Aiken County Public Schools
Claymation in the Classroom
Students design an appropriate and usable storyboard and then create a claymation video. They take digital photographs frame by frame, then assemble the stop-motion movie using video software.
Curated OER
Characteristics of Energy
Fourth graders view a video and create a KWL to identify energy sources. In this energy sources activity, 4th graders explore the meaning of energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, thermal energy, radiant energy, and electrical energy....
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Principles of Flight: Bernoulli's Lift
Students discover how air pressure effects flight. In this physics lesson, students create two types of airplane wings so they can observe the way air pressure creates lift. Students utilize a printout to create the airplane...
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Simple Machines
Students investigate simple machines. In this simple machines lesson, students construct two simple machines and describe what they do. Students show that simple changes help machines do work with less effort. Students use a paper clip...
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Habits of Mind
Students study tree leaves to complete the activity, In this tree leaf experiment lesson plan, students observe, measure, and sort tree leaves individually, in groups, and in relationship to the entire tree.
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How Can Sounds Be Different
Second graders explore energy and motion. They investigate how sound energy moves in waves. Students explore how sounds are varied and how the instruments that make those sounds are built. They observe sounds being produced and predict...
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Amusement Park Physics
Pupils get up close and personal with principles of motion. In this physics lesson, students collect and analyze acceleration data on amusement park rides. Pupils use CBLs to collect data in this lesson.
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Vectors: Follow That Arrow
Vectors and their connection to motion. A video will be presented to provide information for the class to use methods of solving vectors with and without grids. Real-world physical concepts will be explored in reference to vectors.
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Water and Ice
Students will work in small groups, observing an ice cube and recording a description, the feel of the ice, and how it looks when put in another container. Students observe changes in the ice over 15 minute intervals, then freeze the...
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Investigation 4 - Collision Zone
Third graders study how forces of push and pull can change speed or direction.
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Earth's Orbit Lesson
Tenth graders devise a computational model to explore how the orbit of the Earth might change if its velocity were different. Using accurately recorded data, 10th graders defend a scientific argument.
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Physics of Roller Coasters
Students design a roller coaster and demonstrate their knowledge of Potential and Kinetic Energy. They determine the average velocity a given marble travels on their roller coaster and apply their knowledge of various measurement systems...
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The Airplane
Students demonstrate the Bernoulli Principle, review the influences that affected the Wright Brothers, and make and modify paper airplanes. This amazing lesson plan has an excellent structure, and very clear plans for the students to...
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Scooting Along!
Young scholars investigate how Newton's Third Law affects vehicle design. In this Newton's Third Law lesson plan, students use a web site to research Newton, his third law, and how to design a vehicle that uses a balloon for power. They...
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Model Rockets
Students build a model rocket. In this model rocket lesson, students explore a rocket launch cycle. Students investigate the laws of physics for each part of the launch. Students build model rockets and launch at school.
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Suited for Space
A fantastic lesson on survival in outer space should excite your learners! Pupils explore the challenges that living, working, and surviving in space elicit. They focus on the spacesuit itself; how it protects astronauts, and enables...
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Toying Around with Newton's Laws
Eighth graders identify balanced and unbalanced forces that affect the movement of objects and Newton's three Laws of Motion. Students also design a contraption utilizing Newton's Laws of Motion that will launch a marshmallow five meters.
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Impulse/Momentum Lab
Students investigate the relationship between force and momentum using motion detectors and sensors. In this physics lesson, students graph experimental results. They calculate impulse using the area under the graph.
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Marble Run
Learners use marbles to conduct experiments on movement of objects and explore Newton's three laws of motion. In this motion lesson plan, students use marbles, tubing, foam, paper cups, and more.
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Representing Quadratics
Learners represent quadratic equations using different methods. For this algebra lesson, students solve quadratics using substitution, elimination and graphing. They relate quadratics to the real world.
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Friction This
Middle schoolers investigate road surface and calculate speed. In this algebra lesson plan, students analyze the roughness of a road and calculate distance and speed based on friction. They relate friction and energy to speed.
Purdue University
Slow Boat Design
Don't be a drag. Learners work in groups to design boats that move slowly. The provided reason for the activity is that a fish caught on a fishing reel is pulling the boat, causing it to move too fast. The STEM activity teaches the class...
Berkeley Engineering and Mentors
Marshmallow Catapaults
After a brief lecture on levers, torque, projectiles, and the five-step engineering design cycle, young physical science learners or engineers build catapults out of craft sticks. This is an open-ended exploration of what works and what...
Curated OER
Energy At Play
If you can find Tinker Toys™, then this may be a fun assignment for your physical science class. Using the construction set and a few other toys, they examine the forces involved when it they are being played with. For each, they...