Alabama Learning Exchange
Simple Machines Internet Research
Young scholars identify six types of simple machines, then use the Internet for research.
Curated OER
Force & Motion
Third graders are introduced to the concepts of force and motion. In groups, they travel between stations to analyze the effect of force and motion on various objects. They research how various careers use these concepts as well.
Curated OER
What Can You Make of It?
Students investigate the various uses of a paper cup. In this scientific inquiry lesson, students investigate various ways to use a paper cup by identifying its characteristics. Students sketch their discovery.
Curated OER
Evaluating Observations and Measurements
Third graders review the scientific method and how and in which steps scientists use observations and measurements. Then as a class, they hypothesize which ramp will send the car the farthest. They break into groups and send cars down a...
Curated OER
Who Built the Pyramids?
Young scholars examine the two theories on how the pyramids at Giza were built. They watch a video on pyramids, take notes, and write a five-paragraph essay on how they think the pyramids were constructed.
Other
60 Second Science: Rolling Down Ramps Experiment
Explore the characteristics of inclined planes while observing how drops of colored water flow down a ramp and on different surfaces.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Galileo: His Experiments
This interactive activity from the NOVA Web site samples Galileo's experiments with falling objects, projectiles, inclined planes, and pendulums.
Other
Honolulu Community College: Galileo's Kinematics
In this experiment you will attempt to reproduce Galileo's results using the inclined plane. You will test three hypotheses relating to motion on an incline. You will learn to draw a "best fit" or regression line of experimental data....
Creative Science Centre
Creative Science Centre: Newton's Experiments
A collection of projects that recreated Isaac Newton's experiments as he would have built them in the seventeenth century. The projects include the mechanical advantage possible using three levers, the trajectory of a projectile, air...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Slinking Slinkies
Want to do a project with a toy your parents, or even grandparents, might have played with? Slinkies are fun toys that also make great science fair projects. In this experiment you can build an inclined plane to compare the walking speed...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Simple Machines From Pyramids to Skyscrapers
Simple machines are devices with few or no moving parts that make work easier, and which people have used to provide mechanical advantage for thousands of years. Students learn about the wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane,...
Concord Consortium
The Concord Consortium: Molecular Workbench: Rolling Down an Inclined Plane
Experiment with gravity as a variable to observe the effects of gravity on an object rolling down an inclined surface.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Inertia: An Object in Motion Will Tend to Stay in Motion
This activity is a take off of Galileo's experiment with the inclined planes to show that an object in motion would stay in a straight line motion if no outside forces acted were acting on it. In this version, students will roll a ball...
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: What Is Gravity?
In this activity, students will perform a series of experiments with inclined planes. They will learn that as the angle of inclination of the inclined plane approaches 90 degrees, the value of the acceleration of the cart traveling down...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Curious George: Ramp N Roll Experiment
Identify simple principles of physical science and engineering by exploring ramps and things that roll. Predict which items will slide or roll down a ramp and test your predictions.
Other
Institute of Physics: Practical Physics: Investigating Motion Sloping Surface
This experiment allows both acceleration and deceleration to be investigated by data logging the output from a motion sensor.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Simple Machines
During this lesson, students learn about the six types of simple machines. They define each type of machine, experiment with each type, utilize the Internet to explore each type of machine and build their own simple machine. This lesson...
PBS
Wgbh: Peep and the Big Wide World: Explore and Play: Toy Sleds
Students experiment with different materials and objects to make a sled that will slide down the ramps.
NASA
Nasa: Simple Machines
A lesson plan site that contains activities designed to give grades 3 and 4 experiences in using simple machines.
Walter Fendt
Walter Fendt: Apps Zur Physik
This site, in German, offers numerous apps that illustrate common physics principles. Apps are organized into categories: mechanics, oscillations and waves, electrodynamics, optics, thermodynamics, the theory of relativity, physics of...
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Lab Activity, Rotational Inertia
A lab activity in which students observe the rolling of objects along an inclined plane. The the rotational inertia of the objects are compared based upon their acceleration along the incline. Directions and assessment ideas are given.