Curated OER
Gravity: It's GREEEAAATTT!
Students calculate effects of gravitational force on planets, discuss the effects of weightlessness on the human body and describe and demonstrate how objects in a state of free fall are accelerated by gravity at an equal rate.
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...
Cornell University
Friction
Friction and gravity are always at odds! Learners complete a set of activities to explore the relationship between friction and gravity. Groups make conclusions about the factors that affect the amount and type of friction between surfaces.
LABScI
Kinematics: The Gravity Lab
Falling objects can be brutal if you don't protect your noodle! Scholars explore the motion of falling objects through measuring short intervals to determine if the distance traveled varies with time. Building off of this, scholars...
Curated OER
Fractions, Decimals, and Gravity
Young scholars discuss how weight is directly related to gravitational force on a planet. Students then choose Space Traveler as companion and compute how much their guide weighs on various planets, based on each planet's relative...
Curated OER
Forces and Motion-The Downhill Racer
Learners calculate a toy car's velocity and acceleration. In this force and motion lesson, students build ramps and attach a dropper to a toy car, which is released down the ramp. Learners calculate and graph velocity and acceleration...
Curated OER
The Solar System and the Forces Behind It
Sixth graders discover why planets stay in orbit. In groups, they use everyday materials to examine the effect of gravity of objects and calculate how mass changes based on gravitational pull. To end the lesson, they discuss how...
Curated OER
How Many Drops of Water Can Fit on a Penny?
Using a simple method, learners explore gravity, cohesion, and adhesion. They perform an experiment in which they determine how many drops of water can fit on a penny. Afterwards, they discuss their results.
Curated OER
Gravity
Students perform inquiry in response to the question "Do objects fall at the same rate?", teacher candidates discuss a model experiment for secondary students to discover the answer, including recording and analyzing data.
Curated OER
Weight A Minute
Students watch a video and engage in hands-on activities which introduce scientific information made real through re-cognition and understanding the phenomena of gravitational force and how it impacts life on our planet.
Curated OER
Physics and Me
Sixth graders compare and contrast mass and weight. In this physics instructional activity, 6th graders calculate speed given distance and time information. They construct a rocket and relate this to Newton's 3rd Law of motion.
Curated OER
Exploring Balancing Forces
Students develop critical thinking skills and explore the concept of force. In this balancing forces instructional activity students complete an activity and explain the conclusion.
Curated OER
Newton's Laws
Middle schoolers give examples of each of Newton's three laws as they occur in everyday experiences. They visually represent and differentiate the difference between a direct proportion and an inverse proportion. Students explain how...
PHET
Planetary Magnetism
What do magnetic fields look like? The best way to learn about magnetic fields is to try identifying them for yourself. Scholars will understand the importance of magnetic fields after completing this experiment. The extension activities...
Curated OER
Perching Parrot
Young scholars explore the concepts of center of mass and static equilibrium by seeing how non-symmetrical objects balance. They also analyze why all forces on an object must cancel out exactly for an object to be stationary.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Newton's Third Law of Motion
Seventh graders are introduced to Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this physics lesson students examine the concept of thrust as one of the forces acting on aircraft.
Curated OER
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Sixth graders discuss the effect of gravity on objects. In groups, they participate in different activities in which they observe the effect of motion on objects and how energy is transferred between objects. To end the lesson, they...
Curated OER
Pendulums
First-time physicists experiment with pendulums in this physics lesson. They vary the weight of the bob, record how long each takes to complete ten period swings, and then calculate the time for one period. They repeat the procedure,...
Curated OER
Going the Distance
Students experiment in small groups to answer the question, "Is there a relationship between ramps and speed?" They apply a formula to calculate the speed of the cars used in the experiment, complete the associate lab report, and...
Curated OER
Spin Stabilization
Pupils investigate methods used by aeronautical engineers to keep rockets on target. After exploring the center of gravity and the center of pressure, students build water rockets. Pupils use various methods to design fins on the...
Curated OER
The Ups and Downs of Weight and Mass
Students explore the concept of mass, and how it differs from weight. They also calculate their weight change as they ride up and down on an elevator. They record the changes in their weight as the elevator moves
graph the collected data.
Curated OER
Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree…You Might Become Famous
Young scholars explore Newton's laws using CEENBoTs. In this physics instructional activity, students collect data and create tables and graphs. They calculate speed, acceleration and forces using mathematical formulas.
Curated OER
Why is There a Tidal Bulge Opposite the Moon?
Students simulate how the Moon causes ocean tides. In this earth science lesson, students calculate gravitational acceleration using a mathematical formula. They compare the force of attraction between the Earth, Moon and Sun system.