Curated OER
Hot Wheels
Students observe the action produced by toy cars. In this geometry lesson, students discuss motion and distance as they relate to the movement of a spherical object.They collect data and make conjectures based on their data.
Curated OER
Observing Objects
Students observe the motion of both a pendulum and a spring pendulum . They then explain the differences and the similarities between the two types of motions.
Curated OER
Newton's Laws with Kick Balls
Eighth graders participate in different activities that reinforce Newton's Laws. Activity begins with question/answer session about Newton's first and second laws. Students then try to bounce kick ball off of a wall to get it to given...
Curated OER
Balloon Jets
Students investigate how fuel amount affects the distance traveled by balloons. In this physics lesson, students collect data and create a pictograph. They interpret data and formulate a conclusion.
Curated OER
Steep, Steeper, and Steepest
Fifth graders discuss ways to move large rocks. They relate this to building a rock garden, and the ways people might load boulders into a truck. Students discuss the use of a ramp vs. lifting the boulder straight up onto the bed of the...
Curated OER
Weight, Friction, Equilibrium
In this weight learning exercise, students review the equation for solving for the force of weight and review the kinds of friction. Students complete 10 matching, 7 fill in the blank, and 8 problems to solve.
Curated OER
Demonstrating the Kinds of Energy
Students experiment with inner tubes, weights, flasks, and pistons to demonstrate the gas laws. In this molecular motion lesson, students demonstrate pressure as a force per area. They conduct an experiment to show the relationship...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Super Scientist Quiz
In this science worksheet, students match each of the descriptions on the right to the correct scientist listed on the right. There are thirty scientists to identify and match on the sheet.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Investigating Friction
Young learners explore friction. They view a video or DVD (bibliography provided) and define terms related to friction, and work in groups to experiment with the effects of friction on speed and motion using ramps and toy cars.
Curated OER
Parachutes: What a Drag
Sixth graders make 2 different kinds of parachutes and record and graph the time for each one for the different drag forces. In this parachute lesson plan, 6th graders compare the results to the rest of the class of each parachute and...
Virginia Department of Education
The Particle Theory of Matter
Demonstrate the particle theory of matter to high school scientists with an engaging experiment that allows them to visually see the results as substances change from one state to another. The class concludes with a discussion about how...
Curated OER
One, Two, Three--Isaac Newton and Me
High schoolers experiment to develop understanding of Newton's Laws and how they apply to space travel in this ten day instructional activity sequence.
Curated OER
Extreme Acceleration
Young scholars explore the concept of acceleration. They determine the acceleration rate of a roller-blader and graph the results.
Curated OER
Changing Ramp Heights
Students conduct an experiment to determine how the change in ramp height affects the distances a ball is able to move a stationary cup. Data is collected from several trials and recorded and analyzed.
Curated OER
Propellers, Forces and Energy
Students construct a model airplane, measure distance, and calculate velocity. For this creative lesson students work in groups to build a model and use it to calculate distances and velocity.
Curated OER
More Power to You
Students 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.
Curated OER
Calibrating a Roverbot
Learners build and program a Lego Mindstorms Roverbot to travel for a given amount of time. They gather data on time versus distance traveled to determine a calibration constant for their robot, which relates time to distance.
Curated OER
Graphing Your Motion-Day 1
Ninth graders explore the concepts of motion, velocity and acceleration through graphing their own movement using LoggerPro. They become more familiar with the computer technology. Students explore graphing in real time and graph on...
Curated OER
Simple Harmonic Motion
Students explain the theory of simple harmonic motion (SHM) by performing hands-on, practical application experiments.