Curated OER
How do engineless planes stay aloft?
Fifth graders explore how a plane can stay aloft. In this engineless airplane flying lesson, 5th graders experiment to find how the design of a plane and Bernoulli's principle keep planes in the air. Student's create a plane and answer...
Curated OER
Sun too close? We'll just change Earth's orbit
Students study an article and discuss what would happen if the Earth's orbit changed. In this Earth's orbit lesson students answer a list of questions and complete an activity.
Curated OER
Water Power
Students explore how a water turbine operates and observe the principles of the water turbine. They account for the speed of the water turbine by various experiments and records of test results. In groups the students create a working...
Curated OER
Newton's Theory of Universal Gravitation
Students explore how Newton tied together the gravity observed on Earth and the motion of the Moon. They apply an earlier lesson about centripetal forces.
Curated OER
Art in Engineering - Moving Art
Learners study how forces are applied in the creation of art. They design mobiles and pop-up books while identifying which forces of nature act upon them. They look at air currents, gravity, and hand movement.
Curated OER
Glacial Climbing
Students plot the current distribution of glaciers around the Earth and see if there any major trends where glaciers appear to be either growing or shrinking at abnormally high rates.
Curated OER
Magnetic Pick-ups
Students investigate the push and pull of magnets. In this magnetics lesson, students are introduced to the idea that there are forces that happen on earth which cannot be seen, such as electrically charged objects, magnetic force...
Curated OER
Hurricanes
Students state and directly experience two laws of Physics (Law of Gravity, Law of Centrifugal Force) that affect weather. They explain the observations made when using the "hurricane machine" and relate them to other events and phenomenon.
Curated OER
Glacier Climbing
Students discuss glaciers and the current distribution of glaciers around the Earth. They create simulated glaciers using cornstarch, shoeboxes, water, and pebbles.
Curated OER
Space Ship Pilot
Students visualize the relation between acceleration and velocity in 2 dimensions. They are introduced to Newton's first law,and Newton's second law. Students work on an exploration activity where they condsider an example of a...
University of Texas
Free-Body Diagram
Preparing for an AP test is about more than bubble sheets and memorization. The two activities in this resource require a direct application of skills learned throughout an AP Physics course.
American Museum of Natural History
What do You Know About Marine Biology
Show me what you know about the sea. Learners answer 10 questions about marine biology. The questions range from what evidence points to the origin of life to the biggest threat to oceans.
Curated OER
The Scientific Revolution
Scientists participate in studying how new scientific advances have changed the world. They explain how astronomers have changed the way people view the universe, summarize the advances that were made in chemistry and medicine, and...
Virginia Department of Education
Mineral Identification
What's the difference between a rock and a mineral? And what properties are used to identify minerals? The first installment of a five-part series on earth materials and processes prompts young scientists to identify a set of...
US Geological Survey
Water Cycle Poster
How many parts make up the water cycle? How many things on Earth rely on water as a system? Learn more about the water cycle in an informative and colorful poster. Print and hang, or project the graphic in the classroom for optimal use.
Curated OER
Worksheet 26: Vector Force
In this vector force worksheet, students determine the total velocity of objects, the displacement direction, and vector movement. This two-page worksheet provides a total of six multi-step problems.
Curated OER
Gliders
Young scholars design and build a small glider. They see how the flight of a bird is similar to the flight of a sailplane. They explain how birds get their thrust and how they control their direction of flight.
Curated OER
Daniell Cell
Students explain how Daniell cells work. In this electrochemistry lesson, students conduct a variety of experiments to explore the different types of cells. They create a model of Daniell cell.
Curated OER
Magnetic Forces and Kinetic Energy
In this magnetic forces and kinetic energy learning exercise, learners use the formula that relates the speed of an electron in a plasma cloud to its energy to find the speed of 6 different plasma cloud electrons. They answer 5 questions...
Curated OER
Magnetic Pick-ups
Students gain an understanding that certain materials are attracted to magnets and some are not.
Curated OER
How Strong is Your Magnet?
Learners measure the strength of a magnet and graph how the strength changes as the distance from the magnet increases.
Curated OER
World In Motion Curriculum
Middle schoolers explore the night sky and its solar system. Using a Digitarium planetarium system, students observe four constellations. They discover the phases of the moon and eclipses. Middle schoolers recognize the difference...
Curated OER
Exploring Magnetic Fields
Students explore the concept that magnets attract and repel items and exert a magnetic field that can vary in strength. They see evidence of the magnetic field of a small magnet. They see that there are forces on earth which cannot be seen.
Curated OER
Erosion: Slip Sliding Away
Fourth graders investigate the causes of erosion. Through several demonstrations including one using sugar cubes and warm water, they observe the effects of erosion. In groups, 4th graders conduct similar experiments and record their...