The Science of Ice: Exploring Physics and Safety Through Hockey (Grades 4-6)
Hands-On Science with Hockey
Grades: 4-6 | Subject: Science | Time: 45–60 minutes
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will explore the science behind ice, motion, and safety in the game of hockey while practicing observation, experimentation, and design-thinking skills.
Why Hockey is a Natural Science Link
Hockey is more than a sport—it’s a real-world lab. Ice provides a tangible way to explore states of matter and friction, skating demonstrates motion and force in action, and protective gear helps open a conversation about health and safety. By connecting science to hockey, Grades 4-6 students can investigate concepts they might see in the hockey arena or on TV and apply them in the classroom.
Lesson Ideas (45–60 min)
Learning Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Explain why ice is slippery using the concept of friction.
Describe how force and motion work when a hockey puck or player moves on ice.
Apply knowledge of safety by designing protective gear that could reduce injuries.
Practice observation, comparison, and design-thinking skills through hands-on activities.
Materials Needed:
Small ice block, tray of ice cubes, or freezer-safe “ice surface” (alternative: a smooth tray with plastic wrap to simulate ice)
Objects to slide (pucks, toy cars, blocks)
Small rugs, wooden boards, or tile (for comparison surfaces)
Paper and pencils for diagrams
Optional: craft materials for helmet design (paper, markers, tape, foil, plastic cups)
Learning Activities
1. Ice Investigation: Friction and States of Matter (15 min)
Goal: Students compare how objects move on different surfaces and understand why ice is slippery
Steps:
Give each group a “slide test” setup with ice, wood/tile, and carpet.
Students slide the same object across each surface and record how far it moves.
Discuss results: Why did it slide farther on ice? Introduce friction in simple terms.
Ask: How does temperature or melting water on the surface change slipperiness?
2. Motion and Forces Chat: Push, Pull, and Skate (15 min)
Goal: Students see how force affects motion on ice.
Steps:
Use toy pucks or small objects and ask the students to push them gently across the ice surface.
Draw simple diagrams showing the push direction, force, and resulting motion.
Discuss: Why does a harder push make the puck move faster? What makes it stop?
Optional Extension: Compare skating motion by demonstrating forward and backward pushes (on carpet or smooth floor).
3. Helmet Design Challenge: Safety Through Science (15–20 min)
Goal: Students design protective gear and apply concepts of impact, force absorption, and safety.
Steps:
Discuss why hockey players wear helmets, pads, and gloves. What injuries are they trying to prevent?
Students sketch their own helmet designs and label features for protection (e.g., hard shell, padding, face shield).
Optional Extension: Create a simple prototype using craft materials.
Share designs with the class and explain why certain features improve safety.
Wrap-Up (5 min)
Recap what students discovered about ice, motion, and safety.
Ask reflection questions:
Why does ice feel slippery?
How does force change motion?
Which helmet features are most important and why?
Potential Extensions & Cross-Curricular Connections
Language Arts: Ask the students to write a short story about a hockey game where science saves the day.
Math: Ask the students to measure the distances that objects slide on different surfaces and graph results.
Social Studies: Ask the students to explore how hockey evolved in different countries and discuss winter sports cultures.
Final Whistle
Science is everywhere—even on the ice. By exploring friction, motion, and safety through the game hockey, students can discover how science helps players move, stop, and stay protected. When learning connects to real-world experiences, curiosity grows and science starts to feel like part of everyday life, not just something in a textbook.