Students investigate the friction between tires and the road and how it affects the movement of cars while driving. They discuss and define friction, experiment with sandpaper and wax paper to determine which material provides the least...

High schoolers observe projectile motion and calculate the speed of a baseball based on the time and distance traveled. They record the time, measure the distance, and draw the path of the ball's travel on a data table.

Students observe falling objects. In this lesson about gravity, students work in groups to determine how objects fall. Students determine speed of objects falling and whether weight is a factor. Students understand the concept of gravity.

In this Moon travel worksheet, students construct a simple rocket trajectory called the Hohmann Transfer orbit using a compass, string, paper and a pencil. Students solve 2 problems which include finding the number of hours it takes to...

Students design and build a working catapult or trebuchet to explore the concepts of force, motion, and distance.

Launch pupil interest in rockets. Scholars build rockets out of straws and balloons to learn about Newton's Third Law of Motion. Their task is to hit a target five feet away. It's not as easy as it seems!

Laws of motion apply both in space and on Earth. Young experimenters model object impact on the Earth and moon. They use data to determine the effect mass and velocity have on the resulting craters and how that relates to the energy of...

Students conduct and observe experiments in Newtonian mechanics, kinematics, and projectile motion. They analyze the motion of a ball rolling off a table, falling, and then bouncing. Students answer a series of questions analyzing the...

Eighth graders engage in a lesson to investigate the Laws of Motion while observing different examples with the use of video lessons. They predict why objects move the way they do and then apply the new knowledge to identify the specific...

Students investigate space travel. In this space travel lesson students examine space exploration history, engineers and scientists involved in space exploration, and Newton's third law of motion. Students make rockets.

A fabulous lesson which combines mathematics with space science. Middle schoolers work in cooperative groups in order to research early astronauts and their accomplishments. They look at a variety of rocket and space shuttle designs, and...

Here are nine motion problems for physics fanatics to solve. Topics are pretty typical: rifles firing bullets, freight train cars colliding, astronauts gliding through space, balls being thrown. Pupils compute recoil speed, combined...

Does size or mass impact gravitational pull? Scholars experiment with force pairs to answer that question. They can change the size, mass, and distance between the objects using an engaging simulatoin. This allows pupils to visualize the...

With the use of a model rocket kit, aspiring aerospace engineers work cooperatively to construct and launch a rocket. A preparatory reading assignment is included, covering Newton's laws of motion and information about the first...

Students perform mathematical calculations to design safety device or enclosure to protect an egg as it is rolled down a ramp at increasing slopes.

Students investigate how the motion of the Foucault pendulum proves that the Earth is rotating. They research the Internet about pendulums and conduct an experiment online. They view a multimedia presentation about pendulums and read...

In this force and motion worksheet, students create a picture book and answer 7 questions on force and 12 questions on motion. There are 4 extra credit questions.

Students explore force and motion through a series of experiments. In this physics instructional activity, students create and interpret speed graphs. They build an electromagnet and explain the factors affecting its strength.

Each of the slides here gives a definition, equation, or calculation example for a component of force and motion. This large collection covers topics from momentum and Newton's laws to centripetal forces and simple machines. Animations...

Some background information about density and Newton's Laws of gravitation and motion assist pupils in the following experiment. The procedure will help them further their understanding of gravity, pendulums, and a drop-ball experiment....

How are raptors and airplanes alike? Combine science and language arts in this fun and interactive project. Young scientists research the animal in order to design their own aircraft, and compete in a contest for farthest, fastest, and...

Middle schoolers engage in a instructional activity that is concerned with the concept of a simple machine and uses the law of motion to justify why they operate. Students explore the laws by constructing some simple machines to...

This series of four slides helps define the terminology that is essential to the study of Newtons Second Law.  Notetaking and review will be easier if supported by these factsheets.

In this math worksheet, students are given 7 problems in which they review properties of logs and solve, differentiate formulae, find derivatives and solve story problems involving the rate of spread of a disease and Newton's Law of...