Mathalicious
The Fall of Javert
Falling off a bridge might not sound like your idea of a good math problem, but incorporating the final scene of Les Misérables is sure to spark interest. The goal is to use the time Javert fell off the bridge to determine how high he...
Curated OER
It's About Supply and Demand
Watch an Instructional Television (ITV) video and participate in a simulation to explore supply and demand and how those two forces affect price.
Teach Engineering
Using Hooke's Law to Understand Materials
Provide a Hooke for a lesson on elasticity with an activity that has groups investigate a set of springs. They use a set procedure to collect data to calculate the spring constant for each spring using Hooke's Law. The groups predict the...
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.
Curated OER
Our Favorite Toys
Students give an operational definition of a control system. They analyze the elements of a control system in terms of input, control, and output and describe the four basic types of motion: linear, reciprocating, oscillating, and rotary.
Physics LAB
Uniform Circular Motion
In this circular motion worksheet, students determine the magnitude of a coin's linear velocity and the magnitude of its acceleration. This worksheet has 14 problems to solve.
Curated OER
Cantilevers
Students perform an experiment to find the linear relationship between the appllied weight and the bend of the cantilever. In this linear relationships lesson, students follow detailed directions to set up an experiment. They add weights...
Curated OER
Waves
In this waves worksheet, students read about harmonic and linear motion in waves as well as the two types of waves. They match 5 terms to their definitions about the structure of waves, they solve for the wavelength, frequency and...
Curated OER
The 99% Movement - Linking Math to Economics
Connecting mathematics with economics can be a liberating force for all involved.
Urbana School District
Momentum
Here's a presentation that not only covers momentum, impulse, conservation of momentum in both one and two dimensions, angular momentum, torque, and the moment of inertia, but offers many applied guided practice problems as well.
Curated OER
Geometry of Exploration: Eyes Over Mars
Students research how engineers and scientists generate linear and angular measurements with geometry to survey the Earth and Mars. They assess how geometric shapes affect navigation. A surveyor comes to the classroom and explains how he...
Curated OER
Proportionality: The X-Plane Generation
Young scholars meet NASA researchers who describe the relationship between force, energy and motion. They discuss how NASA's experimental X-plane is being tested to make space travel more reliable and show how proportionality and ratios...
Curated OER
Dimensional Analysis
Twelfth graders examine different dimensions and units which go with a particular dimension. They explore the concept of linear measurement versus area. Students estimate area of 3-D objects. They practice converting from one unit of...
Curated OER
Newton's Laws
Students examine and discuss Newton's Laws and discover his contribution to physics. In groups, they participate in an experiment in which they much apply the Laws to the world around them. They describe contact and conservative forces...
Curated OER
Granary Door Dogon, Mali
Students explore a creation myth. In this visual arts activity, students discuss the Dogon creation myth and the design and make refrigerator magnets in the style of Dogan granary doors. The design of the magnets should include linear...
Curated OER
Height of Bounce
Eighth graders determine the relationship between the height of bounce of a ping-pong ball and the height from which it was dropped. They are assessed on the ability to record and interpret data, graph data, make predictions, and make...
Curated OER
Filling Empty Pockets: Borrowing, Loans, and Credit
Students examine credit components and how each works within our economy today. In this financial literacy lesson plan, students explore credit terms and make decisions based on real credit card offers that they find in their on line...
Curated OER
Paper Suspension Bridges: You Want Me To Go Up There?
A few class periods will be required to complete this physics investigation with your high schoolers. There is an unavailable video written into the lesson plan, but there is plenty of material here to bridge the gap. Two terrific...
Curated OER
Gyroscopes in Motion
Physics stars will enjoy learning about the conservation of energy as you demonstrate gyroscope precession. The lecture is broken into five subtopics: cross product, rotating vectors, angular momentum, rotating rigid bodies, and torque...
Teach Engineering
Fun with Air-Powered Pneumatics
How high did the ball go? Engineering teams build a working pneumatic system that launches a ball into the air. The teams vary the amount of pressure and determine the accompanying height of the ball. An extension of building a device to...
Virginia Department of Education
Charles’ Law
Searching for a relatively interesting way to demonstrate Charles' Law? Here is a lesson in which pupils heat air inside a flask and then cool the flask to quickly cool the air. They make observations about what occurs during the cooling...
Curated OER
Ride the Rock Cycle
Students identify the steps in the rock cycle. They complete a K-W-L chart before the lesson begins. They answer questions about the stages to complete the lesson.
Virginia Department of Education
Heat Transfer and Heat Capacity
It's time to increase the heat! Young chemists demonstrate heat transfer and heat capacity in an activity-packed lab, showing the transitions between solid, liquid, and gaseous phases of materials. Individuals plot data as the changes...
Curated OER
Simple Harmonic Motion
Back and forth, and back again. A presentation on harmonic motion would make a great backdrop for a directed instruction lesson in Honors Physics. It includes diagrams, formulas, graphs, and a few sample problems.