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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pangaea Puzzle: Exploring the Tectonic Forces That Shape the Earth

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders follow in the footsteps of early scientists as they put the pieces of Pangaea back together and discovered the forces that create the variety of landforms and sea-floor features of our Earth.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Race the Track! Design Challenge

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students use the design process to investigate physical science.  In this force and motion lesson, design a track to achieve a specified outcome. Students complete additional experiments with speed and distance.  Students recognize the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balloon Jets

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students investigate how fuel amount affects the distance traveled by balloons. In this physics lesson, students collect data and create a pictograph. They interpret data and formulate a conclusion.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balloonautics

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Young scholars are introduced to basic aerodynamics through a discussion of thrust and drag and a hands-on activity. They examine the forces of thrust, drag, air pressure, aerodynamic shapes and Newton's Third Law Of Motion.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Machines

For Teachers 1st
First graders discuss work, force, and energy. They study how work is done. Students discuss various types of work that are done. They act out how work is done. Student draw pictures of types of work they have done.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree…You Might Become Famous

For Teachers 4th - 8th
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gravity (Newton's Laws of Motion): A Weighty Subject

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students identify Newton's Laws of Motion. They students explore Newton's Laws of Motion and apply the second law with a classroom activity. The videos will provide visual examples of the effects of gravity while riding on a roller coaster.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Harmonic Motion

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explain the theory of simple harmonic motion (SHM) by performing hands-on, practical application experiments.
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Unit Plan22:14
University of Florida

Understanding Car Crashes: It's Basic Physics!

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Make an impact on young physicists with this fun collection of resources. After first watching a video and taking notes on the physics of car crashes, students go on to complete a series of activities that explore the concepts of energy,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Finding Balance

For Teachers 3rd - 10th
Young scholars examine the relationships between force, mass and balance through the lens of clay sculpture. They discuss the definitions and concepts behind Newton's Third Law of motion then individually apply these principles to the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Science of Hurricanes

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore hurricanes. For this science lesson, students discuss the aspects of hurricanes and watch videos of hurricanes. Students discuss the motion of the hurricanes.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Falling

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students should describe the path that the motion would take as well as what might begin or stop the motion. The common characteristic of all the motions that students have experienced directly is that one or more forces are acting on...
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Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Energy: A Day in My Life

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
If only we could harness the energy of fifth graders, our energy problems would be over! The class discusses where different forms of energy come from and how we use them. They complete a chart of the activities that they do daily that...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Motion in a Circle

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study about deriving centripetal acceleration for motion at constant speed around a circle.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Motion in a Circle

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore uniform circular motion, and the relation of its frequency of N revolutions/sec with the peripheral velocity v and with the rotation period T. They examine how uniform circular motion is a type of accelerated motion.
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Newton's Laws: Making Simple Rockets

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students can use rocketry to understand Newton's Three Laws of Motion.
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Buoyancy

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Swimmers know to float by turning their bodies horizontally rather than vertically, but why does that make a difference? In an interesting lesson, scholars explore buoyancy and the properties of air and water. They test cups to see which...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Race the Track! Super Slope (Lesson One)

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders utilize basic physics concepts to calculate speed of an object set in motion from various heights. For this basic physics lesson, 5th graders make observations, calculations, record data, and conclusions throughout experiment.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gravity Launch

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Young scholars examine how gravity affects launching rockets into space. In this physical science lesson plan, students review the concept of gravity and use an interactive online site, "Gravity Launch," to simulate a rocket launch.
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Lesson Plan
Missouri Department of Elementary

Fatal Accident

For Teachers 11th
While there may not be any ghostbusters in the neighborhood, there are plenty of emergency response agencies ready to give support if something is amiss. To that end, instructors invite a member of an emergency response agency to address...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Me And My Shadow

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students investigate the concept of a shadow. They design a tool to create shadows for an experiment. They make observations and record the size and shape of shadows. The lesson contains background information for the teacher to deliver...
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Lesson Plan
Berkeley Engineering and Mentors

Marshmallow Catapaults

For Teachers 4th - 10th
After a brief lecture on levers, torque, projectiles, and the five-step engineering design cycle, young physical science learners or engineers build catapults out of craft sticks. This is an open-ended exploration of what works and what...
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Catapult

For Students 4th - 12th Standards
Studying levers couldn't be more exciting! Learners build their own catapults and test the results as they make adjustments to the fulcrum. They compete against other groups to create the most accurate apparatus.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tracking Hurricanes

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore how technology and science are used to identify, measure, and track powerful tropical storms to better warn and secure people from their impact. They research hurricanes online by tracking the storms on a hurricane website.