Curated OER
Hovercraft
Students assess human impact on water quality. They determine how the force of friction retards motion. Pupils describe and measure quantities that characterize moving objects and their interactions within a system: Time, Distance,...
Curated OER
Newton's First Law Crash!!
Students examine Newton's first law of motion and demonstrate how it applies to cars. In this motion lesson students complete an experiment and worksheet on speed and inertia.
Curated OER
An Uplifting Experience
Fifth graders conduct flight experiments. In this uplifting experience lesson plan, 5th graders build an airfoil and place in a variety of conditions to observe the results of lift and force in flight, as well as angle of attack....
Curated OER
Crash! Bang!
Students study the physical force of linear momentum by investigating collisions. They analyze the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions. They calculate linear momentum.
Curated OER
Forces of Nature: The Challenges of River Travel
Learners examine how river travel affected the Lewis and Clark expedition. They define gravity, slope, and velocity, conduct a river formations experiment, complete an activity sheet, and watch a video about Lewis and Clark.
Curated OER
Sounds Like Science-Kazoo
Students demonstrate how energy is used to make a sound. In this sound instructional activity, students construct a kazoo from a comb and identify how a sound is made by using force.
Curated OER
Keep In Touch: Communications and Satellites
Fourth graders explore communications by reading assigned space science text. In this satellite instructional activity, 4th graders identify the concept of orbiting and examine gravitational pull by viewing diagrams. Students are...
Curated OER
Pop Rocket - Trash to Treasure
First off, Newton's laws of motion aren't often taught at 2nd grade, so this lesson plan may be more appropriate for upper elementary learners. It begins with a discussion and demonstration of the laws of motion, and then has individuals...
Curated OER
Bounce (Projectile Motion And Collisions)
Pupils analyze the motion of an object as it moves through a complex path that includes rolling, falling, and bouncing. They answer questions related to what forces are acting at any given time.
Curated OER
Rollin' On
Third graders investigate the effects of gravity on the motion of a marble on an inclined plane and a declined plane. They work in small cooperative groups to predict and explain outcomes.
Curated OER
Animating Motion
Students apply what they recall about objects in motion by animati ng sequences of pictures that model a set of physical conditions. They animate the orbital motions of the Earth, the space shuttle, and the Moon based on calculations of...
Curated OER
Balloon Rockets
Pupils build pinwheel airplanes and balloon rockets to determine which ones fly faster and which fly farther.
NASA
Christa's Lost Lesson: Newton’s Laws
How do the laws of motion work in space? Learners explore Newton's laws of motion in different experiments as part of the Christa's Lost Lessons series. They rotate around the room in three stations to experience each law in action using...
Henry Ford Museum
Physics, Technology and Engineering in Automobile Racing
Start your engines! This five-lesson unit introduces physics and Newton's laws through automobile racing. Each lesson includes background information, a student worksheet, and an answer key. There are also culminating...
DiscoverE
Slinky® Science
Toys are great for learning about physics. Scholars use Slinky® toys to study Newton's laws of motion and types of energy. After a little play, they then model longitudinal and transverse waves with the Slinky® toys.
DiscoverE
Air-Powered Mini Rocket
Does the position of the clips make a difference? The activity provides directions to build and test a paper rocket. Pupils attach paper clips to the rocket in different configurations and measure the distance the rocket flies each time....
Polytechnic Institute of NYU
Potential vs. Kinetic Energy
Legos in science class? Watch your pupils fall in love with this activity. After learning to measure potential and kinetic energy, young scientists create their own ramps using Lego Mindstorm sensors and software.
Teach Engineering
Just Plane Simple
It is plane to see that simple machines help reduce the force needed to perform a task. This resource introduces three of the simple machines--the inclined plane, the wedge, and the screw, and the formulas in order to be able...
Museum of Science
Cup Drop
Create egg drop soup. Teachers first set up eggs that are held up above cups of water with a piece of cardboard and cardboard tubes. Learners try to determine a way to get the eggs to drop into the cups. Using a broom, the instructor...
Curated OER
Science: Motion Commotion
Young scholars examine Newton's three laws of motion to discover what causes it and how it changes. They conduct motion experiments by building catapults and constructing balloon rockets. Finally, they conduct peer studies correlating...
Curated OER
Convection Activities
Students conduct a series of hands-on activities to demonstrate that heated air expands and that warm air rises because it is less dense.
Curated OER
The Magic School Bus Plays Ball
Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students work in small groups to find how movement changes when there is more - and less - friction.
Curated OER
Motion
Sixth graders read about and study motion. They conduct a lab in which they calculate speed using track records at their school. They graph the results and then invite a guest speaker (an officer from the local police department) who...
Curated OER
Newton's 2nd Law of Motion
Students investigate how mass affects the speed of an object. In this physics lesson, students record data on the data table and graph results. They analyze findings and formulate a conclusion.