Curated OER
Free Up the Ketchup!
Students, in teams, use given materials and their knowledge of Newton's First Law to create a device that will remove a sticky ping pong ball from a 16-oz. cup (which represents ketchup stuck in a bottle.)
Curated OER
2D Motion
Students examine the motion of objects in two dimensions. In this dimensional lesson students view several demonstrations, complete a worksheet and a lab activity.
Curated OER
Introduction to Forces and Inertia
Students explore the basic underlying concepts of Newton's first law of motion. They discuss forces and brainstorm different examples of force and what they act on. Students examine force by observing springs and gravity. They discuss...
Curated OER
Finding Balance
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...
LABScI
Potential and Kinetic Energy: The Roller Coaster Lab
Ron Toomer, a famous roller coaster designer, suffered from motion sickness. Pupils design their own roller coasters, learning about potential and kinetic energy in the process. Labs focus on the importance of drop height, energy...
Curated OER
Balloon Powered Race Cars
Students examine Newton's Law of Motion and use the formula to calculate speed. In this laws of motion lesson students create a balloon powered car and calculate its speed and distance.
Cornell University
The Physics of Bridges
Stability is key when building a bridge. Scholars explore the forces acting upon bridges through an analysis of Newton's Laws and Hooke's Law. The activity asks individuals to apply their learning by building a bridge of their own.
Curated OER
Newton's Laws
Students state Newton's Laws of Motion. They explain how force, mass and acceleration are related. They analyze action and reaction forces, calculate momentum,
and explain conservation of momentum
Curated OER
Forces
In this forces worksheet, students read about force and acceleration. They complete a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast balanced and unbalanced forces, they answer questions about a diagram of a tug-a-war and the forces acting on each...
Curated OER
Newton's Laws
Learners examine and discuss Newton's Laws and discover his contribution to physics. In groups, they participate in an experiment in which they much apply the Laws to the world around them. They describe contact and conservative forces...
Curated OER
Newton Car
Students demonstrate Newtons law of motion by examining the reaction of a rolling car when its mass and acceleration is increased. In this acceleration activity students complete and activity that shows them how Newtons Law of Motion...
NASA
Heavy Lifting
Astronauts need a way to lift heavy objects. Pupils design and build a crane out of cardboard and determine ways to improve their cranes based upon the outcomes of testing.
Curated OER
Motion, Force, and Gravity
Students write a research paper about human space travel. In this space travel lesson, students watch a video and research issues related to space travel. They use their research to write a paper about whether human space travel should...
Curated OER
The Case of the Crooked Cartoon: Newton's Laws Set the Standard
Students have the opportunity to use higher-level thinking skills and to apply their talents to previously learned material. It provides an opportunity for visual, auditory, and tactile/kinetic learners to utilize their particular...
Curated OER
The Inertial Balance
Students weigh objects using a triple beam balance. In this mass lesson, students use an inertial balance made with a metal rod to measure and graph vibrations of varying numbers of pennies in a bucket. References and discussion prompts...
Curated OER
Don't Crack Humpty
Students investigate the engineering design process and the relationship between distance, time, and speed. Using a generic car base, small groups design a device that will protect an egg on or in the car as it is rolled down a ramp at...
Curated OER
The Historiography on Robert Boyle: Was Boyle the Progenitor of Modern Science?
Young scholars participate in a warm-up activity by attending a football match writing an account of who won the game. They discuss how their account could differ from someone else's account of the game. They discuss how different...
Curated OER
Gravitational Acceleration
Students investigate the interdependence of mass and gravitational acceleration using computer simulation. In this physics lesson, students derive the formula for acceleration due to gravity. They calculate air resistance on falling...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Don't Crack Humpty
Young scholars perform mathematical calculations to design safety device or enclosure to protect an egg as it is rolled down a ramp at increasing slopes.
NASA
Roving on the Moon
Take a rover out for a test drive. The challenge is to build a rubber-band-powered rover out of cardboard. Individuals or groups work at making modifications to a prototype rover to increase its efficiency.
Curated OER
Paper Suspension Bridges: You Want Me To Go Up There?
A few class periods will be required to complete this physics investigation with your high schoolers. There is an unavailable video written into the lesson plan, but there is plenty of material here to bridge the gap. Two terrific...
Curated OER
Earth Turns? Prove It!
Students construct a pendulum using a washer and thin fishing line. In this earth science lesson, students simulate Earth's rotation using the pendulum bob and swivel chair. They explain how this activity proves that the Earth is indeed...
Curated OER
May the Force Be With You
Students work in groups, they investigate how different forces act upon objects and how this information can be used in their day-to-day lives. They wrap the rubber band around the book. Students place the bo.ok and ruler on top of a...
Curated OER
Gravity In The Universe
Students assess and explore gravity in the Universe via several short video lessons. They analyze why this science matters and the history of Sir Isaac Newton's law of gravity. A variety of questions are asked within this lesson for each...