Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Hardware

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Learners are introduced to the process of building a tankbot. They create a tankbot using a minimun number of parts. Students identify the Lego parts needed to create the tankbot.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Working in Space

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students design and build one of three engineering problems dealing with living and working in space.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Night Sky: Fall/Winter

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explain how moon phases occur. They explain three ways that the night sky has been used through history. Students locate some of the constellations in the night sky. They discuss stories and myths surrounding stars.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Water Cycle

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students are introduced to the components and importance of the water cycle. They are shown how groundwater moves using a model. Students list 9 places on earth where water is found. They define the terms cycle and water cycle.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mass, Volume and Density

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare and contrast the mass, volume, and density of various objects. They use a triple beam balance, measure and record the volume of a cup of water, and discuss the results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Start the Space Flight Time Line

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research space flight exploration and technology. In small groups, they research a significant event from early time until the start of the space age. A class time line is created from the research groups.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Forces of Nature Vocabulary Quiz

For Students 4th - 5th
In this science worksheet, students draw lines to match 13 words pertaining to forces of nature to their definitions in another column. Example: tornado, tide, erosion, pressure.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Quality Monitoring

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students comprehend the four parameters of water quality. They perform tests for salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and clarity or turbidity. Students comprehend why scientists and environmental managers monitor water uality and aquatic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

WHAT HOLDS US TO EARTH?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students they imagine they are Galileo and try to duplicate Galileo's experiments and results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Harmonic Motion

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explain the theory of simple harmonic motion (SHM) by performing hands-on, practical application experiments.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Fast Is that Rocket?

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders calculate the speed of a falling object using measurements from a falling rocket. They report data from their data sheet to the teacher to record on the board or on the overhead transparency and discuss the results with...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Harmonic Motion

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study harmonic motion and its oscillation.  In this simple harmonic motion lesson students demonstrate a series of regular oscillations and explain the theory behind the experiment. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Can a Spacecraft Always Face the Sun?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students determine the correct orbital path for a satellite that collects data about the sun so that its view of the sun never be obstructed by the Earth.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Parachutes And Parafoils

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students study deceleration devices like parachutes and parafoils.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Taste of Space Nutrition Unit

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders make a power point presentation about space nutrition and health.
Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Center of Gravity

For Students 9th - 10th
This activity demonstrates an easy way to find the center of gravity of an object.
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Center of Gravity Lab

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This Illinois Institute of Technologysite provides a lab activity in which students find the center of gravity of a box which has nonuniform weight distribution. Complete with directions and discussion questions; answers provided.
Activity
PBS

Pbs Kids: Dragonfly Tv: Do It: Balancing Act

For Students 3rd - 8th
An experiment kids can do at home to discover how the center of gravity can affect whether things will balance or not.
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Wow! That Captures It!

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students learn how motion capture (mo-cap) technology enables computer animators to create realistic effects. They learn the importance of center of gravity in animation and how to use the concept of center of gravity in writing an...
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Rocking the Boat

For Teachers 7th - 9th
The concepts of stability and equilibrium are introduced while students learn how these ideas are related to the concept of center of mass. They gain further understanding when they see, first-hand, how equilibrium is closely related to...
Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Balancing Stick

For Students 9th - 10th
An activity to study how the position of the center of gravity is affected by the distribution of mass of an object. This activity ask students to balance a dowel on their finger and by moving the playdoh around the dowel they see how it...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Car Collision Testing & Tradeoffs: Don't Crack Humpty

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Student groups are provided with a generic car base on which to design a device/enclosure to protect an egg as it rolls down a ramp at increasing slopes. During this activity, student teams design, build and test their prototype...
Handout
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Centripetal Force: Pulling Cs and Gs

For Students 4th - 8th
In this interactive activity from NOVA, discover how centripetal force can affect you when riding in a car or flying at high speeds in a fighter jet.
Activity
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Secrets of Lost Empires I: Stonehenge

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Investigate center of gravity by changing the weight distribution of a suspended object.