PBS
Wgbh: Peep and the Big Wide World: Share the Day's Discoveries
Share and discuss ideas the students have about ramps and rolling objects.
PBS
Wgbh: Peep and the Big Wide World: Share the Day's Discoveries
Discuss classroom explorations and discoveries about ramps.
PBS
Wgbh: Peep and the Big Wide World: Explore and Play: Toy Sleds
Students experiment with different materials and objects to make a sled that will slide down the ramps.
Museum of Science
Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago: Activities: Make and Fly a Helicopter
Print and cut out the template for the helicopter. Then experiment with adding and subtracting weight, or changing the shape of the copter or the blades to see what makes it fly best.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Lab Work Forces & Acceleration
The Illinois Institute of Technology provides this site. The site contains a graphing activity which illustrates that a constant force exerted upon an object results in constant acceleration. Rolling carts and stopwatches are used to...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: What a Drag
Students learn about friction and drag - two different forces that convert energy of motion to heat. Both forces can act on a moving object and decrease its velocity. Students learn examples of friction and drag, and suggest ways to...
Scholastic
Scholastic:magic School Bus Themes Index
Magic School Bus cross referenced by themes to provide quick access to many activities and references.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Amusement Park Ride: Ups and Downs in Design
This unit has students design and build foam tubing roller coasters. The design process integrates energy concepts as they test and evaluate their designs that address the task as an engineer would. The goal is for students to understand...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Rube Goldberg Invention Ii
Explore motion, force and energy by building a complicated contraption to pour milk into a glass.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Using Your Marbles: Making Energy Work for You
This activity is based on the common experiment of running a marble down a ramp to do work on a cup. Students will be able to see the relationship between mass and energy of the marble and the ramp height.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Plix Series: Average Acceleration
[Free Registration/Login Required] Build the appropriate graph curve to illustrate an acceleration problem. After the activity, answer a challenge question to check for understanding.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Plix Series: Friction
[Free Registration/Login Required] Use given friction formulas and an interactive diagram for an inclined plane to solve a motion problem. After the activity, answer a challenge question to check for understanding.
My Science Site
Life Systems: Cells, Tissues, Organs
Extensive site for teachers provides some helpful resources that pertain to plant and animal cells. Includes a microscope diagram as well as plant, animal and pond labs. Also contains links to structures and mechanisms, matter and...
Quia
Quia: Newton's Laws Quiz
A short quiz on Newton's famous laws of motion. Has ten multiple-choice questions.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Spin a Spiral Galaxy
This interactive activity from NOVA Online lets you spin a spiral galaxy, including our own Milky Way. It demonstrates that what you can learn from visible light observations of a galaxy is largely determined by the angle from which you...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Soda Bottle Boat Experiment
Use the chemical reaction that occurs when mixing a base (baking soda) with an acid (vinegar) to turn a plastic soda bottle into a jet boat.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Objects Race
In this lesson plan grab a slope and different objects. Roll the objects down the slope and record which is the fastest. Learners analyze the features of the objects that make them slow or fast.
Hunkins Experiments
Hunkin's Experiments: Balance
Hunkin's Experiments is a group of simple cartoon illustrations of scientific principles. Some would work well in the classroom, but others have little value beyond entertaining students. All of the projects are easy to do. This pair of...
PBS
Pbs Kids "Zoom": Rube Goldberg Machine Building
This site from PBS Kids "Zoom" provides great ideas for building a Rube Goldberg machine around the house from common items. The information is complete with materials needed, instructions, and results on a level for elementary kids.
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Spring Thing
This activity uses the CBL, TI-83 Plus/TI-84 Plus, force probe, and motion detector to investigate the acceleration of a mass on a spring. It also investigates Hooke's Law.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Snacks
Exploratorium's snacks aren't edible, but they are good! Use your science skills to discover gravity, learn about biology, do fun experiments.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Surface Tension
Surface tension accounts for many of the interesting properties we associate with water. By learning about surface tension and adhesive forces, students learn why liquid jets of water break into droplets rather than staying in a...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Changing Fields
This instructional activity begins with an activity in which students induce EMF in a coil of wire using magnetic fields. Then, demonstrations on Eddy currents show how a magnetic field can slow magnets just as Eddy currents are used to...