Curated OER
Force & Acceleration
Students investigate the effects of weights on the motion of a toy car. In this force and acceleration lesson plan, students use different weights, a toy car, a paper clip and string to determine how a car will move as different weights...
Curated OER
Newton Gets Me Moving
Learners discuss Newton's laws of motion. The conduct motion experiments by building "Newton Rocket Cars" from assorted materials. They propel the cars with rubber bands and wooden blocks and record the distance traveled on data sheets.
Curated OER
Newton's Laws
Students experiment with and analyze moving objects and explain their motion in relation to Newton's Laws of Motion. Students then work with partners to design and construct cars that are powered by balloons.
Curated OER
Speed and Experiments
In this speed and experiments activity, students read about how to calculate the speed by using the change in distance divided by the change in time. They also read about experimental design and scientific method. Students match 5 terms...
Curated OER
Straight Line Motion in Two Parts
Students describe and quantify the motion of toy cars. In this motion lesson, students observe a battery powered toy car on a flat surface and a standard toy car on a sloped surface. They write their observations, measure average speeds,...
Curated OER
Pasta Bridges
Students analyze the correct use of technology as it relates to math and science. In this science lesson, students investigate force and weight as it relates to building an object. They build a bridge and draw conclusion based on the...
Curated OER
Air: Fuel For Thought
High schoolers consider the impact of vehicle use in their family and brainstorm viable alternatives to this use. They calculate the total emissions for their family cars during the week, then compare those totals with Hybrid car totals.
Curated OER
Race the Track! Shoot the Loop
Students experiment with a steel ball and matchbox car to find the effects of force and motion. For this force and motion lesson, students assemble a track, conduct experiments and record on a shoot the loop worksheet. Students change...
Curated OER
Light Your Way
Young scholars investigate how a simple series circuit functions. They design and construct a working portable flashlight, develop a written plan for the flashlight, test their flashlight for functionality and reliability, and draw the...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Super Spinners!
Students make spinners to investigate rotational inertia, rotational speed, angular momentum, and velocity. They make two sets of spinners that have different mass distributions and shapes. They complete a worksheet while experimenting...
Curated OER
Popular Mechanics
Students explore the five essential parts of every robot and design their own robots to perform everyday tasks. They explore robots created for fighting competitions by reading and discussing "When Nerds Collide: Robots at War."
Curated OER
Thar She Blows!: Wind Power
Students examine how wind energy is transformed into electrical energy. In pairs, they build miniature wind turbines and measure how much electrical current they produce. They asses the importance of design and position in energy...
Curated OER
Collisions and Momentum: Bouncing Balls
Middle schoolers explore the concepts of potential and kinetic energy by bouncing assorted balls on different surfaces and calculating the momentum for each ball. They give examples of collisions and momentum in sports and understand...
Curated OER
TE Lesson: Energy Transfer in Musical Instruments
Students study concepts of energy and energy transfer. They look at how these concepts apply to musical instruments. They study the law of conservation of energy. They use the concepts studied in the lesson plan to design a musical...
Curated OER
Surface Friction and Wear Characteristics of Common Materials
Students identify the factors affecting friction. In 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.
Curated OER
One Path
Students discover that charge movement through a circuit depends on the resistance and arrangement of the circuit components. In a hands-on activity, students build and investigate the characteristics of series circuits. In another...
Curated OER
Earth Day
Learners complete a variety of Earth Day activities. In this recycling and the environment lesson, students listen to Earth friendly music, create a car out of juice boxes, use soda cans and bottle caps to create a Halloween...
Curated OER
TE Activity: You're in Hot Water
Young scholars study different ways of using solar energy. They design a solar water heater and determine how much water it can heat in a set amount of time. They examine how the heaters work by solar radiation and convection.
Curated OER
Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh My!
Research animals and develop a non-fiction presentation. Students will complete research on a particular animal and determine the animal's characteristics as well as habitat before choosing a differentiated project to present using the...
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Stable and Unstable Structures
Students research three major bridge collapses. In this Physical Science lesson plan, students will sketch a bridge design for their area after their research. All bridge designs will be presented to the class to discuss strengths and...
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Rover Races
Students identify the challenges encountered by astronauts in operating a planetary rover. In this space science activity, students create a rover using their team members. They follow a command sequence from the driver and navigate...
Curated OER
Poetry In the World Around Us
Students engage in a lesson which is designed as a literacy connection to science lessons on the effects of water on plants. This lesson uses an excellent Reading Rainbow episode on the effect of drought, and then rainfall, have on the...
Center for Innovation
Air Pollution: What is the Solution?
For this air pollution worksheet, learners use an online simulation called "Smog City" to manipulate different conditions that affect air pollution. Students answer questions about the health effects at peak ozone levels for different...
Curated OER
Passive Filter Circuits
In this circuits worksheet, students answer 44 questions about audio tone control circuits, twin-tee filter circuits, and other types of passive filter circuits, their impedance and their design.