Cornell University
Catapult
Studying levers couldn't be more exciting! Learners build their own catapults and test the results as they make adjustments to the fulcrum. They compete against other groups to create the most accurate apparatus.
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Catch the Pollution
Explore environmental care by conducting a pollution experiment. You'll discuss the causes of pollution in our environment and what the overall impact will be if we can't change our ways. Clear plastic tape, a can, and compass are used...
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Stick-Slip Movement
Ninth graders operate a model to observe the type of motion that occurs at a fault during an earthquake. They explore the effects of several variables. Students measure movement, calculate averages and plot and graph information.
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Exploring Ecosystems
Students examine the relationships between plants, animals, and the environment in ecosystems. They sort animal cards, collect natural materials from the schoolyard, and record an ecosystem web in the form of a poster.
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Mass, Volume, and Weight
Students explore mass, volume, and weight. In this science and measurement lesson, students compare volume, mass, and weight after listening to the teacher's description of each. Students explore different scales and balances and...
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Simple Machines
Third graders are introduced to the six types of simple machines and discover how they make tasks easier. In groups, they rotate between stations to experiment with the different types of simple machines. To end the lesson, they make a...
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Newton and his Laws
Students explore Newton's laws, including what they state, and what the intuitive meaning is of the first and third laws.
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Friction Restriction: Creating a Design Plan to Redesign the Tread of Tennis Sneakers to Increase Friction
Students evaluate the friction of tennis sneakers and redesign them to increase friction. In this physics instructional activity, students calculate starting, sideways and forward stopping friction. Using quantitative data, they prove...
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Newton's Second Law
Students examine how physical quantities and laws depend distance, mass and time. They examine the MKS system; meter, kilogram and second, for doing calculations.
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Alka-Seltzer Rockets: How to Build Your Own Rocket
Students create a rocket using Alka-seltzer of baking soda and vinegar. In this physics lesson, students identify the factors affecting the length of time the rocket is propelled. They relate this activity to actual rocket launched in...
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Exploring Simple Machines
Students investigate simple machines. In this simple machines activity, students study how simple machines work. Students determine the function of various simple machines.
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PHYSICS OF FLIGHT
Ninth graders study the basic principles of flight, including the Bernoulli Principle and Newton's Laws. They construct and study model aircraft
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Mini-labs on Newton's Laws
Students are divided into 6 groups with each group rotating to a different lab. The labs can be run over the course of a few days; or spread out for a longer period of time.
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What To Do After The Hands-Are-On
Learners perform various demonstrations for each of Newton's Laws, collect data, and write a conclusion for each.
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Weightlessness
Students compare and contrast the terms "weight" and "mass". In this physics lesson, students observe an experiment in which objects are placed on a balance scale and weighed under different circumstances. Partners drop items and observe...
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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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Building and Launching Rocket Kits
Pupils, in groups, build and decorate rocket kits and then launch them.
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Tractor Construction
Students working in small groups will build tractors. They must design a tractor that is able to pull various weights.
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THE WRIGHT IDEA!
Learners learn about the technological development of flight by organizing a presentation on the history of flight.
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Fast Cars and Roll-Over
Students creat a ramp using cardboard and tape. They follow directions to perform an experiment to determine the degree of tilt needed to cause an empty milk carton to tip over. Students discuss their results in terms of center of gravity.
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Gravity
Students perform inquiry in response to the question "Do objects fall at the same rate?", teacher candidates discuss a model experiment for secondary students to discover the answer, including recording and analyzing data.
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Weight and Velocity
Students perform an experiment in order to determine how increasing weight affects the velocity of a truck and use the computer to compile their data.
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Specific Heat of Metals
Students determine the specific heat of unknown metals. based on their hypothesis and design proposal. They analyze the findings of the specific heat of the unknown metals. Students complete this by questions, hypothesis, rationale,...
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Graham Cracker Plate Tectonics
In this plate tectonics worksheet, students use Graham crackers, frosting, water and a paper plate to simulate tectonic processes such as convergent, divergent and transforming plate boundaries.