Curated OER
Energy Activities
Students conduct a variety of experiments related to solar energy, heating, cooling, gravity, physical insulation and wind. They consider how the experiments relate to energy and the consumption of energy and then participate in a class...
Curated OER
Making Things Move
In this sources of energy worksheet, students draw a picture to illustrate each of four sources of power: gravity, wind, electricity and manpower.
PBS
Zip Line
Slide all the way to the bottom. Using the design process, pupils create a carrier for a ping pong ball that will travel down a zip line. Learners test their carriers and determine solutions to issues they encounter to complete the third...
NASA
Touchdown
Individuals design and build a set of shock absorbers to protect their astronauts when they land. Using a limited amount of supplies, pupils build a system that will keep two large marshmallows from flying out of a cup when it lands...
NOAA
Boat Building Challenge
Scholars build a boat using an assortment of materials such as foam plates, aluminum foil, and skewers, then test its buoyancy with pennies. Challenge boat builders to construct the strongest or fastest boat in a healthy competition with...
K20 LEARN
Ace in the Hole
How does inertia affect an object's trajectory? After watching a video on safety belt use, pupils discuss the notions of inertia. Using their knowledge, individuals try to drop a ball on a target while running, and classmates observe the...
Physics Classroom
Getting a Handle on Torque
Do your young physicists get a little unbalanced when it comes to talking about torque? Scholars examine the effects of weight and distance on a balanced system with a simple interactive from the Rotation and Balance series. The resource...
Physics Classroom
Torque-ing About Rotation
Let's talk torque! Science scholars evaluate experimental setups during an interactive from the Rotation and Balance series. Individuals calculate the torque of differently arranged weights to determine the effect they have on a balanced...
Concord Consortium
Pendulum
Add some zing to your swing! Explore pendulum motion through an engaging interactive. Physical science scholars specify the pendulum's mass, rod length, and starting angle before they observe the resulting angle graph.
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
Simple Machines
Simple doesn't mean useless. Individuals learn how simple machines benefit the user by changing the amount of effort. A seven-lesson unit begins with an overview of simple machines and then incorporates activities that allow the user to...
Museum of Science
Design a Submarine
Don't just sink the boat. Using a closed container as a submarine, pupils experiment to see what to add to the container to make it float, sink to the bottom, and hover in the middle. After finding one option, learners see if they can...
Curated OER
Simple Machines IV - Wheels and Axles
Fourth graders study everyday examples of simple machines. They examine how the combination of a wheel and axle works more efficiently than either in isolation. In a demonstration lesson, they see how a spring scale shows a force pulling...
Curated OER
How do engineless planes stay aloft?
Fifth graders explore how a plane can stay aloft. In this engineless airplane flying lesson, 5th graders experiment to find how the design of a plane and Bernoulli's principle keep planes in the air. Student's create a plane and answer...
Curated OER
Paper Helicopters
In this paper helicopter worksheet, students design and experiment making a paper helicopter to explore how some things fall and how varying the size of the rotor blades affect the way a helicopter spins.
Curated OER
WHAT HOLDS US TO EARTH?
Students they imagine they are Galileo and try to duplicate Galileo's experiments and results.
Curated OER
Harmonic Motion
In this harmonic motion worksheet, students read about the difference between harmonic motion and linear motion. They are given the parts of harmonic motion, graphs of harmonic motion and equations to find the period and frequency of...
Curated OER
Simple Harmonic Motion
Students study harmonic motion and its oscillation. In this simple harmonic motion lesson students demonstrate a series of regular oscillations and explain the theory behind the experiment.
Curated OER
Motion Through the Ages
Eighth graders conduct internet research to produce a timeline of man's growth in understanding of concepts of motion and planetary motion through history.
Curated OER
In-Line Inertia
Students practice calculating the moment of inertia when discussing a skater and the position in which it is best to spin. After class discussion, students practice calculating inertia on their own.
Curated OER
How Do Things Fall?
Students observe falling objects. They discover the rate of falling is based on air resistance and not the weight of the objects. They discuss how engineers use this type of information to design aerodynamic shapes.
Curated OER
The Luge
Students investigate the concepts of gravity and force. In this forces and energy lesson plan, students construct a luge track to be used to test the speed of various objects sliding along its surface.
Curated OER
Pine Wood Derby Prompt
Eighth graders use Newton's Laws of Motion to assist a troop in making a winning car in the Pine Wood Derby.
Curated OER
Look Mom, No Wings!
Learners explain how drag, weight, lift and thrust work together to make something fly. For this physics lesson, students measure their jump height and record data on the table. They reason out why they can't remain airborne for long.