How much energy in Jewels does it take to tow a car up a slope? Scholars explore different values of both kinetic and potential energy to answer that question. Through multiple levels, the difficulty increases — as does your young...

Students work together to examine inclined planes. They create a plan to raise rocks to build pyramids. They discover the changes that occur when the angle is increased or decreased.

Fourth graders investigate the principles and uses of gears, and examine how gears can be used to alter the direction of motion or the speed of an object. They observe two cars with different sized wheels roll down an inclined plane,...

The tension of the 236 strings in a grand piano exert a combined force of 20 tons on the cast iron frame. The presentation includes topics such as work, forms of energy, conservation of energy, gravitational and elastic potential energy,...

Students build Lego cars which have two different types of tire surfaces. They roll them down ramps that have both rough and smooth surfaces to determine how friction affects the car as it rolls.

Students explore the difference between compound and simple machines in this six lessons of this unit. The purpose and importance of a variety of types of simple machines and the effects of friction are investigated.

What's the best way to use a simple machine to solve a real-world problem? Scholars construct their own simple and complex machines to explore the concepts of work and force. They discuss examples of simple machines they have found in...

How are forces and motion important to a swing set? Scholars explore the concepts of force and motion using swing sets. In preparation for their own STEM design project, individuals take surveys and data from peers, complete labs on...

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...

In this physics 240:10 instructional activity, students calculate the speed and distance as presented in the given word problems. Students apply their understanding of Hooke's law to answer the questions provided.

Students discussion frictional force, kinetic friction, and static friction and the role each plays in acceleration and velocity in relationship to a car and the road on which it is traveling. Students complete lesson answering review...

Students discover how inclined planes make work easier as they make mathematical predictions and prove their predictions through experiments.

Students use simple machines that demonstrate force, friction, work and power. They investigate and explain simple machines.

Eleventh graders work in groups and investigate how force determines the speed and distance then they view the video, "Math Vantage #7: What's Your Angle?." They are given a real life problem to solve using speed, ramps, angle, incline...

Students design and build a car that is capable of traveling across the floor quickly, and also up a steep ramp.

The principles behind pulleys, levers, and simple machines are the focus of a science lesson plan. In it, learners take part in a whole-class activity. There are two groups of pupils who each must lift objects with fixed pulleys and...

Planning a physics unit on energy can take a lot of work, luckily this instructional presentation is here to help. Covering everything from work and energy to elastic collisions and the conservation of momentum, this comprehensive...

Fifth graders are introduced to Newton's First Law of Motion. In groups, they describe the differences between balanced and unbalanced forces. They participate in experiments that demonstrate how equal and opposite forces act upon...

Ninth graders utilize Newton's Laws of Motion to explain how things move, create poster illustrating each law of motion, and present and explain their poster to classmates.

This machines PowerPoint reviews effort and force in relation to work and informs students about different types of machines and the different ways forces are applied and how they work to increase efficiency.

Young scholars participate in sports activities that relate to motion, velocity and momentum. They produce a PowerPoint presentation after researching the activities.

Students make a simple machine. In this physics instructional activity, students learn about six types of simple machines and the purpose of each and brainstorm examples of simple and complex machines in the classroom. Students...

Students investigate simple machines. In this simple machines lesson, students study how simple machines work. Students determine the function of various simple machines.

Pupils 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....