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Incline Planes
Students determine the forces necessary to move a truck on an inclined plane with weight and slope as variables. They identify the cheapest way to transport trash to local garbage disposal sites.
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Inclined Plane and Pulley
Students describe how inclined plane and pulleys make work easier. In this physics lesson plan, students calculate work done and mechanical advantage of both simple machines. They collect data from the experiment and construct graphs.
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Ramps
Students experiment to see how various objects roll down ramps. For this ramp lesson, students observe weight, size, and material of objects. Â Students compare speeds by using a second ramp. Â
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Ramps 1: Let It Roll!
Students explore and measure the rate of spherical objects rolling down a ramp. They discuss why different ramps work better than others, and practice procedures for testing designs and recording results.
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Simple Machines - Museum of Science and Industry
In this museum student guide worksheet, students make a mini-book about simple machines to be used during a visit to the Museum of Science and Industry. They locate the exhibits that demonstrate the wedge, inclined plane, screw, lever,...
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Mr. and Miss Big Feet
Third graders experiment with gravitational force. In this physical science lesson, 3rd graders send matchbox cars off a ramp while changing the amount of weight attached to the car. Students record their data and discuss the results.
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Let it Roll!
Students explore how various ramps affect the rate of speed of a rolling object. In this physics lesson, students work in groups to build a ramp out of various materials. Students test and record the rate of speed of a rolling object by...
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Ramps 1: Let it Roll!
Students perform the following activity as a group so that they can gain experience with how ramps work. Students will first construct a simple ramp and then time how fast different objects roll down that ramp.
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Mechanically Inclined
Eighth graders examine the mechanical advantage of an inclined plane through experimentation.
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Simple Machines
Learners explore the concepts of force and effort by observing simple machines. In this physics lesson, students attempt to sharpen a pencil without any help, bite into an orange with their lips curled over their teeth, and other...
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Weight and Velocity
Students perform an experiment in order to determine how increasing weight affects the velocity of a truck and use the computer to compile their data.
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Balls and Ramp
Students role several balls of different weights down a ramp and into a paper cup and record how far each ball made the paper cup move. They then answer questions that help them analyze their results and reinforce the idea that energy...
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Deep Thoughts
Learners examine what lies within the Earth. They research and create scale models illustrating the layers of the Earth and write skits advocating a travel plan to send a probe into the Earth's mantle.
Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: Up to Speed
Here are three great group project ideas to reinforce the concepts of velocity, transportation, and energy. In small groups, learners construct adjustable ramps, predict, and then test to determine the affects of altering velocity, ramp...
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Egyptians as Engineers
Student design and build Lego vehicles that drag given amount of weight up an incline. They show how this demonstrates Egyptian methods of pyramid construction.
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Rotational Inertia
Students spin themselves to understand rotational inertia. In this Inertia lesson, students will also use ramps, balance beam and pendelum to conduct rotational inertia experiments. Students draw conclusions to explain rotational...
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Going the Distance
Students experiment in small groups to answer the question, "Is there a relationship between ramps and speed?" They apply a formula to calculate the speed of the cars used in the experiment, complete the associate lab report, and...
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What is Work?
Students investigate the connection between work, potential energy, kinetic energy, and heat. In this physics lesson, students use pulleys to produce mechanical advantages and incline planes to demonstrate energy conversion.
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Easy Does It
Young scholars discover how inclined planes make work easier as they make mathematical predictions and prove their predictions through experiments.
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Watch Out!
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.
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Simple Machines in the Home
Students explore simple machines used in the home. In this simple machines lesson plan, students discover that many household items are constructed from simple machines. Students interact with nutcrackers, peelers, egg slicers, and egg...
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Look At Those Leaves!
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...
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Potential & Kinetic Energy
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,...