First graders experiment with different sized balls and an incline plane to study how a heavy object push a lighter object. They examine the safety message of this instructional activity by showing their drawings of the crossbuck sign.

Students begin to think of ways to make work easier. They will focus on ways to extend their abilities to lift heavy things. They will identify levers, pulleys, and inclined planes through the examination of concrete objects and hands on...

Middle schoolers roll a ball down a plank and measure the distance it travels. Students graph the distances the ball travels as they change the height of the incline (increase slope).

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.

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...

Kids observe, classify, and measure tree leaves with a scientific eye. They examine leaves, group them according their attributes, and use standard units of measurement as they compare their sizes. They access a web site to learn how...

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 investigate the nature and work of simple tools and mechanics. They explain how each simple machine can be used in real world applications. They explore levers, balance beams, windlasses, wedges, gears, ocarinas, harmonicas,...

Sixth graders discuss how simple machines overcome friction. In this simple machine lesson, 6th graders review the parts of a plane and how they make up for gravity and friction. They roll different objects down an inclined board...

Students explore simple machines used in the home. For this simple machines lesson, students discover that many household items are constructed from simple machines. Students interact with nutcrackers, peelers, egg slicers, and egg beaters.

Students test different sized marbles and how fast they can go. In this energy lesson plan, students test different sized marbles going down an incline. They predict which would have the most potential and kinetic energy. After the test,...

High schoolers see that light and heavy objects fall at the same rate, as established experimentally by Galileo. They see that falling objects, and balls rolling down an incline, tend to accelerate at a constant rate a. Their velocity...

Fifth graders roll different sized cans down an inclined ramp in order to determine if the contents of a can affect the speed at which is rolls. In this physics lesson, 5th graders work in small groups to send each can down the ramp...

Fifth graders complete an assignment while working in groups.  For this problem solving lesson students practice their problem solving skills while completing an activity. 

Students, in groups, plot points on the coordinate plane.

Students are introduced to the concept of motion. In groups, they practice calculating the rate, time, and distance of various objects on a variety of surfaces. To end the lesson, they apply the same principles to those objects moving...

Students discover that simple machines reduce the effort required in a task.  In this simple machines lesson plan students see demonstrations of simple machines. 

Math whizzes utilize spreadsheets to examine linear modeling. They roll marbles down a ramp from three different heights and measure how far they roll. They use Excel to record their data and create a plot of their data.

Learners research tree leaves. In this tree leaves instructional activity, students observe, measure, and sort tree leaves. Learners examine leaves individually, in groups, and in relationship to the entire tree.

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...

Where did conic sections get their name? The equation and graph of a parabola are developed from the definition of the conic section. Teacher examples on graphing the equation and writing an equation from the graph round out the plan.

Learners consider the first part of Newton's First Law of Motion, the Law of Inertia of objects at rest, which states that every object remains at rest unless acted on by a force. They perform hands-on experiments which demonstrate this...

Problem solve using exponents. Pupils read One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale and write powers to represent amounts from the story.They compare actual solutions to their predictions and play a game to practice using...

What makes a story interesting? Complex characters! As part of a series of worksheets that prepares middle schoolers to write their own novel, the exercises included explain the role of the protagonist, the antagonist, and the supporting...