Instructions for series of six activites, a reading of scientific literature, and a choice of six assessments await you in this physics resource. Well-written plans guide you in guiding your pupils to experiment with levers, pulleys,...

Don't lift another finger, this physical and environmental science unit has everything you need to begin teaching your class about energy. Starting with a look at the greenhouse effect, these lessons and activities take young scientists...

Second graders examine both potential and kinetic energy. After discussing the difference and examples of potential and kinetic energy, they participate in a game of "Show Me Potential Energy/Show Me Kinetic Energy" using toy tops.

Students explore and identify the concepts of potential and kinetic energy. They define kinetic and potential energy and discuss examples of each. Students then play a game involving balance toys, demonstrating both kinetic and potential...

Students design a roller coaster and demonstrate their knowledge of Potential and Kinetic Energy. They determine the average velocity a given marble travels on their roller coaster and apply their knowledge of various measurement systems...

Different types of energy are the focus of this science resource. Learners identify situations in which kinetic and potential energy are exchanged. They conduct an in-class inquiry which leads them to discover that there is a limit to...

If you have a ticker tape, this activity will energize your future physicists. They push automobiles and measure the required force, then compare it to the distance and velocity recorded on the tape. Mini lab carts are also used to...

If you can find Tinker Toys™, then this may be a fun assignment for your physical science class. Using the construction set and a few other toys, they examine the forces involved when it they are being played with. For each, they...

Fifth graders identify situations in which kinetic and potential energy are exchanged and identify the direction of energy transfer using marbles and flexible foam track. They observe how the marbles move spontaneously when released...

Here is a physics lesson that your 5th graders should love. They explore the physics behind roller coasters by viewing roller coaster simulations online. Then, they work in pairs in order to design their own roller coasters and track....

Seventh graders investigate how changes in the mass or height of a ramp can affect the change in potential energy. They discuss the concepts of work and energy, then using the four question strategy, they design an experiment that...

Middle school science stars observe and record data on the solar radiation reflected off or transmitted through various materials. They predict properties for various materials, and test their predictions by touch. This lesson becomes...

Are the earth's oceans really just giant batteries, waiting for their energy to be harnessed? Middle school mechanical engineers will be shocked by the amazing amount of energy that forms around them after diving into part four of a...

Bring some energy to your physical science curriculum with this engaging Bill Nye the Science Guy lesson. Based on his Renewable Energy video, students explore the concepts of potential and kinetic energy and learn how they are applied...

Students calculate kinetic and potential energy in the lab. In this physics lesson, students demonstrate how energy can be transformed from one form to another. They collect data from the experiment and write a detailed lab report.

Super science learners examine the sun's production of energy by the process of nuclear fusion. Hands-on activities make this lesson engaging for middle schoolers. The lesson is made up of four parts. Part I is an introduction to the sun...

Seventh graders investigate the relationship between energy and matter, and measure the mass of various objects. They listen to a teacher-led lecture about potential energy, and in small groups measure the mass of various objects such...

Students are introduced to the concept of thermodynamics. In groups, they participate in experiments in which they discover how potential energy converts into kinetic energy. They use the internet to research the components of a...

First-time physicists experiment with pendulums in this physics lesson. They vary the weight of the bob, record how long each takes to complete ten period swings, and then calculate the time for one period. They repeat the procedure,...

Students distinguish between kinetic and potential energy. They recognize that energy can change from one form to other forms. They identify and describe several forms of energy.

Elementary school physical scientists explore kinetic mechanical energy by dropping a golf ball on different surfaces. They discuss how human made materials might react to light differently from nature made materials. This lesson plan...

Students describe how energy can be transformed from one form to another. In this physics instructional activity, students calculate kinetic and potential energy using mathematical equations. They give real life applications of this...

Engineer an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to study concepts of physics. Using household materials, collaborative groups design and build an AUV and then test Newton's Laws of Motion as they apply them in underwater environments...

Fifth graders investigate how chemical energy in food and batteries is potential or stored energy. They discuss how batteries function, and create a class list of different forms of energy. Students then create a lemon battery that...