Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Graphing Your Motion-Day 1

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders explore the concepts of motion, velocity and acceleration through graphing their own movement using LoggerPro. They become more familiar with the computer technology. Students explore graphing in real time and graph on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Waste Audit

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of mental math. They perform calculations as following: recognizing a half, three quarters, and tenths. Students are also challenged to extend skills to making calculation...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Home on the Range

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars use maps and mathematics to determine the appropriate panther population in a given area. In this Florida ecology lesson, students research the area requirements of male and female panther and use a map to help calculate...
Handout
Encyclopedia of Earth

Encyclopedia of Earth: Physics & Chemistry: Mass

For Students 9th - 10th
Defines inertial and gravitational mass, their scientific history, formulas used in their calculation, the definition of weight, units used for mass, and mass as perceived in the theory of special relativity.
Interactive
University of Colorado

University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Masses & Springs

For Students 9th - 10th
Hang various mass weights on spring scales while you adjust the spring stiffness and damping in this online activity. Slow down the action, take it to another planet, or watch the amount of potential, thermal, and kinetic energy.
Activity
Math Is Fun

Math Is Fun: Activity: Discover Mass (Weight)

For Students 3rd - 5th
The learning activity explores weight. Students weight different items and compare their mass from smallest to largest.
Activity
University of Cambridge

University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Light Weights

For Students 10th - 12th
Could the location of the Olympic host city have an effect on weightlifting events? This activity provides an interesting context in which to engage with weight, mass and gravitation, and is aimed at A-level students (grades 10, 11, and...
Interactive
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Floating and Sinking: Hot Air Balloons

For Students 9th - 10th
Why do hot air balloons float? This resource from the NOVA Web site offers a series of interactive activities that illustrates the physics of hot air balloons.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Treasure Trove

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In this activity, students use a Dual Range Force Sensor to measure the weight of pennies. They understand the difference between mass and weight. Students also determine the difference in weight of an object on the moon, Mars, Saturn,...
Activity
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Nctm: Figure This: Body Mass What's Your Index? (Pdf)

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
If you like tackling formulas, then this math challenge is for you. See if you can calculate Helix's BMI (body mass index) and find out if his health is at risk. A one page NCTM Math Challenges for Families activity that engages learners...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Investigating Isotopes and Average Atomic Mass Using Pennies

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students apply what they have learned about weighted averages, isotopes, and systems of equations to a new situation - coins in a sealed container. They learn some historical information regarding the composition of...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Hanging Around

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students learn about weight by building a spring scale and observing how it responds to objects with different masses.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Mineral Density: Teaching Accuracy, Slope, and Percent Error

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students explore the meaning of density and use their math skills to graph mass/volume data, write an equation for a line, and interpret the slope of the line. Students also find the density of two unknown mineral samples and use those...
Website
NASA

Nasa: Beginner's Guide to Aerodynamics

For Students 9th - 10th
Includes exhaustive information and a wealth of activities pertaining to aerodynamics and the physics of flight.
Unit Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Mechanics Mania

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Through ten lessons and numerous activities, students explore the natural universal rules engineers and physicists use to understand how things move and stay still. Together, these rules are called "mechanics." The study of mechanics is...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Putting Robots to Work With Force & Friction

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn about the concept of pushing, as well as the relationship between force and mass. Students practice measurement skills using pan scales and rulers to make predictions about mass and distance. A LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robot is...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Car Collision Testing & Tradeoffs: Don't Crack Humpty

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Student groups are provided with a generic car base on which to design a device/enclosure to protect an egg as it rolls down a ramp at increasing slopes. During this activity, student teams design, build and test their prototype...
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: The Center of Mass

For Teachers 7th - 9th
This site from the Illinois Institute of Technology provides a lab activity in which students determine the location of the center of mass of an irregularly shaped object. Observations are related to the balancing point of the object....
Lesson Plan
Chemistry Collective

Chem Collective: Mixed Reception

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Participate in the investigation of a virtual crime scene using chemistry concepts to solve a mysterious death. The 40-50 minute activity can be used as a classroom lab or as a homework assignment. Additionally, teachers may request a...
Unit Plan
Utah State Office of Education

Utah State Office of Education: Force, Energy, & Motion

For Students 6th - 8th
A unit on energy, force, and motion presented with interactive and classroom activities. Students gain an understanding of weight, mass, potential and kinetic energy, sound, and heat with this engaging resource.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Air Is Matter

For Teachers 9th - 10th
It's difficult at times for younger young scholars to realize that air has mass. Matter is something that has volume (takes up space) and has mass (*can be weighed). Air does take up space, even if we can't see it, and air has weight,...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Perching Parrot

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students explore the concepts of center of mass and static equilibrium by seeing how non-symmetrical objects balance. Using a paper cut-out shape of a parrot sitting on a wire coat hanger, they learn that their parrot exists in stable...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Physics Tug of War

For Teachers 5th - 7th
In this activity, students will learn about Newton's 2nd Law of Motion. They will learn that the force required to move a book is proportional to the weight of the book. Engineers use this relationship to determine how much force they...
Unit Plan
Oswego City School District

Regents Exam Prep Center: Metric Conversions and Rates

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Find out all about measurement in this test prep lesson exploring English and metric measurement. Students can compare metric and customary measurements using the conversion charts, assess how much they have learned using the interactive...