It's About Time
Life (and Fewer Deaths) After Seat Belts
Seat belts reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by about half. Scholars continue crashing their cart with a crash test dummy into a wall, but this time, they experiment with different types of seat belts to reduce injuries....
Curated OER
Waves
Although this was written to accompany a specific textbook, the information can illustrate wave motion for any advanced level physics course. The slides are simple, use plain but colorful fonts, and include diagrams and pictures to...
Curated OER
Are You the Bug or the Windshield
A fun slide show which illustrates different size bugs hitting car windshields. Your junior highers should be amused while they learn the relationships between mass, velocity, and force of an impact. Scientific terminology is used, but...
Curated OER
F = ma, Inertia, and Action-Reaction
Fourth graders apply concepts of Newton's Laws in scientific inquiries. Use this lesson to have your charges test and identify the characteristics of objects that make them easier or harder to push. After a teacher-led demonstration,...
Curated OER
Landforms of Illinois
Fifth and sixth graders are introduced to the primary landforms of Illinois and discover how they were created. Landform cards are made for each pupil. They use the twenty-questions format until they have identified each one. Then,...
American Physiological Society
How Does the Density of a Liquid Affect the Buoyancy of an Object?
Here's a lesson plan that will really float your boat! Introduce physical science scholars to the relationship between buoyancy and density through an assortment of individual and collaborative exercises. Lab groups work together to...
It's About Time
The Rear End Collision
Did you know one in every four car crashes are rear end collisions? The lesson explains what happens to your neck when you are involved in a rear end collision. Scholars experiment and apply Newton's Second Law of Motion.
Curated OER
The Physics of Skateboarding
Students are able to analyze gravity as an universal force. They are able to determine how the force of friction retards motion. Students are able to apply Newton's Laws of Motion ot the way the world works.
Curated OER
Physical Science: Gravity
Learners investigate the properties of force and gravity and their effects on everyday life. In groups, they test various balls by bouncing them on different surfaces and observe the properties. In another activity, they test marbles and...
Curated OER
Physics: Bounce - Projectile Motion and Collisions
Students conduct and observe experiments in Newtonian mechanics, kinematics, and projectile motion. They analyze the motion of a ball rolling off a table, falling, and then bouncing. Students answer a series of questions analyzing the...
Curated OER
Motion and Inertia
Physics learners make magic with inertia! By pulling paper out from under a stack of blocks or batting a rubber ball into motion, physics scholars' eyes will be opened! Don't think that this lesson is only fun and games; plenty of...
Curated OER
Qualitative Examples of Conservation of Mechanical Energy
Instructions for series of six activites, a reading of scientific literature, and a choice of six assessments await you in this physics resource. Well-written plans guide you in guiding your pupils to experiment with levers, pulleys,...
Curated OER
Newton's Three Laws of Motion Lesson Plan
Students explore Newton's three laws of motion using a variety of activities. In this physics lesson, students calculate the average speed of a vehicle they constructed using distance and time information. They identify and draw the...
Curated OER
Density and Buoyancy Lesson Plan
Young scholars investigate why some objects float or sink in water. In this physics lesson, students calculate the density of clay ball using a mathematical equation. They write a complete lab report about the experiment.
Curated OER
Bocce Ball - Lesson 3 - Generating Forces
You can teach Bocce ball to most age levels. The biggest concern with younger players is safety; they need to learn how to throw the Bocce balls without inadvertently hurting another player. The focus in this activity is how to generate...
Curated OER
Frisbee Golf - Lesson 2
There are eight lessons in the Frisbee golf unit. Lesson 2 focuses on throwing the Frisbee in a sidearm fashion. There are diagrams that show how to hold the Frisbee and how to release the Frisbee. There are links to each lesson and to...
Curated OER
Frisbee Golf - Lesson 1 - Backhand Throw
Have a fun Frisbee day! Lesson 1 (of 8) focuses on throwing the Frisbee backhand. Diagrams show learners how to hold and how to release the Frisbee. It includes a block plan, instant activities for warm-ups, assessment references, and...
Curated OER
Bocce Ball - Lesson 5 - Target Shooting
Bocce ball is all about aiming to hit the target. Seems simple enough. Roll a ball down a lane and try to get closer to the target than anyone else. Stop. It's not that easy. Why? Because other balls get in the way and block the path. So...
Curated OER
Tchoukball - Lesson 1 - Introduction, Basic Rules and Skills
What is Tchoukball? Never heard of it? Take a look at this unit and see if it's something worth teaching to you class. It could be fun to learn a new non-traditional sport. Pretty much all you need to know is here in this unit. Lesson 1...
Curated OER
Volleyball - Lesson 18 - Defending Against an Attack
Learn the skills of blocking, as well as specific footwork and arm positions. Timing is especially important in performing a good block. Learn these skills and practice them! This volleyball unit has twenty lessons.
Curated OER
Boat Safety and Water Sports - Lesson 17 - Review Starts, Introduce Cross-Overs
How do you cross that gigantic wake behind the boat? Lesson 17 covers the basic techniques of how to cross-over the wakes. Lesson 17 is part of a 22 lesson unit on boat safety and water sports. There are links at the bottom of the page...
Curated OER
Boat Safety and Water Sports - Lesson 15 - One Foot Deep Water Start
Lesson 15 is part of a 22 lesson unit on boat safety and water sports. The focus in this lesson is on getting up on the water ski using one foot. It is suggested to click on the resource link at the bottom of the page to view all the...
Curated OER
Acceleration, Drag, Gravity, Motion, Forces, and Friction
Eighth graders build and run mousetrap cars in order to measure distance, time, and mass for their cars. They use these measurements to calculate average speed and kinetic energy, then create a slide show to visually explain how the car...
Anchorage School District
Roller Coaster Project
Emerging engineers work in teams to design pipe insulation roller coasters for marbles that meet specific parameters. They are required to label along the track the areas where kinetic and potential energy are highest and lowest, where...