MENSA Education & Research Foundation
Roller Coaster Mania!
Raise the energy level of your physical science class with this exciting hands-on activity. Applying their knowledge of kinetic and potential energy and Newton's laws of motion, young engineers use foam tubing and marbles to create...
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Balloon Ball Bounce
Students investigate energy conversions. In this physical science lesson plan, students make balloon balls to better understand rebound and the law of conservation of energy. The students will use there balloon balls in a series of tests...
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Rockin Roller Coaster
Pupils discuss gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, and the relationship between potential and kinetic energy. They create a working roller coaster from provided materials and criteria then evaluate each roller coaster. They...
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The REAL Transformers
Ninth graders create a model of a hydroelectric generator. In this physics lesson, 9th graders discuss how energy can be transformed from one form to another. They make a flow chart for different energy generating plants.
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The Ultimate Roller Coaster Contest
Students explain how conservation of energy applies to roller coasters. In this physics lesson, students construct their own coasters according to a specified criteria. They make modifications to their design when necessary.
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Who Turned on the Lights?
Seventh graders discuss how energy is transformed from one form to another. In this physics lesson, 7th graders design and build their own hydro generator. They identify the factors that affect its energy production.
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Stellar Evolution and the Fate of Earth
Eighth graders identify the different stages in the life cycle of a star. In this astronomy lesson, 8th graders read H-R diagrams and analyze data. The describe how the Sun's evolution will affect Earth in the future.
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Air Movers
Students learn about Rube Goldberg machines (complicated devices designed to accomplish simple tasks and then design and build a machine that uses more than six separate steps to move an empty aluminum can. They can either work...