Curated OER
Crash Test Dummies
Fifth graders are introduced to Newton's First Law of Motion. In groups, they describe the differences between balanced and unbalanced forces. They participate in experiments that demonstrate how equal and opposite forces act upon...
Curated OER
Angular Momentum (Automaticity)
Second graders experience practicing with a wide variety of vocabulary terms that relate to the Vista/Module "Angular Momentum:" momentum, inertia, force; motion, direction, centripetal force; angular momentum, gyroscope, resist. They...
Curated OER
Investigating Motion, Forces, and Energy Lab Book
Eighth graders create their own experiements using toy trucks, cars or balls to measure the time it takes two of them to travel 5 meters, as well as at each 1 meter interval. They make use computers to make a time/distance graph and...
Curated OER
What is the Rock Cycle and Its Processes?
Geology beginners examine three different rock samples and determine their origin by their characteristics. By making and recording observations, they become familiar with features of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock types....
LABScI
Kinematics: The Gravity Lab
Falling objects can be brutal if you don't protect your noodle! Scholars explore the motion of falling objects through measuring short intervals to determine if the distance traveled varies with time. Building off of this, scholars...
Teach Engineering
The Great Gravity Escape
Groups simulate an orbit using a piece of string and a water balloon. Individuals spin in a circular path and calculate the balloon's velocity when the clothes pin can no longer hold onto the balloon.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Water Rocket Launch
How do rockets fly? Teams design, build, and launch a rocket made from a two-liter bottle to explore forces on a rocket such as Newton's Laws of Motion. During the design phase, young engineers draw a diagram of their rocket and...
CK-12 Foundation
Model Rocket
Acceleration, velocity, mass, and gravity all play a role in the motion of a rocket. Young scientists explore the connection among these components using an interactive tutorial. They adjust the mass and thrust force to experiment with...
University of Florida
Understanding Car Crashes: It's Basic Physics!
Make an impact on young physicists with this fun collection of resources. After first watching a video and taking notes on the physics of car crashes, students go on to complete a series of activities that explore the...
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.
It's About Time
The Mu of the Shoe
What is mu? Emerging scientists explore the coefficient of sliding friction, or mu, and apply its concepts as they complete activities in the interesting lesson. They measure the sliding friction between soles of their own athletic shoes...
Workforce Solutions
Newton's Laws
Two lessons explore the connection between energy transformation and a given job. In lesson plan one, small groups role-play a scenario that showcases the energy transformations that may take place during a job-specific task. The second...
Teach Engineering
Exploring Acceleration with an Android
Small groups use rubber bands to accelerate an Android device along a track of books. They collect the acceleration data and analyze it in order to determine the device's velocity.
Curated OER
Lab for Truss Design and Testing
Students design and build their own truss. In this physics lesson, students calculate the forces and maximum load. They complete a full scale diagram of their design.
Curated OER
Building the Car (Mechanics and Motion)
Students design and begin building a car out of K'NEX parts after a class discussion on the components of the car, the constraints and goals of the design, the type of testing that will be performed, and a demonstration of a basic...
Curated OER
The Bricklayer's Lesson in Physics
Students read a simulated report, written to an insurance company as explanation for a claim of medical benefits. They list the collisions that resulted in the injuries, and identify the forces involved which caused the injury.
Curated OER
Newton in Motion Project
Students investigate Newton's Third Law of Motion as it exits in real world applications. They watch as the teacher makes a simple balloon powered car before explaining how the motion of the car demonstrates Newton's Third Law of Motion....
Curated OER
Newton's Third Law of Motion
Students move through five stations demonstrating Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this Newtonian physics lesson, students watch as the instructor uses a firecracker to demonstrate action and reaction. The students travel to five...
Curated OER
Newton's Laws with Kick Balls
Eighth graders participate in different activities that reinforce Newton's Laws. Activity begins with question/answer session about Newton's first and second laws. Students then try to bounce kick ball off of a wall to get it to given...
Curated OER
Steep, Steeper, and Steepest
Fifth graders discuss ways to move large rocks. They relate this to building a rock garden, and the ways people might load boulders into a truck. Students discuss the use of a ramp vs. lifting the boulder straight up onto the bed of the...
Curated OER
Propellers, Forces and Energy
Young scholars construct a model airplane, measure distance, and calculate velocity. In this creative lesson students work in groups to build a model and use it to calculate distances and velocity.
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
UFOs
Learners, in groups, construct a catapult. Then they conduct a series of experiments by catapulting a marshmallow, using different lengths of spoons, across the room. They predict, measure, and record the measured distance on a worksheet.
Curated OER
Newton's Laws and Rocketball
Young scholars investigate Newton's Three Laws. In this Newton's Law instructional activity, students write the laws in their own words. Young scholars then do an experiment with a ping pong ball. Students drop the ball from a set...