Curated OER
Roller Coasters
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....
Curated OER
Hovercraft Racers!
Students gain first-hand experience on how friction affects motion. They build a hovercraft using air from a balloon to levitate a craft made from a compact disk (CD), learning that a bed of air under an object significantly reduces the...
Curated OER
Scooter Ships
Students explore simple physics concepts such as push/pull, friction, and speed. In this physics/physical education instructional activity, students work in co-operative groups to "build" a spaceship out of scooters and folded mats....
Curated OER
Force
Fifth graders move a variety of objects in different ways to observe the different forces. For this physics lesson, 5th graders observe pushing, pulling, gravity, and friction. The hands-on component, and teamwork involved, should make...
Curated OER
Electric Charge
Students discover and identify positive and negative electrical charges and understand that like repels and opposite charges attract. In this physics lesson, students observe how friction can be used to give electrical charge to various...
Curated OER
Making Life Easier
Students use a chart of the six simple machines and become aware of how the machines improve our ability to meet the following needs: shelter, food, water, and transportation. Students use model cars to experiment with force. They divide...
Agriculture in the Classroom
Six Kinds Do It All
Teach young engineers that all machines, no matter how complicated or complex, are made up of just six simple devices with this hands-on physical science lesson. Using the included templates, students first create paper models of...
Curated OER
Race the Track! Design Challenge
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...
Discovery Education
The Everyday Science of Sports
Physical science juniors will enjoy this sensational enrichment on aerodynamics, especially if they are also sports fans! With a focus on physical features and behaviors, collaborative groups make observations on five different golf...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Conservation of Energy
By rolling marbles down a six-foot length of track, physical scientists determine how much energy is lost to heat. It is recommended that you opt for the foam pipe insulation track because more friction slows the marble, allowing...
Curated OER
Sports and Science
Using footballs, basketballs, tennis balls, and more, learners conduct experiments to illustrate Newton's Laws of Motion. The experiments are conducted outside, and require them to throw, kick, and hit a variety of balls. Your class...
Curated OER
Freestanding Structures: A Tech Museum Floor Activity
Students attempt to design the tallest structure that they can with the given materials which are wooden dowels and rubber bands. They discuss the physics of their structure and how they would improve it the next time they built a...
Curated OER
Exploring Buoyancy
Young scholars use materials found at a resource table to design simple devices that will house instruments to take water samples from a tub of water. They design 3 instruments, each varying in density so that one will float, one will...
Curated OER
Simple/Complex Machines
Students make a simple machine. In this physics lesson, students learn about six types of simple machines and the purpose of each and brainstorm examples of simple and complex machines in the classroom. Students create a simple or...
Curated OER
"Girls Only" Science Workshop
Learners design sleds. For this engineering lesson, students collaborate to engineer and build a real working sleds from the materials provided. This lesson was originally designed to be taught to a group of female learners.
Curated OER
Simple Machines I - Inclined Planes, Wedges, and Screws
The principles and uses of inclined planes, screws, and wedges are the focus of a science lesson. In it, youngsters come up with every day examples of simple machines, and build an example of one in class. That project is then used to...
Curated OER
Rules of Force and Motion
Students view a video and complete experiments with force and motion. In this force and motion lesson, students examine small pieces and how they affect the motion of a toy car. Students also experiment with sand paper, bubble wrap and...
Curated OER
Balloon Rockets
Students, after reviewing and analyzing Newton's third law of motion, make balloon rockets and experiment with a variety of models. After the experiment, they chart the results and form conclusions. In addition, they compare/contrast...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Wow! That Captures It!
Students examine how motion capture technology allows computer based animators to design realistic effects in animation. They study how the center of gravity contributes to animation and how to use the center of gravity to write an...
Aiken County Public Schools
Claymation in the Classroom
Students design an appropriate and usable storyboard and then create a claymation video. They take digital photographs frame by frame, then assemble the stop-motion movie using video software.