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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Roller Coasters

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Twisting and turning through the sky, roller coasters are popular attractions at amusement parks around the world, but how exactly do they work? Explore the physics behind these thrilling rides with an engineering design activity....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Transforming Energy

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Super detailed, this activity will educate physical science learners about the flow of electrons. Begin by reviewing potential and kinetic energy with a moving pendulum, and then get them online to observe interactive websites about...
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Lesson Plan
Polytechnic Institute of NYU

Potential vs. Kinetic Energy

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Legos in science class? Watch your pupils fall in love with this activity. After learning to measure potential and kinetic energy, young scientists create their own ramps using Lego Mindstorm sensors and software.
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Exploring Energy: What Is Energy?

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
...Then the water heater exploded like a bomb. Using a video of an exploding water heater, the resource presents the definitions of energy, potential energy, and kinetic energy to be used in later lessons of the unit.
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Lesson Plan
Tech Museum of Innovation

Energy at Play

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Get the ball rolling and challenge your class to figure out how to make a ball move. The instruction segment is between two STEM activities devoted to doing just that. The first is simple and involves making a ball move from some force...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physics of Roller Coasters

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students design a roller coaster and demonstrate their knowledge of Potential and Kinetic Energy. They determine the average velocity a given marble travels on their roller coaster and apply their knowledge of various measurement systems...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy for Earth: The Sun

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Super science learners examine the sun's production of energy by the process of nuclear fusion. Hands-on activities make this lesson engaging for middle schoolers. The lesson is made up of four parts. Part I is an introduction to the sun...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Hilly Ride

For Teachers 5th
Different types of energy are the focus of this science resource. Learners identify situations in which kinetic and potential energy are exchanged. They conduct an in-class inquiry which leads them to discover that there is a limit to...
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Lesson Plan
Disney

Renewable Energy

For Teachers 4th - 10th Standards
Bring some energy to your physical science curriculum with this engaging Bill Nye the Science Guy activity. Based on his Renewable Energy video, students explore the concepts of potential and kinetic energy and learn how they are applied...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy At Play

For Teachers 4th - 8th
If you can find Tinker Toys™, then this may be a fun assignment for your physical science class. Using the construction set and a few other toys, they examine the forces involved when it they are being played with. For each, they...
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Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

An Energy Mix: Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
What did the windmill say about renewable energy? I'm a BIG fan! Lesson three in the series of 12 has classes discuss potential and kinetic energy and then, in pairs, they complete a web quest over the different types of energy...
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Lesson Plan
University of Tennessee

Potential Energy

For Students 5th - 7th
Did you know a tennis ball has potential? Collaborative groups analyze the potential energy of a tennis ball based on its height. They measure its starting height and the height after its first bounce. Using a graphical analysis, they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy, Light, Heat, and Sound

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate various forms of energy. They compare potential and kinetic energy at different points during the period of a pendulum, design an apparatus that displays potential and kinetic energy, and analyze the advantages...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Relationship between Potential and Kinetic Energy

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore the relationship between potential energy and kinetic energy.  For this energy lesson, 5th graders examine objects and describe  potential and kinetic energy of the objects. Students complete two worksheets.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Steamship Portland: Where's the Energy?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars examine how steamships operate. They describe the necessary energy conversions. They construct a model paddlewheel ship. They use rubber bands as examples of potential and kinetic energy as they unwind and set the models...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Let's Break the Particles

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Build learning by breaking atoms! Young scientists study the way energy changes with a hands-on activity. As they roll steel marbles down a ramp, learners test the hypothesis that kinetic energy does not go away with friction or...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Exploring Energy: Kinetic and Potential

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
The potential of the energy in the class is moving. The third segment in a six-part unit on energy provides a deeper understanding of kinetic and potential energy. Learners understand the relationship between mass, speed, and energy and...
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Lesson Plan
NEED Project

Calibrating Thermometers

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Engage young scientists in the upper-elementary and middle school grades with this collection of simple experiments. Whether you're teaching about heat transfer, density, or potential energy this resource has a lab for you.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conservation of Energy

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify situations in which kinetic and potential energy are exchanged and identify the direction of energy transfer using marbles and flexible foam track. They observe how the marbles move spontaneously when released...
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Lesson Plan
Clarkson University

Forms, States, and Conversions

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Searching for a way to integrate multiple concepts of energy conversion while captivating a middle school audience? This lesson presents topics related to potential and kinetic energy and offers the ability to allow pupil interaction. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Design Your Own Rollercoaster

For Teachers 5th
Here is a physics lesson that your 5th graders should love. They explore the physics behind roller coasters by viewing roller coaster simulations online. Then, they work in pairs in order to design their own roller coasters and track....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Characteristics of Energy

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders view a video and create a KWL to identify energy sources. In this energy sources lesson, 4th graders explore the meaning of energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, thermal energy, radiant energy, and electrical energy....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where's the Energy

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students research energy conversions. For this energy lesson, students describe the basic operation of a steam engine.  They explain the energy conversions in the steam engine's operation. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Move It!

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students observe a demonstration presented by the teacher covering different types of energy. They participate in an experiment where they study numerous physics vocabulary words and visit websites that demonstrate examples of these...

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