Curated OER
Sports Science
Students explore athletes and how they perform. In this physics lesson, students investigate how physics is involved in sports. Students go online to interactive sites that explain physics and biomechanics. Students also research...
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Laws of Motion
Students explore centrifugal and centripetal force. In this motion instructional activity, students expand on their knowledge of motion to study velocity, acceleration, and friction. Students examine multiple objects to demonstrate the...
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Graphical Analysis of Straight-Line Motion
Students investigate the concept of straight line motion. They determine the pattern and graph it looking for the motion maintained at a constant speed. Students also write a description of the significance of the line. The skill of...
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Principles of Physics: A Real Scream!
Students apply their knowledge of the physics principles of force, energy and motion to researching the physics behind amusement park rides.
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A Guide (on the Side) to Physics
Students engage in a lesson plan that is concerned with the concepts related to the study of Physics. They participate in class discussion and list common misconceptions of Physics. Students write and discuss the problem of Science...
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Motion Commotion!
Students explore the drawings of Rube Goldberg to design and construct a simple machine. They discuss simple machines, and using various materials and toy parts, design and construct a "Rube Goldberg" style machine to ring a bell.
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...
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Crash Test Dummies
Fifth graders are introduced to Newton's First Law of Motion. In groups, they describe the differences between balanced and unbalanced forces. They participate in experiments that demonstrate how equal and opposite forces act upon...
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Putting the Ice in Hockey
Eighth grade physical science classes examine why the ice on which hockey is played is slippery. They do so by discussing phases of matter and the molecular motion in each. They read an article on a website and write out answers to...
Acoustical Society of America
Anatomy of a Wave
Pair physical science learners up, and have one describe a transverse wave while the other blindly attempts to draw it. Then reveal an actual diagram and explain the different parts of the wave: crest, trough, wavelength. Though most of...
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"Measurement in Motion"
Ninth graders examine the rate of motion and changes in motion using a ramp and a rolling object. They conduct the demonstration, determine the average speed, and describe how a moving object can have zero acceleration and deceleration.
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Speedy Trials
Fifth graders investigate how forces affect the motion of an object. In this physics lesson, 5th graders calculate an object's speed using a mathematical formula. They discuss how force and mass affects the speed.
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Trajectory and Range of a Projectile
Students investigate the factors affecting projectile trajectory. In this physics lesson, students calculate the range, time and speed of projectiles using mathematical equations.
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Junkyard Wars: Wild Watercraft
Students develop a fast travelling hull for a boat. In this physical science lesson plan, the students' hulls will be tested in a channel (built by the teacher) with a fan as the driving force. The students will compete for who has the...
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Newton's 2nd Law of Motion
Students investigate how mass affects the speed of an object. In this physics lesson, students record data on the data table and graph results. They analyze findings and formulate a conclusion.
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Graphing Your Motion
Seventh graders investigate velocity and speed. For this Vernier Probe lesson, 7th graders will use probes to calculate motion, speed, and velocity of an object. They will create a graph of their collected data.
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Exploring Motion
Sixth graders study a wind up toy and marble set-up. In this physics lesson, 6th graders work through the steps of the scientific method as they make observations about motion and inertia.
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Measuring & Graphing Motion
Fifth graders study how to measure distance. In this graphing motion lesson students complete a lab activity that shows them on the computer how to make graphs.
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Investigating Motion
Students explore types of motion. In this motion experiment, students observe how objects move. Students work in small groups to discover the laws of motion.
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2nd Grade Physical Sciences
Second graders complete activities to measure motion and learn about the Earth's history. In this motion and Earth history lesson, 2nd graders discuss sound and complete a matching sound activity. Students then study the history of Earth...
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Pooper Scooper
Science Students build a pooper scooper tool that helps them clean up after a dog without getting their hands dirty or their noses too close. They research the diseases that can be transported through animal waste and work in teams to...
NASA
Two Versions of Gravity: Newton and Einstein
We have all heard the debate about teaching both theories, but an innovative lesson takes the discussion to a new level. Scholars research and debate Newton's Law of Gravitation versus Einstein's General Theory of...
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Simple Harmonic Motion with Dr. DAQ
Young scholars study the work and accomplishment of Galileo. In this physics lesson, students calculate the period of a pendulum's using a mathematical equation. They explain the different factors affecting its period.
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MOTION IN A CIRCLE
Young scholars explore uniform circular motion, and the relation of its frequency of N revolutions/sec with the peripheral velocity v and with the rotation period T, and the "centripetal acceleration" of an object.