Curated OER
Skiers on the Slope
Students explore mathematical concepts, problem solving, and the ability to program in LOGO to test ideas about speed, acceleration, gravity, and slope when dealing with downhill skiing.
Curated OER
Force Counterforce
Middle schoolers hypothesize what forces affect the motion of a falling body. In this physical science lesson, students create diagrams and illustrations to support their hypothesis. They perform the experiment and record observations.
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
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
Pendulum Motion Experiments
High schoolers experiment with simple pendulums to determine the validity of an equation for all angles. Students discover the usefulnes and limitations of approximations in science. Using spreadhseets and a java applet, high schoolers...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Picket Fence Free Fall
Students measure acceleration using a Picket Fence and a Photogate. In this physics instructional activity, students drop an object and measure the acceleration of the object free falling. They log their data using the TI.
Curated OER
The Doctrine of Signatures
Young scholars use the graphing calculator and the core equation: y=Ax^2+Bx+C where A = the acceleration of gravity/2, B = the initial velocity, and C = initial height above ground to graph parabolas for Earth and Mars. They experiment...
Curated OER
Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree…You Might Become Famous
Students explore Newton's laws using CEENBoTs. In this physics lesson, students collect data and create tables and graphs. They calculate speed, acceleration and forces using mathematical formulas.
Curated OER
Why is There a Tidal Bulge Opposite the Moon?
Students simulate how the Moon causes ocean tides. In this earth science lesson, students calculate gravitational acceleration using a mathematical formula. They compare the force of attraction between the Earth, Moon and Sun system.
Curated OER
Physics: Bounce - Projectile Motion and Collisions
Students conduct and observe experiments in Newtonian mechanics, kinematics, and projectile motion. They analyze the motion of a ball rolling off a table, falling, and then bouncing. Students answer a series of questions analyzing the...
Curated OER
Pendulum Motion
Students explore questions which cannot be handled with simple pendulums, and examine both the usefulness and the limitations of approximations in science. A Java applet created from a Stella model is included.
Curated OER
Science Lessons for Grade 10
Tenth graders identify the parts and functions of the cell. In this series of science lessons, 10th graders investigate crystal formation in covalent compounds. They investigate the factors affecting reaction rates.
Curated OER
Mass
Students participate in a qualitative discussion of the distinction between weight and mass, followed by a description of astronaut mass measurements in a zero-g environment.
Curated OER
Newton's Laws of Motion
Students perform three activities that each demonstrate one of Newton's Laws of Motion. They use a ramp and toy car to demonstrate inertia, calculate acceleration due to gravity, then use a medicine ball and rolling chair to demonstrate...
Curated OER
Simple Machines I - Inclined Planes, Wedges, and Screws
The principles and uses of inclined planes, screws, and wedges are the focus of a science lesson. In it, youngsters come up with every day examples of simple machines, and build an example of one in class. That project is then used to...
Curated OER
Fish and Clips
Youngsters test magnetic strength by measuring the mass of paper clips that they "hook" with a magnet. Your first and second graders should love the hands-on activities associated with this plan. The reproducible materials are quite good...
EngageNY
Graphing Quadratic Functions from the Standard Form
Use context to explain the importance of the key features of a graph. When context is introduced, the domain and range have meaning, which enhances understanding. Pupils use application questions to explore the key features of the graph...
EngageNY
Modeling with Quadratic Functions (part 1)
Relevance is key! The resource applies quadratic modeling by incorporating application of physics and business. Pupils work through scenarios of projectile motion and revenue/profit relationships. By using the key features of the graph,...
Cornell University
Catapults
Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome.
Cornell University
The Physics of Bridges
Stability is key when building a bridge. Scholars explore the forces acting upon bridges through an analysis of Newton's Laws and Hooke's Law. The activity asks individuals to apply their learning by building a bridge of their own.
Curated OER
The Fall of the Ruler
Students determine their reaction time using a ruler. In this Physics activity, students calculate the class' means and variances. They plot the graph and analyze if there are outliers.
Curated OER
Walking on Water
Students use this problem to help them to relate to force vectors: Suspend a meterstick horizontally between two tables. Place a 1kg mass in the middle of the meterstick. Notice the bend of the meterstick. Explain why the meterstick...
Curated OER
Boarding School
Students discuss conservation of energy using a skateboarder in the halfpipe or a person on a roller coaster as an example. Using mathematical equations, students examine potential and kinetic energy of the examples. Lesson is completed...