Curated OER
Pumped Up Gas Prices
Learners spend one month keeping track of the mileage and gasoline amounts they or their family has used. Information is entered into a spreadsheet to help calculate the average gas prices over time.
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Projectile Motion
High schoolers observe projectile motion and calculate the speed of a baseball based on the time and distance traveled. They record the time, measure the distance, and draw the path of the ball's travel on a data table.
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Exterior Ballistics
Students explore velocity and trajectory. Using exterior ballistics rules, students predetermine the path of an artillery shell. Given equations and the firing angle, students determine the velocity and horizontal travel. Students...
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Junkyard Wars: Wild Watercraft
Students develop a fast travelling hull for a boat. In this physical science lesson plan, the students' hulls will be tested in a channel (built by the teacher) with a fan as the driving force. The students will compete for who has the...
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The Space Cadet's Laboratory: Using Electromagnetic Energy to Study Astronomy
Students build their own spectrophotometer to study light. In this physics lesson, students explain the dual nature of light. They calculate the angle of incidence and refraction using Snell's law equation.
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Chromosomes and Genetic Mapping
Students are introduced to mapping by crossover frequency. Genes travel as packaged trains on chromosomes. They use this experiment, genetic mapping assignment, that allow students to quickly complete the assignment and yet examine the...
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Hit and Run
Pupils explore data collection in this lesson. They investigate distance vs. time and velocity vs. time graphs using information collected with a CBR 2 to simulate the reconstruction of an accident.
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A Classical & Relativistic Trip to a Black Hole
High schoolers calculate distance, velocity, acceleration and time on their fantasy trip to the black hold. They apply Newton's Laws of Motion and calculate circular motion. They discuss any questions that may arise.
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Sound
Students identify sources and importance of sound, discuss sounds heard on way to school, explain why sound waves can be "seen", and participate in various classroom activities and experiments that illustrate how sound travels.
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How Far... How Powerfu
Students work with a real optical spectrum of a gamma ray burst afterglow taken at the Keck Observatory. They measure the shifts of spectral lines, deduce the velocity of the astronomical object, and then use Hubble's Law to get its...
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Crystallization
Eighth graders analyze physical change in mass. In this chemistry lesson, 8th graders describe, measure and calculate the amount of physical change occurring in mass before and after the change. Students should be familiar with elements,...
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Mysteries of the Past-An Artistic Expedition
Students explore expression in artwork. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students travel to ancient Egypt to examine abstract art of the Nile River valley through several hands-on activities.
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Take a Walk
Sixth graders graph acceleration and practice using the metric system. In this physics instructional activity, 6th graders take turns timing each other as they walk 15 meters. Students then chart and graph their data using the metric...
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Bats Do It-Why Can't I?
Young scholars explore echos and how they are utilised in navigation. In this sound lesson plan students calculate the amount of time between a sound and its echo.
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Egg Fun
Students explore the physical properties of eggs. In this scientific observation lesson, students define characteristics of eggs, measure eggs vertically and horizontally, and use the scientific method to perform simple experiments using...
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Speed of Sound
Students examine the phenomenon of sounds traveling slower than light. They discover why they see things before they hear them and how to estimate the speed of sound as homework.
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Study of Projectile Motion using Straw Rockets
Students design and launch their own rockets. In this experimental instructional activity students launch their own rockets and record the various angles and distance that they go. Each student has time to redesign their rocket and...
Bowels Physics
Kinematics
Lead your class on a speedy journey as you present an effective lesson on kinematics. Individuals review speed, acceleration, and velocity before completing several practice problems to integrate the concepts.
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Migrating Math
Students practice estimating distance traveled while walking. Also can be used to introduce backpacking/hiking or as a daily warm-up. Measure the blacktop/cafeteria/playground, then determine how many times around make a mile.
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Toboggan Science
Young scholars conduct toboggan time trials to investigate the variables that have the greatest effect on toboggan speed. In small groups, they develop a hypothesis to test and perform three trials on the toboggan run for each variable.
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Emotional Speed with Balls and Ramps
Fifth graders investigate the relationship between mass and speed. In this physics lesson plan, 5th graders experiment with motion by being given a ramp, two balls, and blocks or books for elevation. Students determine how different...
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Describing the Motion of a Battery Powered Cars
Middle schoolers explore distance a toy car travels by changing the amount of batteries used to power the toy car. In this force and motion lesson, students calculate the average speed of a car while investigating the power from various...
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Building And Launching a Model Rocket
Students are introduced to the basic parts of rockets and the physical forces at work in the flight of rockets. They build and launch a model rocket and discuss the challenges of launching a real rocket.
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Paths of Electrical Currents
Fourth graders examine the paths that electrical currents travel. They create a current of electricity using flashlights, bulbs, batteries, wires and tape. They determine how to create a closed circuit that will light the bulb. They...