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Simple Machines Test
In this simple machines vocabulary worksheet, students match the vocabulary term found in the first column with the correct definition found in the second column. There are 23 words and definitions to match.
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Science: Building an Electric Motor
Students build their own electric motors and use them to conduct experiments. Following a step-by-step procedure, they make wire coils by wrapping wire around disc magnets and complete the process with clay, paper clips, alligator clips,...
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Fantastic Friction!!!
Students work in small groups to list at least 10 items that have movement or motion choosing one item from the list to use as a topic for the following questions: How does this item move? How can we slow down the movement? How can we...
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Friction Fun
Students are introduced to the concept of friction. They each get a penny and rotate to a different station consisting of an incline with a different type of surface to test the friction of it. Students then write down what happens at...
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Friction
Fourth graders investigate friction as a force that is present around us. They observe as a ball is rolled on different surfaces and stopped before discussing what happens. Using different surfaces, they make predictions as to what type...
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Simple Machines
Students discover what simple machines are and identify a gear, a pulley, and a lever. In teams, they build at least two models each of simple machines and challenge them with specific instruction cards. Finally, students present and...
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Science: Avalanche!
Eighth graders examine avalanches after reading excerpts from John Muir's book, "The Yosemite." In small groups, they conduct experiments with flour, sugar, and potato flakes representing different snow consistencies. Then, 8th graders...
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A Focus on Mechanical Friction
High schoolers explore mechanical friction. They perform experiments to observe the direction of mechanical motion and the difference between rolling and sliding friction. Data results on the experiments are recorded and students...
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MagLev Train System Activity
High schoolers are able to analyze practices that affect the use, availabiltiy, and management of natural resources. They are able to show that the forces of friction retards motion. Students investigate electricity and magnetism as...
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Laws of Motions
Seventh graders explore the Laws of Motion. They define friction and explain the concept of inertia. Students explain what happens when a force is exerted on an object that is in equilibrium. They state the second and third laws of motion.
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That Mu You Do
Learners are told that the weight of a car is equal to its mass multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity. When a car is at react on a horizontal road, there must be a normal force with which the road pushes up on the car to keep it...
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Newton II; Slow Down
Students, in hands-on activities, explore how a dump truck might be made to negatively accelerate or slow down. They participate in activities using friction force to modify the truck-and-ramp system. Student groups test ideas for...
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Energy/Light/Heat/Sound
Fourth graders study the properties of heat in this series of lessons. They discuss sources of heat and experiment to determine its properties. They identify insulators and conductors by measuring temperatures, and graphing their data....
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Friction of a Block Weight
Fifth graders hypothesize and design an experiment to study the relationship between a block weight and the number of washers it takes to pull a block across various surfaces. Students graph results and apply their findings to a...
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Friction Force
Students investigate friction force on a variety of objects such as bricks and cardboard boxes. They use a force probe to collect data on the changes in force required to drag the objects across a variety of surface types.
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Friction
Students are introduced to the concept of friction. Using that information, they discover ways in which friction can be useful. They participate in different activities to see fricition in action. They complete a grid worksheet and...
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Forces in Action
Students investigate different forces and draw arrows to signify specific directions of force. Students are then shown a brick and they are asked to draw a diagram which will include labels for the forces that are acting on the brick....
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Forces and Movement
Students investigate the forces of pushing and pulling by participating in a whole group activity involving a toy car. Students then participate in a small group experiment involving a toy car, small weights and various materials....
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How Far?
Students explore how different textures provide varying amounts of friction to objects moving across them. They build a tool to measure the amount of friction between a note card and various surfaces by measuring the distance that a...
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Focus on Friction
The students learn about friction and forces through direct instruction and an investigation. They use measurement skills, observation skills, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on data collected during the investigation. Students...
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Ramp and Review
Students participate in an activity in which they observe a ball as it rolls down an incline into a cup. They take measurements and use equations that describe the concepts of mechanical energy, work and power, momentum, and friction. ...
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Friction and Gravity
Seventh graders identify the factors that determine the strength of the friction forces when two objects push against each other. Describing the difference between weight and mass, they participate in experiments. They state the law of...
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Discovering Friction
Learners watch a demonstration that introduces them to the idea that friction is a force that impedes motion when two surfaces are in contact. They work in groups to experiment with frictional force using a coffee cup on which they alter...
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Moving Along With Simple Machines: Introduction
Pupils observe examples of gravity, friction, and force on the playground. They then experiment and participate in a variety of activities in centers back in the classroom.