science worksheets with three levels of challenge
• Knowledge organisers to introduce and reinforce key vocabulary
• Hands-on investigations exploring magnets, movement, and surfaces
• Simple assessment tools to track progress and understanding

Working scientifically in Year 3

This unit focuses on developing scientific enquiry skills. Pupils will:

• Make predictions and carry out fair tests
• Use equipment to measure and observe changes
• Gather and interpret results
• Draw conclusions and present findings clearly

Key learning outcomes

By the end of the unit, pupils will be able to:

• Compare how different surfaces affect movement
• Explain the difference between contact and non-contact forces
• Identify magnetic materials and describe how magnets behave
• Investigate magnetic strength and apply their learning in problem-solving contexts

Lesson structure

Each lesson follows a consistent structure to support learning and engagement:

• Whole-class input – key concepts introduced through interactive slides
• Hands-on investigations – real-life applications of science
• Independent tasks – differentiated worksheets to stretch all learners
• Discussion and reflection – opportunities to share findings and conclusions

Differentiation and assessment

Each independent task uses a three-star system to support all abilities:

• ⭐ One star – working below age-related expectations
• ⭐⭐ Two stars – working at the expected level
• ⭐⭐⭐ Three stars – working above the expected level

Teachers can track progress through observation, questioning, recorded work, and a final problem-solving task that brings together learning from across the unit.

Why choose our Forces and Magnets unit?

• Aligned with the KS2 National Curriculum for Year 3 science
• Engaging, practical investigations that bring science to life
• Supports key working scientifically skills
• Differentiated materials to support all learners
• Easy to use, with clear lesson structure and teacher guidance

Start exploring forces and magnets

Perfect for teachers looking for Year 3 science lesson plans on forces and magnets, this unit is part of our full primary science scheme of work.

Free trial available.