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Speed
Students explore speed by calculating the average speed of several snowmobiles, and predicting which of them is the fastest. They watch a race to verify their calculations.
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Lab: Percent of Composition of KClO3
Students find the percent of oxygen in potassium chlorate. In this percent composition lesson plan, students heat a solution of potassium chlorate using a catalyst, manganese dioxide, to decompose the potassium chlorate and release...
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Speedy Spaghetti
Students explore the principles of motion by constructing a car out of pasta that will carry a large marshmallow and travel down a ramp. They discuss the formula for calculating speed, design and build their cars, and calculate their...
Physics Classroom
Action-Reaction Lab
Computer-interfaced motion detectors are required to carry out this inquiry. It is a new twist on exploring motion with plunger carts: they are set back-to-back and then propelled away from each other. Their velocities are measured, and...
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Motion
Sixth graders read about and study motion. They conduct a lab in which they calculate speed using track records at their school. They graph the results and then invite a guest speaker (an officer from the local police department) who...
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Linear Motion
Students are able to build an understanding of linear motion. They are able to define and calculate the speed and acceleration of various objects. Students are able to differentiate betweeen instantaneous speed and average speed. They...
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Straight Line Motion in Two Parts
Students describe and quantify the motion of toy cars. In this motion lesson, students observe a battery powered toy car on a flat surface and a standard toy car on a sloped surface. They write their observations, measure average speeds,...
Edmond Public Schools
8th Grade Science Resource Book: Unit 2 - Physics
Get things moving with this extensive collection of physical science resources. Covering the fundamentals of measurement, graphing, lab safety, and experimental design as well as the specific scientific concepts of velocity,...
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"Go-Car" Lab
Students construct a car based on directions given. In this physics lesson, students calculate average speed using distance and time information. They collect data and create a graph of distance vs. time.
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Find the Speed of a Protist
Pupils identify protists under a microscope, and using a stopwatch calculate the speed of a protist from a pond water sample. They use distance and time to identify the speed of a protist, and create a distance versus time graph to...
Physics Classroom
All Work and No Play Lab
Don't let the term, "slotted wood board" detract you from the value of this experiment. Class members tie a string to a cart and, with even horizontal force, drag it up an inclined plane. The objective is to compare the work done with...
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"So Tell Me About Your Trip..."
Middle schoolers research destinations and the factors involved in taking a trip and explore how averages play a part in making decisions. They explore how to find the average speed and the distance to a particular destination, they...
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How Do You Move Along the Earth?
Students determine their own walking and running velocity. In this physics lesson, students calculate velocity using distance and time information. They compare human and animal speeds.
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Solar Race Cars
Students explore the relationship between time traveled, distance and speed. In this solar race car lesson students wire solar batteries using series and parallel circuitry.
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Straight Line Motion with a Stomper
Students explore average speed, and graph distances and time. In this speed and velocity lesson students complete a lab then calculate distances, acceleration and velocity and graph the data.
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Water Ecology Lab
Students determine the characteristics of a stream ecosystem and its organisms. In this water ecology lesson students complete several labs that shows them presence of life, water appearance, and water flow.
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Faster speed-Shorter Time
Students calculate the inverse variation, and speed given the formulas. In this algebra lesson, students investigate properties of conics, focusing on the hyperbola. They identify the distance between the directrix and other parts of the...
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Impulse/Momentum Lab
Learners investigate the relationship between force and momentum using motion detectors and sensors. In this physics lesson, students graph experimental results. They calculate impulse using the area under the graph.
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Go Car, Go!
Middle schoolers design and build their own car. In this physics lesson, students collect data to determine the speed of the car. They plot the data on the graph analyze the relationship between variables.
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Glass Transition in a Rubber Ball
Students illustrate the changes in the properties of a material at its glass transition point. They gather data which they use to construct graphs regarding elastic modules versus absorption modulus, tangent delta, and the effect of...
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Investigating Motion, Forces, and Energy Lab Book
Eighth graders create their own experiements using toy trucks, cars or balls to measure the time it takes two of them to travel 5 meters, as well as at each 1 meter interval. They make use computers to make a time/distance graph and...
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Air Pressure
Learners participate in a series of demonstrations about Bernoulli's principle. They explain how air pressure varies with air speed. They write a detailed lab report about the activity. This is a great way to explore this concept.
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2D Kinematics w/ String Racers
Students calculate the speed of string racers. In this physics lesson, students measure the time in several trials and get the average. They graph their results using a spreadsheet.
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Going the Distance
Students experiment in small groups to answer the question, "Is there a relationship between ramps and speed?" They apply a formula to calculate the speed of the cars used in the experiment, complete the associate lab report, and...