Fourth graders explore Newton's second law of motion, testing and identifying the characteristics of objects that makes them easier or harder to push. They identify what types of objects are the hardest to move, then test a variety of...

Students research about different human space explorations conducted by NASA. For this physical science lesson, students discuss why space exploration is important. They write a paper about their thoughts on continuing NASA's space...

Sixth graders use prior knowledge to create a tri-fold study guide using Microsoft Publisher (if available). They include real world examples that show balanced and unbalanced forces, kinetic and potential energy, and vocabulary. The...

Why do scientists use models? In the first installment of 22, groups create scale models of our solar system. They then share and discuss their models.

Eighth graders identify balanced and unbalanced forces that affect the movement of objects and Newton's three Laws of Motion. Students also design a contraption utilizing Newton's Laws of Motion that will launch a marshmallow five meters.

Students examine the concepts of balanced forces, unbalanced forces, and resulting net forces. They participate in a force and motion demonstration by pushing students in various directions, and calculating and identifying the resulting...

Students explore questions which cannot be handled with simple pendulums, and examine both the usefulness and the limitations of approximations in science. A Java applet created from a Stella model is included.

Students, operating under simulated budget constraints, build pop-rockets and launch them. Working in pairs, they complete budget worksheets and use their "Blast Off Bucks" to pay for the construction. They then redesign their rockets...

Students explore Newton's laws, including what they state, and what the intuitive meaning is of the first and third laws.

Students participate in a lesson that covers the concepts of solving equations and inequalities. To master the concept they must demonstrate visually and verbally how both sides of an equation must be balanced. They construct a balanced...

Learners explore the action-reaction principle of Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this rocketry activity, students construct a pinwheel using a balloon, soda straw, and wooden pencil. Learners investigate the results.

Students study kinetic energy and how it works.  In this investigative lesson students divide into groups and attempt to break a board with their hand. 

Pupils 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.

In this forces worksheet, students read about force and acceleration. They complete a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast balanced and unbalanced forces, they answer questions about a diagram of a tug-a-war and the forces acting on each...

Learners design and build their own car. In this physics lesson, students collect data to determine the speed of the car. They plot the data on the graph analyze the relationship between variables.

Calories are not tiny creatures that sew your clothes tighter every night, but what are they? A science instructional activity, presented at multiple levels, has learners experiment with heat, heat transfer, and graph the...

Glide into the study of flight. An engaging lesson has scholars research information on the Wright brothers. They develop props and produce a recreation of the first flight at Kitty Hawk. They then report on the event as if they were...

Have your class learn about the solar system using this hands on technique. Learners review what they know about the planets, and create a clay model of the solar system. There are a list of resource links to make this lesson a complete...

Students find a partner, they think about their favorite TV sport that they might like to perform in an unusual dance. They practice their chosen sport and students see if they can make a litter repeating pattern of three or four parts...

Fourth graders investigate Newton's Second and Third Laws of Motion. They determine what makes objects harder or easier to push. While investigating they determine how applying force in order balance out gravity allows things to stay...

Students examine how physical quantities and laws depend distance, mass and time. They examine the MKS system; meter, kilogram and second, for doing calculations.

Students compare the weathering of materials. in this weathering lesson, students experiment with the chemical and physical weathering of different materials. Students use salt and water as an example of how weathering occurs.

Students construct and compare the actions of various pendulums. In this pendulum motion lesson, students build and test different types of pendulums. They conduct experiments with the length of the swing arm and apply mathematical...

Students explain that when forces on an object are balanced, the motion of object does not change. They describe how an object changes its motion when forces on it are unbalanced. They plan and conduct a scientific investigation to test...