Curated OER
Managing Heat
Third graders perform various experiments to show the flow of energy that causes heat. In this heat activity, 3rd graders understand how heat is transferred or trapped. Students use the scientific method and critical thinking skills to...
Teach Engineering
You Are There... First Flight
Glide into the study of flight. An engaging lesson has scholars research information on the Wright brothers. They develop props and produce a recreation of the first flight at Kitty Hawk. They then report on the event as if they were...
Curated OER
3RC (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost)
Students examine the effects of packaging decisions and the engineering advancements in packaging materials and waste management. They observe biodegradation in a model landfill.
Curated OER
IPC Physics Vocabulary Review
For this physics review worksheet, students review vocabulary words associated with speed, acceleration, Newton's Laws and simple machines, work and energy, magnetism, electricity, and harmonic motion and light. This worksheet has 92...
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.
Curated OER
Trajectory and Range of a Projectile
Students investigate the factors affecting projectile trajectory. In this physics instructional activity, students calculate the range, time and speed of projectiles using mathematical equations.
Reach Out!
Paper Clip Sailing
Young scholars explore water, molecules, and surface tension. In this floatation lesson, students discover why some objects are able to float on water as they follow the procedures included in this activity.
Curated OER
Design Your Own Rube Goldberg Machine
Students participate in a culminating activity for a unit on Energy and Simple Machines. They are challenged to incorporate simple machines in to a complex mechanical system. While designing and testing their machine they will also...
Curated OER
Forces and Motion
Students build parachutes for chicken eggs. In this physics lesson, students describe the forces acting on a falling object. They predict which of the three parachute models they made has the best chance of keeping the egg intact after a...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Wow! That Captures It!
Students examine how motion capture technology allows computer based animators to design realistic effects in animation. They study how the center of gravity contributes to animation and how to use the center of gravity to write an...
Curated OER
Slinky Movement Lab
In this wave activity, students use Slinky's to observe the properties of waves. They observe longitudinal waves, transverse waves, traveling waves and standing waves and record their observations. They calculate the frequency and...
Curated OER
Engineering Lessons Adapted for Special Education
Modifying engineering lessons from NASA makes them accessible to a wider variety of learners.
Curated OER
The Gravity Of It All-Newton's Laws
Students experiment with the concept of Newton's second law of motion. After building a ramp, they determine whether a large marble or a small marble will move farther, based on Newton's law. Students record their data on the provided....
Curated OER
Things Are Heating Up!
Third graders study how heat is produced from mechanical and electrical machines and human activities.
Curated OER
Wimshurst Machine
Students examine what a Wimshurst machine is and how it operates. In this mechanics lesson students build a Wimshurst machine and watch it in action.
Curated OER
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.
Reach Out!
Paper Clip Sailing
Young scholars explain that some things can float on top of water because of what we call "surface tension." They see that if something happens to disturb these water molecules from tugging on each other, the skin-like surface breaks up.
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.
Curated OER
What Can You Make of It?
Young scholars investigate the various uses of a paper cup. For this scientific inquiry lesson, students investigate various ways to use a paper cup by identifying its characteristics. Young scholars sketch their discovery.
Curated OER
Volcanic Unrest
Students explore the Ring of Fire. In this volcano instructional activity, students discuss active volcanoes in the world and explore viscosity as they participate in a hands-on classroom activity.
Curated OER
Physics Quiz
In this physics worksheet, learners complete short answer questions about physics concepts such as electricity, space, light, and more. Students complete 20 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Avalanche!
Middle schoolers explain that when forces on an object are balanced, the motion of object does not change. They describe how an object changes its motion when forces on it are unbalanced. They plan and conduct a scientific investigation...
Mascil Project
Parachute Food Drop
Drop a perfect project into your lesson plans. Groups use different building materials to create models of parachutes for food drops. After testing out their prototypes, they make improvements to their designs.