Chicago Children's Museum
Simple Machines: Force and Motion
Get things moving with this elementary science unit on simple machines. Through a series of nine lessons including teacher demonstrations, hands-on activities, and science experiments, young scientists learn about forces, motion,...
Curated OER
The Legendary Raptors
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...
Curated OER
Newton in Motion Project
Students investigate Newton's Third Law of Motion as it exits in real world applications. They watch as the teacher makes a simple balloon powered car before explaining how the motion of the car demonstrates Newton's Third Law of Motion....
Physics Classroom
Balanced vs. Unbalanced Forces
Scientists use many different kinematic representations of motion. Review each of them with the help of an engaging interactive that is part of a larger series on Newton's laws of motion. The resource provides three levels of challenge...
Curated OER
Walking on Water
Students use this problem to help them to relate to force vectors: Suspend a meterstick horizontally between two tables. Place a 1kg mass in the middle of the meterstick. Notice the bend of the meterstick. Explain why the meterstick...
Rice University
College Physics for AP® Courses
Take a look at an organized physics course. The 34-section electronic textbook covers material in AP® Physics 1 and 2. Teachers use the text to supplement lectures and have the class work through the labs. Each section contains...
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...
Curated OER
Identify the Types of Forces
In this physical science worksheet, students complete an 8 question multiple choice online interactive quiz about the types of forces and the laws of motion. The quiz may also be printed and completed on paper.
CK-12 Foundation
Everglades Airboat
How does an airboat move when there isn't a motor in the water? The simulation teaches the forces related to the thrust and drag on an airboat. Scholars vary the boat mass and thrust force in order to view graphs of the changing force...
Norwich Institute for Language Education
Simple Machines
Planning a unit on simple machines? Save some time and energy with this collection of lessons and activities that explores how these devices are used in the real world to make life a little easier.
CK-12 Foundation
Horse and Cart
Can a horse pull more than its weight? A simple simulation answers this question and more. Pupils adjust the mass in a cart, the mass of the horse, the acceleration of the horse, and the angle of the tension rope between the horse and...
CK-12 Foundation
Airplane
How does an airplane control its take off and descent? Scholars explore the forces acting on an airplane and control the angle of attack, wing profile, thrust, and airplane size. They learn about lift, drag, thrust, gravity, and the...
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: Mars Opposition Dance
Your class will watch as one child orbits the sun as Earth, while another orbits as Mars. If the timing is right, they will see the repetitive dance between the two planets and discover how often they are opposite from each other. For...
CK-12 Foundation
Bowling Alley
Sometimes it appears that a bowling ball slides down the alley rather than rolling, while other times it appears to switch rolling directions at some point. Scholars control the bowling ball size, initial rotation, initial speed, and...
CK-12 Foundation
Pirate Ship
Everything that happens is an interaction, from the wind blowing a sail to a cannon ball being thrust out of a cannon. A simulation shows the interactions involving a sail, air, ball, pirate, cannon, deck, ocean, and the Earth and...
CK-12 Foundation
Unicycle
What is the steepness of a hill before a unicyclist slides down it rather than pedaling down it? The simulation graphs the wheel speed versus the unicycle speed as the rider goes down a hill. Scholars control the mass of the rider,...
Curated OER
Waterskiing in Circles
Students discuss and give examples of Newton's three laws. They then answer questions in reference to Newton's three laws. One example of the questions that students answer is: A water-skier typically uses a 75 foot tow rope. The skier...
Curated OER
Rocket Me into Space
Students engage in a lesson that reinforces rockets as a vehicle that helps us explore outside the Earth's atmosphere by using the principles of Newton's third law of motion. Also, the principles that engineers deal with when building a...
CK-12 Foundation
Elevator
Do you weigh slightly less when an elevator first starts its descent? The simulation teaches the change in the force based on the acceleration, constant speed, or deceleration of an elevator. Scholars control the mass and acceleration...
Cornell University
Alka-Seltzer Rockets
Blast off! An engaging hands-on activity has pupils create rockets powered by Alka-Seltzer. They learn about the physics behind these rockets throughout the process.
E Reading Worksheets
Main Idea Worksheet 5
Did you know that Marie Curie's papers, as well as her cookbook, are radioactive and stored in lead-lined boxes? Did you know that Nikola Tesla developed a death ray? Famous scientists and inventors are the subjects featured in a series...
Curated OER
Newton's Earthquake
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...
Curated OER
Johannes Kepler
In this online interactive history instructional activity, learners respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about the achievements of Johannes Kepler. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive instructional...
CK-12 Foundation
Marie Curie's Classroom
What makes some elements stable and others radioactive? Scholars adjust the number of protons and neutrons in an element then observe its decay. The simulation includes a graphical representation and the chemical formula, as well as...