Learning Map
ScienceForces & Motionusually ages 9–11

Gravity & Falling Objects

Explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object

How to tell they’ve got it

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Try this together

Can your child explain why everything falls downwards when you let go of it, and name the force that causes this?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on
Forces Vocabularyages 5–8Explaining gravity requires the force vocabulary: gravity, weight, non-contact force
Contact & Non-Contact Forcesages 7–8Must know about non-contact forces before learning gravity as a non-contact force
Drawing Force Diagramsages 7–12Explaining gravity as a downward force requires representing it as a downward arrow in a force diagram
Balanced & Unbalanced Forcesages 8–9Balanced/unbalanced forces supports understanding gravity as an unbalanced force on unsupported objects
Gravity & Falling Objectsthis skill · ages 9–11
Unlocks
Mass vs Weightages 11–12KS3 weight = mass × g extends KS2 introduction to gravity as the force pulling objects toward Earth
Air Resistance & Frictionages 9–10Understanding gravity helps contextualise resistive forces opposing gravitational motion
Levers, Pulleys & Gearsages 9–10Gravity context helps understand why we need mechanisms to lift heavy things

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

Show candidate curriculum codes · 1 ACARA · 1 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9S4U03low confidenceYear 4 · Science understanding

identify how forces can be exerted by one object on another and investigate the effect of frictional, gravitational and magnetic forces on the motion of objects

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2S4U10low confidenceScience · Levels 3 and 4 · Science Understanding strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

Air Resistance & Frictionages 9–10 Force & Motion Vocabularyages 9–11 Levers, Pulleys & Gearsages 9–10 Balanced & Unbalanced Forcesages 8–9

All Forces & Motion skills →