A mouse can fall from large heights without injury! Air resistance is a large influence on small falling objects. In an exploratory lesson, young scholars build a raindrop bottle to compare the falling rate of different-sized objects.

Middle schoolers build parachutes for chicken eggs. In this physics lesson, students describe the forces acting on a falling object. They predict which of the three parachute models they made has the best chance of keeping the egg intact...

Students design a skydiver and parachute constraption to demonstrate how drag caused by air resistance slows the descent of skydivers as they travel back to Earth. They experience how gravity pulls the skydiver toward the earth and how...

Students consider the first part of Newton's First Law of Motion, the Law of Inertia of objects at rest, which states that every object remains at rest unless acted on by a force. They perform hands-on experiments which demonstrate this...

Students discuss force, gravity, and friction as well as examples of each based on what they viewed during a Discovery video. They examine first hand the effect of forces by building their own luge track, making predictions, and testing...

What's that silly thing spinning in the wind? It's a whirligig! Explore wonderful windy whirligigs with a STEM-based unit that teaches the science and concepts behind these gigs. Scholars discover how gravity and air resistance...

Cliff diving is more than an adrenaline rush ... it's a lesson in physics! Scholars adjust the height of a cliff and plot the resulting velocity and position over time on graphs. They also can incorporate air resistance to monitor the...

Students investigate the force of gravity and how it effects different objects that are put into acceleration when applied the experiment of free falling. They drop different objects that have a variety of masses and some that cause air...

You won't have to force your classes to complete these engaging activities! Through exploration, young scientists learn that force has both magnitude and direction. They draw force diagrams, investigate force models, and complete a...

Second graders study force and what it does.  In this motion instructional activity students complete a demonstration on force and gravity and share their ideas. 

Students apply their knowledge of friction, drag, mass and gravity as they design, build, and test mini-bobsleds.

Sixth graders compare and contrast mass and weight. In this physics instructional activity, 6th graders calculate speed given distance and time information. They construct a rocket and relate this to Newton's 3rd Law of motion.

Third graders are introduced to the concepts of force and motion. In groups, they travel between stations to analyze the effect of force and motion on various objects. They research how various careers use these concepts as well.

Second graders experience practicing with a wide variety of vocabulary terms that relate to the Vista/Module "Angular Momentum:" momentum, inertia, force; motion, direction, centripetal force; angular momentum, gyroscope, resist. They...

Students explore gravitational force. Through experimentation, students observe the acceleration of objects when they fall. They examine air resistance, and how the human body is attracted to the earth. Students discover the...

Young scholars explore Newton's laws, including what they state, and what the intuitive meaning is of the first and third laws.

Students investigate the factors affecting projectile trajectory. For this physics lesson, students calculate the range, time and speed of projectiles using mathematical equations.

High schoolers design and build one of three engineering problems dealing with living and working in space.

Third graders demonstrate that gravity is a force.

Third graders are introduced to the concept of gravity by observing different objects being dropped from a high point. In groups, they complete the same activities Galileo did and record their observations. To end the lesson, they...

Students review what force. In this science lesson, students determine which surfaces are rough and which are smooth by observing how an object moves on each surface.

Third graders use a Slinky, rubber bands, paper, coins and cups to experiment with weight and its relationship to gravity. They discuss their results and develop a consensus on conclusion statements derived from their experiments.

Students construct a paper glider. In this physics of gliding instructional activity, students first learn about Borneo and it's rainforest habitat. After students discover the way animals in Borneo glide from tree to tree, they use...

Learners observe falling objects. They discover the rate of falling is based on air resistance and not the weight of the objects. They discuss how engineers use this type of information to design aerodynamic shapes.