Students study hummingbirds and how they use Newton's law.  In this motion lesson students complete several activities and view videos of hummingbirds. 

Mathematicians use a CBR 2™ motion detector to determine their speed or velocity going down a playground slide. They also experiment with different ways to increase their speed going down the slide. Finally, students complete the Student...

Students continue their examination of how to make a human presence in space. Using Newton's Laws of Motion, they discover the difference a rocket's payload affects the launch of a rocket. They develop a balloon rocket and test its...

Students work together to design and build a paper rocket. They place a propellant in the contraption to make it fly. They discover Newton's third law of motion.

Young scholars learn how a pendulum works in the concept of an amusement park ride. In this pendulum lesson, students are introduced to Newton's first law of motion and how it works in an amusement park ride. Continuous motion and...

Students explore reasons why using a seat belt is a safe choice while riding in a car. In this physics/safety lesson, students set up and observe a doll with and without a seat belt moving down a ramp in a dynamics cart. Collision...

Students review Newton's Third Law of Motion and participate in an experiment. After the experiment, they use their notes to write a scientific summary of what happened during the project. They present their project to the class and...

Students construct a pendulum using a washer and thin fishing line. In this earth science lesson, students simulate Earth's rotation using the pendulum bob and swivel chair. They explain how this activity proves that the Earth is indeed...

Students discuss Newton's 2nd and 3rd laws using the example of a football linebacker and a small child pushing against each other on an ice rink. Students are able to visualize the results of the push and link it to the laws. Discussion...

Students research propulsion, graph data, and interpret the results.

Fifth graders participate in a series of hands-on, Web-based activities and video-based activities to extend their learning of Forces and Motion.

In this Scientific Revolution worksheet, students read a brief overview of the contributions of Copernicus, Bacon, Kepler, Galileo, Newton, and Harvey.

Students test different objects such as dominoes, marshmallows, slides, and more to test their force, motion, gravity, friction, and the concept of matter. In this force and motion lesson plan, students understand that the force an...

Students investigate the history of fighter kites and build their own.  In this aeronautics lesson plan, students discover how other countries utilize fighter kites and where they originated.  Students create their own fighter...

Angry Birds prepared them, but now pupils must prove their skills with projectiles! Scholars test different variables to determine which ones impact the distance the projectile flies. The experiment provides connections to kinetic and...

Students, after reviewing and analyzing Newton's third law of motion, make balloon rockets and experiment with a variety of models. After the experiment, they chart the results and form conclusions. In addition, they compare/contrast...

Students define and identify planetary orbit, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola, and simulate Kepler's Second Law. They explore interactive websites demonstrating orbital motion and complete modeling activities.

Students explore the aspects of Newton's First and Third Laws of Motion as they conduct controlled rocketry experiments and analyze the Mars Mission in terms of the principles of rocketry.

Students demonstrate rotary motion by practicing with gyrocopters. In this physics lesson students work in groups to construct a gyrocopter and explore how physics effect it torque and inertia.

Learners practice the 4 question strategy to form more questions and develop further experiments. The four questions are engage, explore, explain, and elaborate. They use the 4 question strategy on an investigation involving the mass...

Pupils design and build their own truss. In this physics instructional activity, students calculate the forces and maximum load. They complete a full scale diagram of their design.

Students use marbles to conduct experiments on movement of objects and explore Newton's three laws of motion. In this motion lesson plan, students use marbles, tubing, foam, paper cups, and more.

Eighth graders conduct internet research to produce a timeline of man's growth in understanding of concepts of motion and planetary motion through history.

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...