EngageNY
Transformations—The Next Level
Transform your geometry instruction by incorporating role play into math class. Pupils begin by completing an assessment to locate unknown angles, and then performing a simulation activity to better understand rotations, reflections, and...
Purdue University
Global Design for the Seasons
People don't all get the same amount of sun at the same time of the year. Collaborative groups explore how the motion of Earth contributes to the idea in an inquiry-based STEM lesson. Learners first investigate how the rotation of Earth...
Core Knowledge Foundation
A Time for All Seasons - Summer
The sun is shining and the birds are singing, what better time to teach young learners about the fun season of summer. In this week-long science series, children learn how the rotation and orbit of the earth influence the days and...
Curated OER
Motion of the Sun and Earth: Using a Classroom Model to Explore Rotation and Revolution
Students use a concrete model of the Sun and Earth to observe and manipulate a 3-D model of the Sun and Earth.
Curated OER
Gyrocopter - Describing Rotary Motion
Pupils calculate angular displacement, velocity and acceleration of gyrocopters. In this physics lesson, students compare data taken from 3 different gyrocopters. They explain how differences in construction material affect rates of...
Shodor Education Foundation
Visual Patterns in Tessellations
Geometers explore the concept of tessellations. They use a tessellation applet to manipulate shapes and design their own tessellation using the applet.
Curated OER
Reason for the Seasons
Young scientists examine why we have seasons on Earth, and how the motion of the Earth around the Sun causes them. Groups of learners are given a variety of balls, a bamboo stick, a marker, and a flashlight, then use the objects to...
EngageNY
The Motion of the Moon, Sun, and Stars—Motivating Mathematics
What does math have to do with the behavior of the earth and sun? Learn how the movement of celestial bodies has influenced the development of trigonometry. Scholars connects the details in mathematics to their real-world meaning.
Curated OER
Solar System
Students analyze theories on how the solar system was formed. In this solar system lesson students explain the rotation and revolution of motion.
Curated OER
Earth Turns? Prove It!
Students construct a pendulum using a washer and thin fishing line. In this earth science lesson plan, students simulate Earth's rotation using the pendulum bob and swivel chair. They explain how this activity proves that the Earth is...
Curated OER
Magnus Effect
Students examine the Magnus effect and its history. In this forces instructional activity students investigate the lift of a rotating cylinder.
Curated OER
Spin the Saltine!
Students investigate chemical energy. In this physical science lesson, students blow on saltine crackers to demonstrate how chemical energy in food can be converted to motion. Students compare the saltine cracker experiment to how...
Curated OER
Individual Sundial (Cloud/Rain Activity)
Students make a simple sundial to examine the changes in shadows over time. In this sundial and shadow instructional activity, students make a simple sundial out of a manila folder and pencil. They observe how shadows change over time,...
Curated OER
Tessellations: Geometry and Symmetry
Learners explore the concept of tessellations. In this tessellations lesson, students use an applet to construct tessellations. Learners use regular polygons to construct tessellations. Students find patterns and symmetry in their...
Curated OER
Earth's Revolution and Rotation
Eighth graders investigate the regular motions of the sun, Earth and the moon and explain how these are related to days, years, seasons, eclipses, tides and moon cycles. They participate in an exercise where they explore the...
Curated OER
Strings and Springs
Ninth graders explore physics with springs and strings. In this force and motion instructional activity, 9th graders rotate through four stations exploring how various springs stretch and bounce, and how mass and length affect a...
Curated OER
Science: Objects That Rotate with Gravity
Students conduct experiments in gravity by rolling objects down an incline and determining which ones roll slower than others. As part of the experiment, they design objects which will roll the slowest. Using digital movie cameras or...
Curated OER
Earth's Movement in Space
Students explain how the Earth's tilt and rotation causes night and day. For this earth science lesson, students determine how seasonal changes are caused by Earth's revolution. They play a jeopardy team game at the end of the unit to...
Curated OER
The Sun Affects Earth
Third graders read, write, and listen to information about the sun and its effects on the Earth.as it relates to its axis, orbit, rotate, and revolution. In this solar system instructional activity, 3rd graders examine how the sun...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Super Spinners!
Students make spinners to investigate rotational inertia, rotational speed, angular momentum, and velocity. They make two sets of spinners that have different mass distributions and shapes. They complete a worksheet while experimenting...
Curated OER
Seasonal cycles
Young scholars understand that the rotation of the Earth is responsible for the seasons. In this seasonal cycles lesson, students learn how the rotation of the Earth affects the seasons. Young scholars answer questions about the...
Curated OER
An Introduction to the Night Sky and Movement Astronomy
Basically, this is an interactive exploration of educational astronomy software and an app. Young astronomers discover how the apparent motion of the sky relates to Earth's movements and the position of the observer. It is out of this...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Tinkering with Tops
Get kids' heads spinning by challenging them to design a top that will rotate for a minimum of 10 seconds without leaving a 30-cm circle. Groups of learners collaborate through a planning stage, testing stage, and evaluation stage. Some...
Curated OER
Symmetries of Rectangles
Learners explore mapping a rectangle onto itself using rigid motion concepts, geometric intuition and experimenting with manipulatives in a collaborative task.