Teach Engineering
May the Force Be With You: Drag
Do not let friction drag you down! The 11th segment in a series of 22 focuses on the fourth force acting upon an airplane—drag. Pupils learn about the effects and causes of drag.
NASA
Touchdown
Individuals design and build a set of shock absorbers to protect their astronauts when they land. Using a limited amount of supplies, pupils build a system that will keep two large marshmallows from flying out of a cup when it lands...
Tech Museum of Innovation
Balloon Astronaut
Design protection from high-speed particles. The STEM lesson plan highlights why astronauts need protection from space debris. Pupils use the design process to design, build, and test a spacesuit that will protect a balloon from a...
Las Cumbres Observatory
Down2Earth: Making Impact Craters
Is the sky falling? Learners use a simulator to modify the mass and velocity of asteroids and collect data on how they influence the diameter and depth of the impact crater. They use their results to draw conclusions and make predictions...
Curated OER
Typical Numeric Questions for Physics I - Momentum
Simple momentum computations and more complex collision computations can be found on these two worksheets. All of them can be answered by choosing from five possibilities. The first worksheet contains nine problems to solve, while...
CK-12 Foundation
Bobsled
Bobsled riders' safety depends on skill ... and physics! Learners use a simulation to understand the physics behind the sport. They manipulate the speed, mass, and/or turn radius of the sled and watch the effects on the centripetal...
CK-12 Foundation
Satellites, Shuttles, and Space Stations: Satellites in Orbit
Blast off! How do satellites, space shuttles, and space stations escape Earth's gravity and achieve orbit? Young astronauts study rocket science (literally) with an interactive lesson. They discover the four main uses for satellites, how...
Curated OER
Payload Rocket
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...
Curated OER
Modeling Celestial Motion
In this modeling celestial motion worksheet, students fill in the blank about the motion of celestial bodies: planets and stars. Students complete the blanks with information about the scientists and philosophers responsible for early...
Curated OER
Newton's First Law
In this laws of motion worksheet, students review vocabulary words and concepts associated with Newton's first law of motion. This worksheet has 15 true or false questions.
Curated OER
How Do Probes Get To Space
Students investigate how force works to propel rockets into outer space. For this physics lesson, students use a drinking straw, fishing line, a balloon, and tape to explore how force works in outer space. Students repeat the experiment...
Curated OER
Frisbee
Students examine the history behind the frisbee and how Bernoulli's principle and Newton's law plays a role. In this flight lesson students complete an experiment on how the rim of a frisbee effects flight.
Curated OER
Rock-A-Bye Pendulum
Third graders analyze the effects of force on an object in motion and its relationship to a change in speed. This lesson uses a pendulum to demonstrate the principle.
Curated OER
Let's Get Moving
Students participate in sports activities that relate to motion, velocity and momentum. They produce a PowerPoint presentation after researching the activities.
Exploratorium
Marshmallow Puff Tube
Let physical science stars experience Newton's first law of motion by blowing marshmallows out of cardboard tubes! Using different lengths of tubing, they find that more force is needed to overcome increasing friction, and they have a...
Overcoming Obstacles
Weighing Options and Consequences
When making decisions, it might be wise to revise Newton's Third Law of Motion to read, "For every decision, there are options and consequences." Although in decision-making, not all these forces may be equal. The third lesson in the...
Curated OER
Newton's Theory of Universal Gravitation
High schoolers explore how Newton tied together the gravity observed on Earth and the motion of the Moon. They apply an earlier lesson plan about centripetal forces.
Curated OER
Kites: Patang - The Indian Fighter Kite
Students investigate the history of fighter kites and build their own. In this aeronautics lesson, students discover how other countries utilize fighter kites and where they originated. Students create their own fighter kites...
Curated OER
Newton's Second Law
For this Newton's Second Law worksheet, high schoolers answer 13 questions about force, mass and acceleration. They calculate weight, force, masses and acceleration of objects.
Curated OER
Motion Through the Ages
Eighth graders conduct internet research to produce a timeline of man's growth in understanding of concepts of motion and planetary motion through history.
Curated OER
Why Use Seat Belts?
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Space Ship Pilot
Young scholars visualize the relation between acceleration and velocity in 2 dimensions. They are introduced to Newton's first law,and Newton's second law. Students work on an exploration activity where they condsider an example of a...
Curated OER
A Mysterious Roll-Back Can
Students explore Newton and his Second Law by observing a demonstration involving a can that rolls away, then rolls back to where it started. They construct their own Come Back Can and describe how the cans work.
Teach Engineering
Android Acceleration
Prepare to accelerate your Android. Pupils prep for the upcoming activity in this third installment of a four-part series. The lesson plan progresses nicely by first introducing different types of acceleration to the class. The teacher...