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Weightlessness
Students compare and contrast the terms "weight" and "mass". In this physics lesson plan, students observe an experiment in which objects are placed on a balance scale and weighed under different circumstances. Partners drop items and...
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Rocket Activity
Students explore Newton's Second Law of Motion. In this rocket activity lesson, students experiment with Newton's Second Law of Motion as they use a slingshot device to force a car to move.
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Rocket Pinwheel
Students explore the action-reaction principle of Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this rocketry lesson, students construct a pinwheel using a balloon, soda straw, and wooden pencil. Students investigate the results.
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Friction
Students explore the force of friction between materials. In this physics lesson, students participate in an experiment using various materials such as wood, waxed paper, and aluminum foil and explore which item produced the most friction.
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How Far?
Students explore how different textures provide varying amounts of friction to objects moving across them. They build a tool to measure the amount of friction between a note card and various surfaces by measuring the distance that a...
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Challenger's Lost Lessons - The Lost Simple Machines Lesson
Students investigate the characteristics of simple machines. In this simple machine instructional activity, students investigate work as a product of applying constant force. They answer questions about what happens on Earth and what may...
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Swingers
Students investigate the motion of a swinging pendulum. They experiment with a pendulum to find out why it might swing at different speeds at different times.
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The Ideal Gas
In this ideal gas instructional activity, high schoolers read about the conditions necessary for an ideal gas to exist. They also read about the deviations from the ideal gas situation and answer four questions about ideal gases.
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Air and Water Pressure
Young scholars examine buoyancy and fluid pressure. They conduct a series of fun experiments to discover the effects of pressure and explore how pressure differences can be used to float, lift, transport, or hold a material in place.
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More Power to You
Young scholars construct a simple galvanometer in order to detect the presence of an electric current as well as determine the amount of the current. Activity is divided into two parts, first part as group work and second as individual.
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Tubularastic Roller Coaster
Students observe the effect of gravity on objects. They use tubing and other materials to simulate a roller caster. Afterward, they create a journal to write their observations and summaries.
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Electromagnetism
Students explore the generation of magnetic fields from currents in wires and measure the magnetic field directions. They measure magnetic fields in their own environment. They also examine how moving magnetic fields can create currents.
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Incline Planes
Young scholars determine the forces necessary to move a truck on an inclined plane with weight and slope as variables. They identify the cheapest way to transport trash to local garbage disposal sites.
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Swings
Students investigate variables which may seem to affect the movement of a pendulum, or "swing."They interpret their observations and apply the scientific principles to develop explanations and solve a new problem.
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Rising Water!
Young scholars observe water change from a liquid to a gas state when heated and then return to its liquid stage when cooled. They learn that gas molecules move faster than liquid molecules. They discover physical properties that...
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Magnetism
Students examine the concept of magnetism by doing several activities using magnets and compasses. They explore poles and polar repulsion and attraction.
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Clouds
Students explore clouds. In this weather lesson plan, students identify the steps in the water cycle, define condensation and evaporation, and relate this information to cloud formation. Students perform a cloud experiment,...
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Simple Machines
Students investigate simple machines. In this simple machines lesson, students construct two simple machines and describe what they do. Students show that simple changes help machines do work with less effort. Students use a paper clip...
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Sound Waves
Students explore sound. In this "sound" science lesson, students define sound and explain how sound travels. Students experiment with paper cups and string to conclude how sound travels. Students research a chosen aspect of sound with a...
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Simple Machines Worksheet
In this simple machines worksheet, students complete a chart. They look at a picture of a simple machine, draw/paste an example of each one for homework. They use a web quest to find 2 more facts about each one and write it in the chart....
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THE BUSINESS OF CLEAN AIR
Students determine that air pollution control is caused by a combination of market incentives and government regulation. They realize that businesses exist to make profits for their owners and that governments make rules for individuals...
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Toys and Forces
Third graders discuss the collection of toys and demonstrate to the class how a given toy moves. They discuss the part of this toy that could be broken or missing to cause the toy not to work. Which parts could be broken and the toy...
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LEGO Construction Basics-Axles and Wheels
Learners examine axles and wheels using LEGO materials. They investigate the uses of axles, gears, and wheels.
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Circle of Pong
Students, in groups, use given materials to devise a way to deposit a ping-pong ball into a paper cup that is located in the middle of a 6-foot diameter circle, while standing outside the circle.