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Learn about Torque
Students calculate torque and determine its uses. In this lesson on torque, students watch a video and teacher demonstrations and work with a small group on a lab activity. Students provide example of how torque is used in daily life,...
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Discovery Science Library: The Basics Physical Science
Students examine friction and gravity. affect four sports. In this scientific discovery lesson, students examine how friction and gravity affect sports. They discuss, write, and illustrate the effect of different forces on various sports.
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Describing the Motion of a Battery Powered Cars
Middle schoolers explore distance a toy car travels by changing the amount of batteries used to power the toy car. In this force and motion lesson, students calculate the average speed of a car while investigating the power from various...
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Punting and Projectile Motion
Students explore the concept of projectile motion. In this physics lesson, students watch the video "Science of NFL Football – Projectile Motion and Parabolas." Students participate in computer simulations on the range of projectiles...
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Magnetism
Student participate in magnetism demonstrations. In this magnetism activity, students dangle paper clips near magnets and explain what happens. They work with steel wool, metal filings, and aluminum foil to see which items can be...
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What Is Electricity?
Students investigate vocabulary words associated with electricity. In this electrical lesson, students utilize the Internet to research what electricity is and how it works. Students create an actual circuit in class using a battery,...
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Which Tape is Stickiest?
Students conduct an experiment to determine which style of tape will stick the best. In this controlled experiment lesson plan, students predict which tape will stick best to a marble that rolls over it, then they conduct the experiment...
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Wingin' It
Learners investigate the physics of flight by creating an airfoil. In this physics lesson, students create an airplane wing from copy paper, cardboard, bamboo skewers and other classroom items. Learners compete with their wings using a...
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How Do Probes Get To Space
Learners investigate how force works to propel rockets into outer space. In this physics lesson, students use a drinking straw, fishing line, a balloon, and tape to explore how force works in outer space. Learners repeat the experiment...
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Fork It Over!
Students identify an object's center of gravity. In this physics lesson, students use two metal forks, modeling clay, toothpick, and a drinking glass to balance the forks on the glass. Students use the angle of the forks to spread the...
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Blow and Go
Young scholars discover how air can move things by using their breath. In this physics lesson, students hypothesize then attempt to move a pencil 1 meter using nothing but their breath. Young scholars record data from their experiment...
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States of Matter Quiz
In this science quiz worksheet, students read and answer 5 short answer questions and 5 true and false questions involving different types of matter in science.
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Kites: Patang - The Indian Fighter Kite
Young scholars investigate the history of fighter kites and build their own. In this aeronautics lesson, students discover how other countries utilize fighter kites and where they originated. Young scholars create their own fighter...
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Optical Illusions
Students view, identify, and construct four optical illusions. In this optical illusions instructional activity, students are introduced to four types of optical illusions. They construct their own illusions.
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Marshland Ecosystem
Students classify animals based on their physical characteristics and eating habits. In this animal identification lesson plan, students investigate the life forms shown on a Parisian ceramic basin, and discover ecosystem the artist was...
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Celebrating 100 Years of Flight
Students practice reading comprehension, note taking and writing skills. In this literacy and writing instructional activity, students read about the invention of airplanes, women pilots and the space race before writing their own news...
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Surface Tension
Students view demonstrations that illustrate the surface tension of water. In this properties of water lesson, students observe demonstrations that show how water exhibits surface tension. They explain how the demonstration shows surface...
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Stable and Unstable Structures
Students consider ways to create stable bridges. In this bridge design lesson, students view pictures of bridges that have collapsed. They use the information to work in small groups creating a blueprint for a bridge of their own. Their...
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Air...What Gives?
Students investigate the properties of air by capturing it, squeezing it, and feeling its weight. For this forces lesson, students capture bags of air and examine its properties. The weight and pressure of air is emphasized.
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Wheelies
Students design wheels for a coaster car to travel varying terrain. For this motion and friction lesson, students discuss friction and motion and test wooden wheels on a track. Students then brainstorm how to increase friction and bring...
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Light the Bulb
Students explore electricity. In this power experiment instructional activity, students determine what is required for lighting a bulb. Students develop an understanding of open and closed circuits, and how energy is formed
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Pulleys Experiment
In this pulleys experiment worksheet, students follow the procedures to set up an experiment with one and two pulleys, a rope, bucket and load.
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Conductors and Insulators Experiment
In this conductors and insulators experiment worksheet, students follow the procedures to set up an experiment that tests which common materials are conductors or insulators.
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Switched Circuit Experiment
In this switched circuit experiment worksheet, students follow the procedures to build a simple circuit with batteries, light bulbs and paper clips.