Curated OER
Physics of Roller Coasters
Students study the physics used to design today's roller coasters. In this engineering lesson students complete several activities including designing their own roller coaster.
Curated OER
Science in baseball
Sixth graders examine how science is used in everyday activities, such as baseball.
Teach Engineering
Changing Fields
Eddy currents, Faraday's Law and Lenz's Law provide the connection between train brakes and and MRI machines in a lesson that asks teachers to provided the material needed so the pupils can understand the properties of changing magnetic...
Curated OER
Gravity (Newton's Laws of Motion): A Weighty Subject
Students identify Newton's Laws of Motion. They students explore Newton's Laws of Motion and apply the second law with a classroom activity. The videos will provide visual examples of the effects of gravity while riding on a roller coaster.
Curated OER
Rockets and Payloads
Students investigate Newton's Second Law of Motion as they predict the effect of a payload on the amount of energy needed to lift a rocket vertically. The constraints of the weight of the equipment carried to Mars is compared to the...
Creative Chemistry
States of Matter Summary
In this states of matter activity, learners are given a summary of the particle arrangement, the motion of particles, the properties of particles, and models of particles in solids, liquids, and gases. Melting, evaporating, boiling,...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Science: Generating Electricity
Eighth graders examine the various methods of generating electricity and explain their commonalities. They determine what is the most common source of energy and what are the potential environmental health hazards due to electrical...
Curated OER
Density
Learners predict when an object will float or sink based on comparison of density of the object to the density of the substance in which it is placed. The access a website and sketch the object in the first column of their table and then...
Curated OER
Catch the Pollution
Explore environmental care by conducting a pollution experiment. You'll discuss the causes of pollution in our environment and what the overall impact will be if we can't change our ways. Clear plastic tape, a can, and compass are used...
Curated OER
Sky Observations Sky & Cloud Windows
Young scholars observe the sky and weather to gather data. They conduct experiments to answer questions about the sky and weather phenomena. They measure, analyze and present data. They create sky windows by gluing sky colored paint...
University of North Carolina
Brainstorming
Did you just hear thunder? Nope, you heard the sound of another kind of storm—a brainstorm! A handout teaches writers about different kinds of brainstorming and provides options for them to try when beginning to write their own papers....
Curated OER
Antacid Tablet Race
Students complete experiments to determine how rocket fuel is affected by surface area and temperature. They compare the reaction rates of antacid tablets. They discuss their results to complete the instructional activity.
Curated OER
Recycled Racers
Young scholars research automobile operating systems in relation to racing. They design and construct vehicles from recycled material which they race to study the concept of propulsion.
Curated OER
Pendulum Patterns
Learners identify the variables involved in the motion of a pendulum. In groups, they research how each different variable is related to the energy the pendulum produces. They share their results with the class and compare them with...
Curated OER
Egyptians as Engineers
Student design and build Lego vehicles that drag given amount of weight up an incline. They show how this demonstrates Egyptian methods of pyramid construction.
University of Colorado
Great Red Spot Pinwheel
The great red spot on Jupiter is 12,400 miles long and 7,500 miles wide. In this sixth part of a 22-part series, individuals model the rotation of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. To round out the activity, they discuss their findings as a...
Curated OER
Slam On the Brakes!
Fifth graders study the concept of momentum and its application by Newton in his studies. They view a demonstration and complete an experiment with toy cars on a racetrack that shows them the properties of momentum and how velocity and...
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
Marvelous Magnets
Students identify and classify magnetic and nonmagnetic materials and metals. After determining which materials and metals are magnetic, students create a data table and classify items by two different criteria. Students e-mail various...
Curated OER
A Message in a Bottle
Young scholars investigate the motion of water currents by mapping the possible movement of messages cast into the ocean in bottles.They accurately plot the appearance of bottles on a world map and illustrate the flow of an ocean...
Curated OER
LEGO Construction Basics-Axles and Wheels
Learners examine axles and wheels using LEGO materials. They investigate the uses of axles, gears, and wheels.
Curated OER
Designing a Solar Concentrator
Learners design and build a solar concentrator. In this physics lesson, students evaluate their design and convince everyone why theirs is the best. They create a presentation and share it with the class.
Curated OER
Hlf-Ball
Students investigate Newton's Laws of Motion and the Law of Conservation of Energy. They examine how a ball and half-ball behave and relate these laws to what happens to the ball. Students produce a graph of the data collected and...