Arizona State University
Physics of Boats
Let's go sailing! An instructive unit includes six lessons with multiple activities to teach scholars about density, center of gravity, buoyancy, and the Archimedes Principle. They can complete the final project of building a boat...
Curated OER
Blow-and-Go Parachute
Students design a skydiver and parachute constraption to demonstrate how drag caused by air resistance slows the descent of skydivers as they travel back to Earth. They experience how gravity pulls the skydiver toward the earth and how...
Curated OER
The Parachute
Students discuss parachutes and write a procedure to determine the effect of different size parachutes and different masses on the time it takes the masses to fall. They record all their data from their experiment then write three...
Physics Classroom
From a Feather to an Elephant
It is always a rush to drop objects from great heights, and with this physics experiment, class members will not be disappointed! They drop a single coffee filter from a balcony or table top, record the time it takes to reach the ground,...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Seed Dispersal and Plant Migration
There are five methods of seed dispersal. They include gravity, mechanical, animal, water, and air. Scholars study seed dispersal in lesson five of the series of six. Through discussions, hands-on analysis of different seed types, and...
NASA
Christa's Lost Lesson: Newton’s Laws
How do the laws of motion work in space? Learners explore Newton's laws of motion in different experiments as part of the Christa's Lost Lessons series. They rotate around the room in three stations to experience each law in action using...
Curated OER
Velocity and Acceleration
Compliment your physics lesson with this PowerPoint which demonstrates many important points regarding acceleration and velocity. A starter experiment activity to stimulate student thinking is given, and may prove very interesting to a...
California Academy of Science
Carbon Cycle Role Play
Anytime you make concepts clear with role playing or hands-on experience, it's a win for the whole class. Ping-Pong balls are used to represent carbon in a carbon cycle role-play activity. In small groups, children first discuss what...
Curated OER
Weighing In
Third graders use a Slinky, rubber bands, paper, coins and cups to experiment with weight and its relationship to gravity. They discuss their results and develop a consensus on conclusion statements derived from their experiments.
Curated OER
A Veritable Circus: Investigating Balance
Students experiment with balance to learn about verticle balance, horizontal balance, center of gravity, and become active problem solvers and "scientists." Student engage in manipulating and changing experimental materials.
Curated OER
Rollin' On
Third graders investigate the effects of gravity on the motion of a marble on an inclined plane and a declined plane. They work in small cooperative groups to predict and explain outcomes.
Curated OER
Toys in Space
Studentsexplore how gravity affects the operation of toys and simple machines. They watch a video and experiment with simple machines.
Curated OER
Force Counterforce
Students 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
Weightlessness Demonstration
Students explore the concept that free-fall eliminates the local effects of gravity. They discuss what an Earth-orbiting spacecraft experience is like as well as the terminology of weightlessness. Their lab experiment commences.
Curated OER
Four Forces of Flight
Students explore the four forces of flight. They investigate the four forces of flight: lift, drag, thrust and weight (gravity). They experiment with flight-testing various objects commonly found around the house and constructing paper...
Curated OER
Zigzag Seeds
Students observe the effects of gravity on seeds. Students place seeds in various orientations and record their growth to determine how gravity affects the seeds' growth.
Curated OER
Weightlessness Demonstration
Students investigate gravity. For this weightless lesson students complete a lab activity about how a free fall might effect how one perceives gravity.
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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.
Curated OER
Gravitational Factors
Young scholars identify the forces that affect the weight of an object. In groups, they determine the proper math model which can demonstrate the attraction between two objects based on gravity. They discuss the relationship between the...
Curated OER
3-2-1 Blast Off!
Students explore physics by participating in a flight experiment. In this rocket design instructional activity, students discuss the scientific process and how chemical reaction can create the energy needed to boost a rocket. Students...
Curated OER
How Do Airplanes Fly?
Students study the concepts of air pressure, air speed, and gravity as it relates to airplanes. In this how do airplanes fly lesson plan, students study the basics of flight. Then reinforce their fine motor skills by creating...
Curated OER
Intro to 2D Motion
Pupils study straight line motion and motion due to gravity. In this motion lesson students analyze several experiments.
Curated OER
Coke Mentos
Students hypothesize on what the outcome will be of an experiment, they then observe the experiment and write their observations down. In this experimental lesson students hypothesize, observe then discuss what happens in an...
Curated OER
THE LOST CHROMATOGRAPHY LESSON
Students complete a chromatography experiment, In this chromatography lesson, students complete an experiment similar to one that was to be carried out on the Challenger that exploded. They examine ink spots as the wick on filter paper....