CK-12 Foundation
Latitude, Longitude, and Direction: Angle from the Equator
Which has the higher IQ, latitude or longitude? Longitude because it has 360 degrees! The interactive introduces the way latitude is measured and why it can never have more than 90 degrees. A handful of challenge questions encourage...
Curated OER
Physics Lab Rockets
Young scholars construct and test balloon rockets and a model rocket. In this rocket science lesson, students use an inquiry-based method to master balloon rockets and have a shoot-off with the goal of attaining the highest altitude....
Cornell University
Constructing and Visualizing Topographic Profiles
Militaries throughout history have used topography information to plan strategies, yet many pupils today don't understand it. Scholars use Legos and a contour gauge to understand how to construct and visualize topographic profiles. This...
Curated OER
Sun, Shadows, Surface Structure...and the Face on Mars
Students use light and shadow information to make inferences regarding the three dimensional shapes of specific objects photographed on the surface of Mars. Limitations of the of the data provided are discussed and entries made into the...
Curated OER
Navigation By the North Star: A Lesson Plan in Four Parts
Students investigate why the North Star was important for navigation, how stars move across the night sky, how to locate the North Star, how to make a crude sextant, and how to determine latitude using a sextant and the North Star. They...
GLOBE Program
Making a Sundial
Sundials are more than just primitive clocks. Learners build their own sundials to study the location of the sun across the sky throughout the day. They use shadow evidence related to their sundials to make conclusions about solar movement.
Curated OER
The Angle of the Sun's Rays
Students study elevation of the Sun above the horizon and the angle of the rays and their heating power.
Curated OER
Measure Up!
Students examine parallax and angular measurements. In this investigative lesson students calculate distances of objects and map their results.
Curated OER
The North (Wall) Star
Students engage in a lesson which shows them that celestial navigation is the art and science of finding one's geographic position by means of astronomical observations, particularly by measuring altitudes of celestial objects - sun,...
Curated OER
Anza and Font in Search of Latitude
This is an integrated lesson that incorporates Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics. In Social Studies, 7th graders complete an online interview and complete an online worksheet about latitude of sites on the Anza trail. In Science...
Curated OER
Catapults!
Students work together to discover the relationship between the angle of catapults and the flight of different objects. They discover the heavier the object the more force is needed. They examine how engineers use this information to...
Curated OER
Wind Tunnels
Students build a simple wind tunnel and test out 2 glider wing shapes at different angles of attack. They record their observations and results just as engineers do. There also is a "virtual wind tunnel" they can try to test aerodynamic...
Curated OER
The Tilting Earth
Fourth graders use a styrofoam ball on a stick to represent earth and a light bulb in the center of the room to represent the sun. They walk around the light, holding their sticks at an angle to show the tilt of the earth's axis. They...
Space Awareness
Navigating with the Kamal
Historians have proven that as early as 1497 skilled navigators were using a kamal to sail across oceans. Scholars learn about navigation tools and astronomy before building their own kamals. They then learn how to use it to determine...
Curated OER
Atomic Absorption Determination of Zinc and Copper in a Multivitamin
Advanced lab apprentices prepare zinc and copper solutions to which they will compare the same minerals from a multivitamin. Using absorption spectroscopy, they analyze the contents of the multivitamin for concentration. This lab can be...
Bowels Physics
Newton's Second Law
Were it not for Sir Newton, our understanding of physics and matters of the world would be drastically different. Present your class with detailed information of Newton's Second Law as they explore the concepts of mass and acceleration....
Curated OER
Altitude Locator
Students use protractors, strings, and straws to construct a device used to determine the height of tall objects. In this applied geometry instructional activity, students use common objects to construct a tangent height guide. They use...
Curated OER
Eratosthenes
Students examine what Eratosthenes is and the history behind him. In this earth lesson students complete a hands on activity to repeat Eratosthenes' experiment.
Curated OER
Pilots, Airplanes, and the Tangent of Three Degrees
High schoolers explore how to use trigonometry in the aviation field. In this aviation lesson plan students complete trigonometry equations that show what planes should do to land their airplanes.
Curated OER
Work and More Work
In this science worksheet, students classify 6 actions as positive work, negative work, or no work. Students also design their own experiment.
Curated OER
Geometry of Exploration: Eyes Over Mars
Students research how engineers and scientists generate linear and angular measurements with geometry to survey the Earth and Mars. They assess how geometric shapes affect navigation. A surveyor comes to the classroom and explains how he...
Curated OER
Atmospheric Shielding from Radiation I
For this radiation worksheet, students calculate the distance of a satellite in orbit to determine the placement of a radiation detection device. This worksheet has 2 problems to solve.
Curated OER
Wave Equations
Students manipulate a model of a wave in order to solve the wave equation in 1 dimension. By using a model of a wave on a string the student is able to change the tension, length, and mass of the string as well as fix either end of the...
Curated OER
Ride on a Slide
Students investigate gravity and engineering by participating in a slide building experiment. In this early physics lesson, students utilize cardboard boxes to create a model of a children's slide. Students analyze the other students...