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What Pushes and What Pulls is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on positive and negative incentives, aligned to Common Core standard D2.Eco.2.3-5. It prints 3 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 4 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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One paper per pupil

Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

What Pushes and What Pulls

D2.Eco.2.3-5

NameDate

Sort each one into reward or penalty.

LessonPrint · D2.Eco.2.3-5 · Set 4 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — What Pushes and What Pulls

Set 4. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. A fine for keeping a child from school — Negative incentive 2. A prize for the cleanest street — Positive incentive 3. Higher dues on an overloaded vessel — Negative incentive 4. Higher wages for a skilled spinner — Positive incentive
  2. 2.1. A bonus for a full year without absence — Positive incentive 2. An assisted passage for a family with no fare — Positive incentive 3. Being paid off for refusing the new rate — Negative incentive 4. No pay for a shift arrived late to — Negative incentive
  3. 3.1. A free school place with a meal — Positive incentive 2. Cheaper dues for regular shippers — Positive incentive 3. Losing relief if you leave the district — Negative incentive 4. No refund if you miss the sailing — Negative incentive

More practice for D2.Eco.2.3-5

Spot the rewards and penalties that push people towards a decision.

Teaching this next? What Pushes and What Pulls is the 50-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.

All Grade 3 to Grade 5 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Eco.2.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.