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Friction in Our Lives
Students explore force and friction. In this force and friction lesson, students discover everyday examples of how friction helps and hinders things we do. Students create a ramp to test the speed of their car. Students use different...
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Surface Friction and Wear Characteristics of Common Materials
Students identify the factors affecting friction. In this physics lesson, students construct their own rocket car and race them. They graph the average speeds and discuss how lubricants affect friction between rubbing surfaces.
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A Focus on Mechanical Friction
High schoolers explore mechanical friction. They perform experiments to observe the direction of mechanical motion and the difference between rolling and sliding friction. Data results on the experiments are recorded and students...
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Discovering Friction
Learners watch a demonstration that introduces them to the idea that friction is a force that impedes motion when two surfaces are in contact. They work in groups to experiment with frictional force using a coffee cup on which they alter...
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Science in Focus: Force and Motion
Learners explore force and motion through a series of experiments. In this physics lesson, students create and interpret speed graphs. They build an electromagnet and explain the factors affecting its strength.
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Avalanche
Students investigate natural disasters by participating in an experiment. In this water formation lesson, students define the dangers associated with avalanches and landslides. Students utilize a bag of sand, meter-stick and a wood board...
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Free Up the Ketchup!
Students, in teams, use given materials and their knowledge of Newton's First Law to create a device that will remove a sticky ping pong ball from a 16-oz. cup (which represents ketchup stuck in a bottle.)
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Bobsled Challange
Young scholars investigate the effects of materials on the friction between a "bobsled" and the track. They explore the effects of weight on the motion of the bobsled. Students design a bobsled for either fast or slow movement. They...
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Rules of Force and Motion
Students view a video and complete experiments with force and motion. In this force and motion activity, students examine small pieces and how they affect the motion of a toy car. Students also experiment with sand paper, bubble wrap...
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Stormy Weather
Students conduct experiments. In this weather lesson, students review what they know about weather elements such as cloud formation and storms. Students conduct demonstrations and learn how lightning strikes.
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Gravity Gets You Down
Students design an experiment to investigate how objects with different masses fall. In this physics lesson, students predict how these objects will fall in a vacuum tube. They write a report explaining experimental results and conclusion.
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Bicycle Wheel Gyro
Using a bicycle wheel and a rotating stool, young physicists experiment with angular momentum. This is a simple, fun, and educational activity that demonstrates a foundational concept. If you can secure the materials, it is definitely...
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Weightlessness
Students predict the behavior of coffee in a cup while it is dropped during a demonstration. They relate their observations to the weightless conditions that astronauts experience in space and discuss the concept of free-fall.
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Weightlessness
Students use a coffee cup to demonstrate weightlessness. After a lecture/demo, students read an article on free-fall. They perform a simple experiment which helps them explain the concept of weightlessness.
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Electricity
First graders become aware of the presence of static electricity. They create static electricity using friction.
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Forces and Motion
Middle schoolers 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...
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Junkyard Wars: Wind Machines
Learners explain how wind direction affects sail angle. In this physics lesson, students measure the speed of the yacht while varying different factors. They summarize and share their finding to class.
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Sciences Working Together
Young scholars research articles about science technology and society. In this science and technology instructional activity, students answer questions about an article they chose. They share what they learned with their peers.
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Slinky Movement Lab
In this wave activity, learners 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...
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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.