Curated OER
The Wonderful World of Waves (Wave Basics)
Students define amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and period, calculate period given frequency, and calculate frequency given period, define crest and trough and locate both on diagram of wave, differentiate between latitudinal and...
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Foucault's Pendulum
Students investigate how the motion of the Foucault pendulum proves that the Earth is rotating. They research the Internet about pendulums and conduct an experiment online. They view a multimedia presentation about pendulums and read...
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Newton's Laws
Young scholars experiment with and analyze moving objects and explain their motion in relation to Newton's Laws of Motion. Students then work with partners to design and construct cars that are powered by balloons.
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The Motion of a Virus Through a Population
Students test the factors that influence the rate at which a virus spreads through a population. They complete a lab activity then discuss data collected and review and answer a set of questions.
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Rocket Car
Students construct a balloon-powered rocket car from a Styrofoam tray, pins, tape, and a flexible straw, and test it along a measured track on the floor. They experiment with ways of increasing the distance the rocket car travels.
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Rocket Me into Space
Students engage in a lesson that reinforces rockets as a vehicle that helps us explore outside the Earth's atmosphere by using the principles of Newton's third law of motion. Also, the principles that engineers deal with when building a...
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Design a Parachute
Middle schoolers engage in a discussion about what a parachute is and how it works. They create a parachute using different materials that they think will work best. The students test their designs, which will be followed by a class...
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Terror in Space
Students view a video clip about the role of satellites in space. They examine the concept of center of mass. They participate in an experiment showing how altering the location of an object's center of mass can change its motion.
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Konnecting Simple Machines and K'Nex
Students study and identify different types of simple machines and how they work. They design a simple machine.
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Simple Machines
Students explain how simple machines work and design their own machine. They use the Internet for research.
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Sports and Sir Isaac Newton
Eighth graders choose a sport to observe and capture pictures of Newton's Laws of motion in action within the sport. They import these pictures into Avid Cinema to create a multimedia project to go along with the written report and oral...
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Move It, Sir Isaac!
Third graders analyze the work of Sir Isaac Newton as they investigate the laws of motion and force. Inertia is observed through a lump of clay.
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Rock-A-Bye Pendulum
Third graders analyze the effects of force on an object in motion and its relationship to a change in speed. This lesson uses a pendulum to demonstrate the principle.
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Medieval Catapults
Students design and build a working catapult or trebuchet to explore the concepts of force, motion, and distance.
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Let's Get Moving
Students participate in sports activities that relate to motion, velocity and momentum. They produce a PowerPoint presentation after researching the activities.
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UFOs
Students, in groups, construct a catapult. Then they conduct a series of experiments by catapulting a marshmallow, using different lengths of spoons, across the room. They predict, measure, and record the measured distance on a worksheet.
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Inertia
Students conduct a simple inertia demonstration by spinning a hardboiled and raw egg. They push a wagon to demonstrate inertia. They explore Newton's first and second laws of motion.
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Aircraft vs. Spacecraft
High schoolers investigate differences between aircraft and spacecraft, and the differences in propulsion systems. They build pinwheel airplanes and balloon rockets. An interactive activity quizzes students on thrust.
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Cartoon Creation
Fifth graders create four to six illustrations that produce sequential movement and change when rapidly flipped through, and demonstrate that motion and change can be shown in a series of illustrations by sharing his/her original cartoon...
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When Things Start Heating Up
Students explore how and why heat is produced from things that give off light, from machines, or when one thing is rubbed against another. They participate in several hands-on activities designed to help them realize that heat is related...
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Motion
Starting off with a definition of motion and some examples, this slide show goes on to describe different categories of movement. Terminology connected to this general physics topic is explained on subsequent slides. It is a good summary...
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Newton's Three Laws of Motion Lesson Plan
Students explore Newton's three laws of motion using a variety of activities. In this physics lesson, students calculate the average speed of a vehicle they constructed using distance and time information. They identify and draw the...
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How Do You Move Along the Earth?
Students determine their own walking and running velocity. In this physics lesson, students calculate velocity using distance and time information. They compare human and animal speeds.
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Circular Motion
Students research physical science by completing worksheets. For this gravity lesson, students read assigned text regarding the rotation of Earth and the gravitational force caused by the speed of which it rotates. Students complete a...