Curated OER
Airplane flight
Students learn the basic concepts about airplane flight. They learn the reason jetliner wings are swept back and why jet engines have replaced propellers in high-speed flight.
Curated OER
Lewis and Clark: The Language of Discovery
Students replicate some of the trailblazing methods of Lewis and Clark on a fifteen-minute "writing journey" through the school or neighborhood.
Curated OER
Angle Measurement of Aircraft Wings and Tails
Students measure the angles of wings and tails of various aircraft using a protractor. They estimate and check their measurements. They investigate aircraft being developed and tested at NASA Dryden.
Curated OER
One Two three Isaac Newton and Me
Ninth graders study Newton's Laws and apply these concepts to travel in space. In this space instructional activity students complete several lab activities.
Curated OER
Study of Projectile Motion using Straw Rockets
Students design and launch their own rockets. In this experimental activity students launch their own rockets and record the various angles and distance that they go. Each student has time to redesign their rocket and have a...
Curated OER
Straw Rockets in Flight! Engineer's Delight
Sixth graders study air compression and how it can power a rocket. In this creative lesson students work with a partner and build a rocket then compare air compressions and graph their results.
Curated OER
Fizzy Pop
Fifth graders compare and identify variables that affect the rate of a chemical change using Alka-Seltzer, water, ice, and hot water. They time how long each variable takes to pop the canister into the air, and record the results on a...
Mr. E. Science
Manned Space Exploration: From Apollo to Present
How did the manned space mission program progress? The presentation covers American space exploration from the Apollo missions through the International Space Station.
Curated OER
Migration Activation
Students play the role of migrating birds. As a class, they simulate a migration of birds to one place and back again. They relate their habitat size and changes to their current population numbers. They discover the many dangers of...
Curated OER
Revolutionary Money
Examine paper money from the American revolution! Historians study the paper bills and discuss the history of money. How has money changed over the times? Activities are included.
Exploratorium
Antigravity Mirror
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It's super student! Physical science stars can fly during a unit on light as they see the reflection of one leg in a mirror, behind which the other holds them up.
Smithsonian Institution
Watching Crystals Grow
Amazing science can sometimes happen right before your eyes! The class gets cozy as they watch crystals grow. They use Epsom salts, rocks, and food coloring to create crystals. They'll observe the entire process, documenting every step...
Curated OER
Vectors
High schoolers listen to a lecture and complete a number of problems as they go. There are a variety of examples given and they are guided through the problem solving steps for each of the real-world scenarios regarding the purpose of...
Curated OER
Wildlife
The centerpiece of this lesson plan is a predator-prey simulation in which colored paperclips represent different species of animals camouflaged against a colored background. Relevant follow-up questions are provided. The activity is...
Curated OER
Turbojet Thrust
Pupils, after reading the Web page Turbojet Thrust and completing the activity, explain how jet engines use air to produce thrust. The educational software ""FoilSim" is used in this lesson to help students calculate thrust.
Curated OER
Bridges
Students are introduced to the different types, designs and nature of bridges. They observe a historical look at the bridges in and around the Pittsburgh area through a video presentation. Connections are made between science and...
Curated OER
Playing Historical Detective: Great Grandmother's Dress and Other Clues to the Life and Times of Annie Steel
Pupils draw conclusions about an mystery person based on documents and artifacts provided. In this drawing conclusions lesson, students become detectives by reading and analyzing evidence provided. This lesson includes information on...
Curated OER
Physics: Vector Addition
Students drill and practice putting problems into vector form. They draw each problem before trying to solve them. Students draw arrows for any vector quantities to indicate magnitude and direction.
Curated OER
Potato Launcher Energy Lab
Students investigate conservation laws using a potato launcher. In this physics lesson plan, students measure angles, time and distance of the potato. They discuss applications of experiments like this.
Curated OER
How Things Fly
Students conduct a series of hands-on experiments that help them explain the role of lift in fixed-wing flight. They observe the flow of air and water around several surfaces and then consider the dynamics of airflow around an aircraft...
Curated OER
Animal Fun
Students improve the skill of jumping and landing using 10 poly spots, 10 dome cones, 15 cones, 12 foam bowling pins and 6 yardsticks.
Curated OER
The X-33 and the X-38
Young scholars explore the relationships among the lengths, areas, and volumes of similar solids. They also discover what effect doubling the dimensions of a figure has on the resulting area.
Curated OER
Motion and Gravity
Third graders make parachutes to learn about gravity and the science process. For this gravity lesson, 3rd graders create parachutes and observe their flight in air. Students discuss wind and gravity for the activity.
Curated OER
Bottle Rocket Lesson
Learners design a rocket that stays on air for the longest period of time. In this physics lesson, students research the function of different rocket components. They test their design and make necessary modifications.