Curated OER
A Mysterious Roll-Back Can
Students explore Newton and his Second Law by observing a demonstration involving a can that rolls away, then rolls back to where it started. They construct their own Come Back Can and describe how the cans work.
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Skateboard Science
Students investigate how skaters can turn in midair. In this physics lesson, students relate Newton's Laws to skateboarding. They carry out the maneuver with the help of their classmate.
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Bouncing Balls
Students work together to examine how different types of balls react to colliding with different surfaces. They discover the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions. They practice calculating momentum as well.
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Ring Around the Rosie
Students work together to discover the concept of angular momentum. They participate in experiments in which they test rotation and relate it to an object's mass. They participate in a literacy activity in which they compare mythology...
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Circle of Pong
Students, in groups, use given materials to devise a way to deposit a ping-pong ball into a paper cup that is located in the middle of a 6-foot diameter circle, while standing outside the circle.
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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.)
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Automobile-Accident Reconstruction
Students investigate an accident and relate it to math. In this trigonometry instructional activity, students measure the accident scene, the friction produced, and the speed from the skid marks. They create a poster of their findings.
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Ballistic Pendulum Lab
Young scholars determine the muzzle velocity of projectile launcher. For this physics lesson, students compare the pendulum method and kinematic method in calculating the initial velocity. They analyze data and discuss results in class.
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Investigation of Hooke's Law Lab
Young scholars determine the spring constant by conducting an investigation. In this physics lesson, students collect data and create a graph of force vs. displacement. They compare the results of two different methods to find spring...
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Swinging on a String
Students explore how pendulums work and why they are useful in everyday applications. In a hands-on activity, they experiment with string length, pendulum weight and angle of release.
Curated OER
Wind Turbines
Students build their own wind turbine. For this physics lesson, students calculate the power output of their wind turbines. They evaluate their design and make the necessary modifications.