Need some activities to go along with your unit? A collection of hands-on activities from PBS offers opportunities to add to your electricity, sound, and force units. The electricity activities revolve around building a...

How can people control a hot air balloon? The simple simulation allows scholars to adjust the payload mass, burner, and vent position on a hot air balloon and observe the changes in velocity and altitude over time. Challenge questions...

What does stretching a balloon have to do with equilibrium? Groups explore preconditioning by stretching a balloon to a point of equilibrium. They then measure the amount of force required to stretch the balloon to the same point several...

Balloons aren't just for parties! An inquiry-based lesson explores the idea of using balloons for space exploration. Learners become engineers as they attempt to control the ascent and descent of a helium balloon using different masses.

Like all electricity, static electricity flows at the speed of light, or 186,282 miles/second. The interactive simulation shows how like charges repel like charges and opposites attract. The user can choose either one or two balloons, a...

Balloons will go where you want them to. Young pilots first add paper clips to a balloon to make it neutrally buoyant. They then use cardboard to steer the balloon in different directions, taking air pressure into account.

Watch those balloon cars go! Scholars build racers that run using the power of balloons and conduct races with the cars. They learn about Newton's third law of motion and how it applies to their balloon racers.

Attractive and logical instructions are provided for constructing a balloon-powered car. Young physical scientists measure the distance their car travels and record it on a pre-printed data sheet. The make alterations to improve the...

There's quite a bit in this physical science packet. First, how is heat transferred? Learners read a brief explanation of conduction, convection, and radiation before identifying common occurrences (with pictures) as one of the three....

Through watching several classic air pressure demonstrations, middle schoolers determine that high pressure areas move toward lower pressure areas, heated air causes a drop in pressure, and forces exist when pressures are unequal....

Sixth graders discuss what they know and what they want to know about hot air balloon using a KWL chart. They then use a wide array of materials to design a hot air balloon that will lift successfully in cooperative groups referring to...

Students investigate forces. In this laws of motion lesson, students visit the Glasgow Science Center or Techniquest to participate in activities related to the Newton's law of motion.

Students discuss "How can we measure (or make it easier to record) the speed, distance or acceleration of the balloon?" They told that they are going to make a balloon racetrack. Pupils use meter sticks to accurately measure length and...

Get things moving with this extensive collection of physical science resources. Covering the fundamentals of measurement, graphing, lab safety, and experimental design as well as the specific scientific concepts...

Make Newton proud. Scholars apply their understanding of forces and energy to an engineering design challenge. They learn about simple machines, create a presentation on Newton's laws, and develop a balloon-powered car.

Students investigate how fuel amount affects the distance traveled by balloons. In this physics lesson, students collect data and create a pictograph. They interpret data and formulate a conclusion.

Kindergartners learn about the ways force can stop and reverse motion. Several illustrations of children help them determine if the motion is causing an item to change direction. Next, they conduct an experiment to see if a water balloon...

In this Archimedes' principle instructional activity, students answer 13 questions about the concepts of Archimedes' principle such as water displacement, buoyancy and force. The answer questions from a lab they did in class to simulate...

Students explore the different types of balloons.  In this materials lesson students can complete several experiments including building their own hot air balloons, making balloon animals and experimenting with static...

Students construct models of early gas balloons and gliders. In this balloon and glider activity, students create models of early gas balloons and gliders, discover how the forces of lift and drag effect aircraft in flight, and put on...

Present the class with a question on whether the water level of a pond will rise they take a large rock out of a boat and drop it into the pond. Groups come down on all sides of the question and try to justify their answers. The activity...

High schoolers identify the factors affecting friction. For this physics lesson, students construct their own rocket car and race them. They graph the average speeds and discuss how lubricants affect friction between rubbing surfaces.

Students determine the force of a helium balloon that allows it to rise a specific distance.  In this helium lesson students calculate the amount of paper needed to construct a weight and determine the density of a piece of...

Learners view a video and discuss the mechanics of a hot air balloon. They, in groups, construct a functioning hot air balloon.