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Lesson Plan
1
1
California Academy of Science

Optimal and Sustainable: Renewable Energy Revamp

For Teachers 6th - 10th Standards
More than 100 cities around the world have shifted from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Scholars investigate a city wanting to make this switch, but needs help determining how to make the shift. Groups consider all options,...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
California Academy of Science

Building Better Buses: Transportation Design Challenges

For Teachers 6th - 10th Standards
Scholars learn about a series of three challenges when they design a bus system for a small town. They determine the bus routes and then figure out the best type of fuel to use before considering the cost of going electric. Learners...
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Interactive
Magic of Physics

Forces Lab

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Here's a force to be reckoned with in the physics classroom! Scholars discover the movements associated with tension, compression, and other common forces through a hands-on simulation. Pupils pull, push, and twist their way through each...
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Activity
DiscoverE

LIDAR: Mapping with Lasers

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
We would be lost without maps! How are they made? Introduce junior topographers to LIDAR technology with a fascinating activity. Set up a mock city, then have learners operate a laser measure to determine the shape of the landscape using...
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Interactive
Concord Consortium

Electrostatics: Maze Game

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Ready to have an a-MAZE-ing time teaching electrostatics? Introduce physical science superstars to an engaging resource that tests their knowledge of attractive and repulsive forces. Pupils change the charge of a ball to guide it through...
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Interactive
Concord Consortium

Charge Intensity and Electric Force

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Looking for a quick way to supercharge your electricity and magnetism unit? Assign a very responsive interactive designed to illustrate the relationship between charge, electric field, and the resulting forces. Learners experiment with...
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Printables
Bozeman Science

NGSS Practice Posters

For Students K - 12th
Begin the year with an emphasis on the NGSS practice standards. The resource provides an 8x10 size poster for each standard. When hung in a classroom, learners have a consistent reminder of what it means to be a scientist.
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Lesson Plan
Consumers Energy

Conductors and Insulators

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Why did the orchestra director use a copper baton? She heard it makes a great conductor. Scholars select six items to test in a circuit to determine if each is a conductor or an insulator. Clear instructions for using electricity allow...
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Interactive
PHET

Projectile Motion

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Have you ever wanted to shoot someone out of a canon? This simulation gives you that chance! In addition to a human, you can shoot a car, a piano, a cannon ball, and many other items. Scholars set the angle, initial speed, mass, air...
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Interactive
PHET

Ohm's Law

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Why did Mr. Ohm marry Mrs. Ohm? He couldn't resistor. An electrifying simulation allows scholars to control both voltage and resistance in order to see the current change. The formula is displayed and as you increase one variable, it...
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Interactive
PHET

My Solar System

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Orbit diagrams appear to be a work of mathematical art. The simulation helps scholars build their own systems of planets, stars, moons, etc., to observe their orbits. By altering their positions, velocities, and masses, a variety of...
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Interactive
PHET

Hooke's Law

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Everything from pens to cars use springs — some are just on a larger scale! An interactive simulation encourages pupils to stretch and compress springs while observing the changes to force, displacement, and potential energy. Then they...
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Interactive
PHET

Masses and Springs

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Have you ever stretched out a Slinkie so much it wouldn't go back to its original shape? Slinkies, like all springs, follow Hooke's Law. A simulation uses springs and masses to demonstrate kinetic, potential, and thermal energy. It...
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Interactive
PHET

John Travoltage

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Did you get to play with electric currents or were you grounded? An electrifying simulation shows how building up a charge of electricity creates a static shock once grounded. Pupils rub John's foot across the carpet and view the buildup...
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Interactive
PHET

Gravity And Orbits

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Have you ever wanted to turn off gravity? This simulation allows learners to do just that in addition to altering other variables. Scholars can move the sun, Earth, moon, and space station to see how distance affects gravitational pull....
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Interactive
PHET

Forces and Motion: Basics

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
How is tug of war related to pushing a refrigerator? Here's a simulation connects these two activities with Newton's First Law of Motion. Four different simulations allow scholars to explore net force with tug of war, motion with pushing...
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Interactive
PHET

Electric Field of Dreams

For Students 6th - 12th
What is the largest electric field in the world? The world itself! This explains why you use a magnetic compass to determine direction. During the simulation, scholars add charges to their electric field to see how the field reacts. An...
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Interactive
PHET

Forces in 1 Dimension

For Teachers 6th - Higher Ed Standards
A realistic simulation uses charts to show forces, position, velocity, and acceleration versus time based on how the simulation is set up. Once those concepts are mastered, scholars use free body diagrams to explain how each graph...
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Interactive
PHET

Fluid Pressure and Flow

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
This simulation begins with an exploration of water pressure and atmospheric pressure. In the flow portion, scholars reshape a pipe and see fluid dynamics at work. The water tower portion encourages pupils to determine how water...
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Interactive
PHET

Faraday's Law

For Teachers 6th - Higher Ed Standards
Could a flux capacitor really work? An engaging simulation encourages scholars to investigate Faraday's law. They experiment with various speeds, magnitude, voltage, and different-sized coils. Hopefully experimenters will be able to...
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Interactive
PHET

Energy Skate Park: Basics

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Keep calm and half pipe. An exciting simulation teaches pupils about energy transfer from potential to kinetic and thermal as a skater moves through a half pipe or other track. After a brief introduction, scholars can build their own...
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Interactive
PHET

Energy Skate Park

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Apply the concepts of conservation of energy to a skater to introduce a fun way the concepts apply to real life. Scholars build tracks, ramps, and jumps then analyze the various types of energy and friction. For an added challenge,...
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Interactive
PHET

Forces and Motion

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
The average American will move 12 times, which results in a lot of moving furniture! Class members consider the forces required to move objects with a creative simulation that opens with the forces required to push a filing cabinet....
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Interactive
PHET

Faraday's Electromagnetic Lab

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
"But still try, for who knows what is possible." - Michael Faraday. Faraday's advice features in a simulation that permits pupils to play with a bar magnet in order to make a light bulb glow connecting electromagnetic induction to...