How Far the Ball Rolled is a free printable Kindergarten science worksheet on using a push test to compare the effect of soft and hard pushes, aligned to NGSS performance expectation K-PS2-1. It prints 7 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
Our push test. Each child pushed the same ball from the same line.
HOW FAR THE BALL ROLLED
Soft push ......... 1 step
Medium push ....... 3 steps
Hard push ......... 6 steps
Same ball, same line, same floor.
1. What was kept the same in this test?
2. What would a very hard push do?
3. How far did the hard push send the ball?
2.A child pushes very softly. What do you think will happen?
A.The ball will roll across the whole hall
B.The ball will roll only a short way
C.The ball will go up
3.One child pushes on carpet and one on the hall floor. Is that fair?
A.No, the floor should be the same for both
B.Yes, it is fair
C.Yes, carpet is the same as wood
4.You want the ball to stop sooner. What could you change?
A.Push it harder
B.Use a lighter line
C.Push it more gently
5.How could you tell which push sent the ball furthest?
A.Look at its color
B.Listen to it roll
C.Count the steps to where it stopped
6.What should you do if one roll hits a chair?
A.Stop the test
B.Roll it again
C.Count it anyway
7.The hard push went 6 steps and the soft push 1 step. Which was stronger?
A.The hard push
B.The soft push
C.They were the same
LessonPrint · K-PS2-1 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — How Far the Ball Rolled
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.1. The same ball, the same line and the same floor. 2. Send the ball further than 6 steps. 3. 6 steps.
2.The ball will roll only a short way
3.No, the floor should be the same for both
4.Push it more gently
5.Count the steps to where it stopped
6.Roll it again
7.The hard push
Questions about How Far the Ball Rolled
What does the How Far the Ball Rolled worksheet cover?
It practices using a push test to compare the effect of soft and hard pushes — 7 questions for Kindergarten, all on NGSS K-PS2-1: Test how hard and which way you push or pull, and watch what the motion does. The instruction to students is “Read the record, then answer the questions”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which NGSS performance expectation does How Far the Ball Rolled practice?
K-PS2-1, under Physical Science for Kindergarten. The published performance expectation reads: “Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.” The worksheet assesses that performance expectation rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
How Far the Ball Rolled is written for Kindergarten, typically ages 5-6. It is one of the sheets on K-PS2-1, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does How Far the Ball Rolled come with an answer key?
Yes. All 7 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of How Far the Ball Rolled can I print?
25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is How Far the Ball Rolled free to print and photocopy?
Yes. How Far the Ball Rolled, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
More practice for K-PS2-1
Test how hard and which way you push or pull, and watch what the motion does.