Teach Engineering
Amusement Park Ride: The Ups and Downs in Design
Groups design the ultimate roller coaster by considering potential and kinetic energy. They test their designs using marbles and then go on to rate each group's design based on aesthetics, loop diameter, and cost.
Curated OER
The Clay Marble
Students probe the story, "The Clay Marble" by Minfong Ho to identify examples of courage, quick thinking, and perseverance. The lesson plan creatively extends the plot of the story by celebrating the heroin's birthday many years after...
Curated OER
Physics: Force and Motion
Students use the internet to discover the basic concepts in physics. They complete interactive simulations where variables can be changed. They answer comprehension questions to end the lesson.
James Dyson Foundation
Challenge Cards
Can you build it? Yes you can! This interactive game includes four design challenges presented on separate cards. The cards outline the challenges with limited restrictions but with an end goal in mind. The competitions include building...
Purdue University
Designing Safer Roadways
Be careful on curvy roads. An interesting STEM activity challenges scholars to design a safe road system. The goal is to help ensure that cars coming down a hill will be able to make a right turn without sliding off the road. Pupils test...
K20 LEARN
Speedy Cat: Enzymes
Enzymes have a need for speed! What happens when they are forced to slow down? A well-rounded lesson plan from the K20 Center examines enzyme activity through role playing and a lab. Biology scholars work in teams and pairs to understand...
Curated OER
Gravity - The Glue of the Universe
Students explore physics by conducting a class experiment. In this gravitational force lesson, students define several scientific terms associated with force. Students utilize a styrofoam cup and marbles to simulate a satellite crashing...
Curated OER
Rolling Down Hill
Students perform an experiment, collect, and analyze data of a rolling marble down a ramp. They report results after they complete their experiment. Students are assessed in science and writing.
Curated OER
Circular Motion
Students investigate circular motion in two different activities. In the first, students observe the path of a rolling marble on a paper plate. In the second, students play a game of catch using a tennis ball inside a plastic bag. ...
Curated OER
The Raw of Newton’s 3rd Law
Young scholars identify the action and reaction forces acting on the CEENBoT. In this physics lesson, students describe everyday applications of Newton's 3rd Law. They create a cluster word web about this law.
Curated OER
Gravity: What is it?
What is gravity and how do you explain it? Use this presentation to guide an inquiry-based lesson centered on understanding gravity through hands-on experience. Each slide provides a definition, example, or activity for students to...
LABScI
Potential and Kinetic Energy: The Roller Coaster Lab
Ron Toomer, a famous roller coaster designer, suffered from motion sickness. Pupils design their own roller coasters, learning about potential and kinetic energy in the process. Labs focus on the importance of drop height, energy...
Curated OER
Physics of Roller Coasters
Young scholars 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...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Conservation of Energy
By rolling marbles down a six-foot length of track, physical scientists determine how much energy is lost to heat. It is recommended that you opt for the foam pipe insulation track because more friction slows the marble, allowing...
NASA
Newton Car
If a car gets heavier, it goes farther? By running an activity several times, teams experience Newton's Second Law of Motion. The teams vary the amount of weight they catapult off a wooden block car and record the distance the car...
Curated OER
Ready, Set, Go!
Middle schoolers predict if the height of a ramp affect how far an object travels. They design and conduct an experiment to test their predictions. The results are recorded and a graph is created to show the relationship between ramp...
Curated OER
The Lost Newton's Laws Lesson
Students explore momentum. In this physics lesson, students perform an experiment in which two balls are released on slanted boards while students observe which ball will go the farthest and the fastest. Students define and explain...
Curated OER
The Magic School Bus Plays Ball
Learners 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.
DiscoverE
Friction in Action
There's no need to have friction among instructors regarding the resource. Pupils investigate how marbles and coins slide along different surfaces which gives them information to estimate coefficients of friction.
Curated OER
Roller Coasters
Twisting and turning through the sky, roller coasters are popular attractions at amusement parks around the world, but how exactly do they work? Explore the physics behind these thrilling rides with an engineering design activity....
Curated OER
It's All in the Wrist
Students conduct experiments with balloons, pennies, marbles and cups to help them understand the concept of centrifugal force or Newton's Law of Motion.
Curated OER
Investigation 4 - Collision Zone
Third graders study how forces of push and pull can change speed or direction.
Curated OER
Roll On
Second graders, in groups, develop models to show how forces such as gravity, friction, equal, unequal forces and change in direction work on marbles.
Space Awareness
Model of a Black Hole
Even light cannot leave the force of a black hole! Learners use a model to explore the gravitational force of a black hole. An elastic bandage and heavy ball serve to create the hole, while marbles become the victims of its strong force.