Curated OER
Animating Motion
Learners apply what they recall about objects in motion by animati ng sequences of pictures that model a set of physical conditions. They animate the orbital motions of the Earth, the space shuttle, and the Moon based on calculations of...
Curated OER
Newton's 2nd Law
Fourth graders discuss Newton's Second Law of Motion, and the acceleration of fast and slow moving objects. They experiment with items with different masses to determine the effect mass has on acceleration using a toy car. They complete...
Curated OER
Speed, Distance and Time
Students are introduced to the concept of speed and the difference between average and instantaneous speed. They work as a class to solve a variety of word problems to calculate average speeds without a calculator. The students are then...
Curated OER
Tracking Speed
Learners collect data for a runner by measuring the time it takes for the runner to run equal distances. After collecting data, students average speeds and accelerations for the runner. Assignment is completed by graphing the data.
Curated OER
Not Your Average Average
Students discover that if a distance is traveled in two or more segments at different average speeds, you cannot average the average speeds. Instead the total distance traveled must be divided by the total elapsed time. Students practice...
Curated OER
Media/Citizenship: Speed 3
Learners examine data about the effects of speed in car accidents. They create their own media campaign about safety while driving. They share their ideas with the class.
Curated OER
Media/Citizenship: Speed 1
Students investigate media images of cars and speed. They examine drivers' atitudes to speed by completing an activity sheet and responding to press reports about speeding drivers.
Curated OER
Measuring Wind Speed
Fourth graders measure wind speed over a week's time uisng a ping pong and a protractor and graph the results. They convert the number of degrees to miles per hour using a scale. They discuss patterns and relationships.
Curated OER
Rollin' On
Third graders investigate the effects of gravity on the motion of a marble on an inclined plane and a declined plane. They work in small cooperative groups to predict and explain outcomes.
Curated OER
Investigating Motion, Forces, and Energy Lab Book
Eighth graders create their own experiements using toy trucks, cars or balls to measure the time it takes two of them to travel 5 meters, as well as at each 1 meter interval. They make use computers to make a time/distance graph and...
Curated OER
How Fast Is that Rocket?
Eighth graders calculate the speed of a falling object using measurements from a falling rocket. They report data from their data sheet to the teacher to record on the board or on the overhead transparency and discuss the results with...
Curated OER
Can You Calculate the Speed of Your Pet?
Students analyze the formula for speed and velocity. They explore and demonstrate how to calculate the speed of wind up toy pets, average the speeds and identify the correct units of measure of speed.
Curated OER
Motion Capture and Analysis
Learners investigate the concepts and relationships of speed, displacement and time. They capture the serve motion of a tennis player via video or digital camera and analyze the speed of the ball and racquet head.
Curated OER
Motion Capture and Analysis
High schoolers capture the serve motion of a tennis player with a digital or video camera. Using transparencies or a software package, analyze the speed, acceleration, displacement and time of the racquet head and ball in the tennis stroke.
Curated OER
Investigation 4 - Collision Zone
Third graders study how forces of push and pull can change speed or direction.
Curated OER
Flying With Mathematics!
Third graders fly miniature airplanes to discover characteristics related to velocity and average speed. After measuring the time and distance of their flights, 3rd graders calculate the average velocity of their planes.
Curated OER
Acceleration
Students develop an understanding of velocity and to distinguish it from speed. To determine the difference between a scalar and a vector quantity. To explore how acceleration is derived from velocity and time.