Colorado State University
What Causes Pressure?
Are you feeling the pressure? Let loose a little with a kinesthetic activity that models molecular motion in a closed space! The activity varies conditions such as volume and temperature and examines the effects on molecules.
It's About Time
Automatic Triggering Devices
How does the air bag trigger in an accident? The lesson explores how automatic triggering devices work in automobiles. Using examples such as a seat belt lock and air bag, scholars design their own device to better understand the...
Curated OER
Forces of Nature: Ring of Fire
Third graders will research the Ring of Fire and be able to share their findings with their partner. They will also demonstrate volcanic eruptions using a baking soda and vinegar volcano model. Then they will discover how continental...
Perkins School for the Blind
Safety Crash Testing
Everyone knows that cars have safety features, but wouldn't it be fun to design your own? Learners with visual impairments build a ramp and then attempt to use the material provided to design a safety system to protect a raw egg from a...
It's About Time
Speed and Following Distance
How much distance should you keep between your car and the one in front of you? Did you think of an answer in terms of time when the question clearly stated distance? The lesson covers the relationship between distance, time, and speed....
It's About Time
Accidents
Did you know that cars weren't designed for passenger safety until the 1960s? The lesson starts with a quick quiz on automobile safety. Then, scholars evaluate three cars for their safety features. This is the third in a set of nine...
Normal Community High School
Chemical Equations
Viewers learn how to identify the substances in a chemical reaction, how to balance it, and the different types of chemical reactions by watching a presentation that also includes a review of monomers and polymers. The presentation ends...
Curated OER
Energy for Free: Perpetual Motion Machines
Young scholars observe the "drinking bird" perpetual motion machine and critically examine the designs of other so-called perpetual motion machines. They use this experience to create their own definition of conservation of energy.
Curated OER
Crash Test Dummies
Fifth graders are introduced to Newton's First Law of Motion. In groups, they describe the differences between balanced and unbalanced forces. They participate in experiments that demonstrate how equal and opposite forces act upon...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Don't Crack Humpty
Students perform mathematical calculations to design safety device or enclosure to protect an egg as it is rolled down a ramp at increasing slopes.
Curated OER
What is a Gas?
Students develop a scientific model of gas behavior. In this gas lesson plan, students observe different balloons filled with different densities of gases. They complete an activity where they model the behavior of gases using marbles, a...
Curated OER
The Higgs Boson and The Mystery of Mass
In this Higgs Boson and mass worksheet, high schoolers read about the differences in elementary particle mass and they solve 4 equations using a given equation for the potential energy in the Higgs Boson field.
Curated OER
Automobile-Accident Reconstruction
Students investigate an accident and relate it to math. In this trigonometry instructional activity, students measure the accident scene, the friction produced, and the speed from the skid marks. They create a poster of their findings.
Curated OER
Transformation of Energy: Heat
Sixth graders investigate how heat is transferred and the concepts of conduction, convection, and radiation. They define key vocabulary terms, and observe teacher-led demonstrations of conduction, convection, and radiation.
Curated OER
Heat And Heat Transfer
Students role play molecules in a container as the container is heated to develop a definition of heat and temperature. They also observe demonstrations of conduction, convection, radiation, and phase transfer. Using these observations...
Curated OER
Energy Tag
Students explore how the blood flows and carries oxygent from the lungs to the heart and to the body to create energy after participating in chasing, fleeing and dodging activities. They actively move through an obstacle course...
Curated OER
Letter and Word Scramble
Students engage in a lesson designed to encourage the identification of letters and their characteristics, as well as moving them using a variety of locomotor skills. This done using the instructional strategy of playing a game.
Curated OER
Math Challenge
Young scholars, using laminated math flash cards, play a review game with a partner. Also using Polyspots, they run, walk, or skip to the board with their answers.
Curated OER
Geometry of Radio Meteor Reflections
Ninth graders investigate and describe ways that human understanding of Earth and space has depended on technological development. They describe and interpret the science of optical and radio telescopes, space probes and remote sensing...
Curated OER
Energy Transformation
Students identify different kinds of energy such as heat energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, and magnetic energy. They investigate the concept of conservation of energy.
Curated OER
Scooter Signal
Students practice the use of hand signals to designate right or left turns. In this safety lesson, students ride a scooter following paths set up to look like sidewalks and roads. Students practice forming the proper signals prior to...
Curated OER
How Do Airplanes Stay off the Ground?
Students use balloons and string to duplicate Bernoulli's Principle of wing shape and its affect on liftoff.
Curated OER
Cartoon Challenge
Students practice locomotor movements and space awareness while reinforcing knowledge of living and non-living things learned from the classroom.