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Tennis Triangle
Learners calculate the height of a tree or flagpole. They measure the shadow of the tree or flagpole and the length of a shadow of a meterstick. Using similar triangles, calculate the heigh. Devise two additional ways in which to measure...
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Hang Time
Young scholars use the equation to calculate the vertical distance an object fall during 1 second in 1/10 second increments. (The acceleration due to gravity on the Earth=a= 9.8 m/s2) Using a graphing calculator, students plot the path...
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Breaking Energy
Students understand that the energy required to break a piece of wood can be computed by determining the force and distance (work) that snaps it. Kinetic energy is the system can be computed if its mass and velocity are known.
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The Drag of Drag
Students are told that any object moving through a fluid (air, water, molasses, etc) experience a drag force which oppose the motion. They are given the summarized version of drag which is proportional to the square of the velocity....
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Track's Slippery Slope
Learners graph data of sports figure running time using x-axis y-axis to find slope of trend line, mathematically find the interpolated and extrapolated values for data points. Using the information they make predictions.
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The Trig to Soccer
Students analyze angles applied to a penalty kick in a soccer game. Based on dimensions of the goal, and the penalty area, students determine where the better chance of scoring lies.
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Elastic Racquet
Students discover the science behind a tennis racket by looking at a simple toy that works in a similar way. After looking at the related mathematical equations, students experiment with the simple toy to find the spring constant k by...
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Breaking Energy
Students experiment with the amount of work required to break a piece of wood by hanging masses from a string attached to a thin dowel of wood. At the completion of activity, students calculate if a fast moving hand could break the dowel.
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Bouncing Basketballs
Students discover how the coefficient of restitution is applied to sports by measuring the bounciness of a ball. After examining the mathematical equation that applies to coefficient of restitution, students go to the gym, measure the...
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Cartesian Baseball
Young scholars examine the characteristics of a Cartesian coordinate system. They use the game of baseball to help reinforce the topic. They develop a coordinate system for the desks in their classroom.
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The Spin Doctor Is In
Students are introduced to rotational inertia with some example of objects that rotates: Throw a Frisbee acroos the field and it rotates as it moves. The same is true for a baseball and a football. The two motions, translational and...
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The Elastic Racquet
Students use this introductory lab using a tennis racquet, however it is very difficult to study because of the strings and the racquet stretch so little and so quickly during a match that students were unable to make simple...
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In-Line Inertia
Students practice calculating the moment of inertia when discussing a skater and the position in which it is best to spin. After class discussion, students practice calculating inertia on their own.
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The Drag of Drag
Students are introduced to drag. Then they summarize drag by saying that the drag is proportional to the square of the velocity. Students then solve problems an example of such a problem: Explain why swimming underwater is faster than...
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Ice Ain't Easy
Students are told that objects in contact with one another reach an equilibrium temperature. A hot object placed in a cool liquid always cool off. It never happens that the object gets hotter and cool liquid gets colder. Students predict...
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Not Your Average Average
Students discover that if a distance is traveled in two or more segments at different average speeds, you cannot average the average speeds. Instead the total distance traveled must be divided by the total elapsed time. Students practice...
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Shooting Stats
Eighth graders discover the important role statistics play in sports and that appropriate data must be collected to do a statistical analysis. Students practice calculating statistics by charting a professional player of their choice.
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The Buoyancy Factor
Students examine why some objects float in water while others sink and the ability of something to float does not depend entirely on its weight. Archimedes' principle is introduced and buoyant force is discussed. Practice calculations...
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Newton's Earthquake
Learners discuss Newton's 2nd and 3rd laws using the example of a football linebacker and a small child pushing against each other on an ice rink. Students are able to visualize the results of the push and link it to the laws. Discussion...
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Scale Basketball
Students discuss scale diagrams and maps as well as the use of spreadsheets to find the best scale to use in a model before practicing scale and ratio problems on their own.
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Hang Time
Students discuss how all objects fall at the same rate and vertical motion is independent of the horizontal motion. Students apply this information to center of mass activities before solving equations.
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Aerodynamic drag
Students construct a device that can launch spinning balls. One example would be a mailing tube with one side partially cut away, lined with sandpaper. Styrofoam balls should be used for the greatest effet. They are explained how a...
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Sailing Through Bernoulli
Pupils participate in a class discussion about Bernoulli's principle while looking at cross-sections of an airplane wing, and discussing the sail on a sailboat and the spoiler on a race car.
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Balanced Forces
Young scholars are able to explain why football running backs benefit from having a lower center of gravity when opponents are trying to tackle them. They explain why racing cars are designed to have a low center of gravity. Students...