Start your engines! This five-lesson unit introduces physics and Newton's laws through automobile racing. Each lesson includes background information, a student worksheet, and an answer key. There are also culminating...

Students explore how to choose the correct car for them based on their needs.

Students identify features that make an automobile practical for a cross-country trip and then design a 1903 era auto using lessons learned from Horatio's journey.

In this history of automobiles worksheet, middle schoolers answer 20 questions about the automobile industry, the changes that have taken place over the course of the auto industry's history and the current statistics about...

This is an exceptional series that you can use in an environmental or engineering unit. There are four lessons: "Sustainable Transportation," "Designing for Safety," "Changing the Landscape," and "Engaging in Policy." Each lesson...

Activate middle schoolers' minds with this physical science activity. Learners vary the diameter of gears and the number of teeth on them to find how energy output is affected. This writeup features well-developed background...

Assign each group of 3-4 upper elementary engineers to a different type of transportation fuel. A background information page is provided to get them started with researching their assigned fuel. Each group then produces an exhibit...

Pupils construct a phylogenetic tree for various automobiles and trucks after considering important characteristics of these "organisms". They work in small groups to construct the trees and complete a set of questions then they discuss...

Students identify American geography by participating in a national parks activity. For this road trip lesson, students view the Ken Burns documentary "National Parks" and identify the importance of automobiles in the park system....

Youngsters develop an understanding of how smog is produced, and how exhaust from automobiles is one of the major sources of smog. They explore the roles that engineers play in developing technologies that reduce smog, then work in teams...

Take your class out to visit your automobile and use the tires to compute the weight of the vehicle. This is done by measuring the surface of the tire meeting the ground and the air pressure. This is a fun lesson in the relationship...

Teach your environmental studies, life science, or engineering class how an internal combustion engine works using the first few slides of the accompanying presentation. Then, focus in on the resulting carbon emissions. Finally, take a...

Did you know that cars weren't designed for passenger safety until the 1960s? The lesson starts with a quick quiz on automobile safety. Then, scholars evaluate three cars for their safety features. This is the third in a set of nine...

Math and science meet in this lesson plan on hybrid electric automobiles. This 24-page resource provides everything you need for teaching a lesson plan that compares the use of internal combustion engines to hybrid electric engines....

Fourth graders examine how trees help to absorb the pollution that is emitted from automobiles. They review the process of photosynthesis and determine how forest management is important on their reservation. They think about the...

Students study the structure and habitat of the hydra in this lab instructional activity. Students determine if the hydra can be used as an indicator to detect pollution from automobile exhaust.

Students explain the basic principles of gasoline engines as propulsion for vehicles. They cite reasons why alternatives for gasoline engines are being considered and explain differences between a motor and an engine.

If you have a ticker tape, this activity will energize your future physicists. They push automobiles and measure the required force, then compare it to the distance and velocity recorded on the tape. Mini lab carts are also used to...

How can you relate colligative properties of solutions to everyday situations? Pupils first discuss the concepts of density, boiling and freezing points, then demonstrate how to accurately determine the boiling and freezing point of...

Space shuttles traveled around Earth at a speed of 17,500 miles per hour, way faster than trains, planes, or automobiles travel! In the 13th installment of 22, groups graph different speeds to show how quickly spacecraft move through...

Planes, trains, and automobiles ... the abundance of today's transportation options comes at a hefty price. Using the fifth and final lesson plan from the WE Are Innovators—High School Modules set, pupils explore how modern...

Students explore a variety of sources and types of energy. The difference between energy for a person and energy for an automobile are examined. Efficiency and care for the environment are included in this experience.

Students study a list of cars and trucks and think about characteristics that can be used to show an "evolutionary relationship". From the characteristics they identity, students construct a phylogenetic tree to show how the automotive...

Students research aerodynamic design. For this aerodynamic design lesson, students investigate wind resistance on a car. Students explore the reasons necessary for aerodynamic design.