Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Straight Line Motion

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders compare/contrast and interpret data concerning different objects straight line motion. They observe several round or spherical objects of various materials and sizes. Students make predictions, observe and collect data...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classify Forces

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders compare and contrast the forces of pushing and pulling. As a class, they take a field trip around the school and write down any action they see and any object that is motionless. In groups, they use magazines to cut out...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Circular Motion

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders explore circular motion.  In this centripetal force lesson students complete a lab activity while in groups. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Motion and Gravity

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders make parachutes to learn about gravity and the science process. In this gravity lesson, 3rd graders create parachutes and observe their flight in air. Students discuss wind and gravity for the activity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Football Physics "Having A Ball With Projectile Motion"

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils examine the concept of projectile motion and identify the 3 components of projectile motion. They explore how physics applies to punting a football through punting activities and internet research.
Lesson Plan
PHET

Measuring the Interplanetary Magnetic Field

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Scientists need to figure out how to measure interplanetary magnetic fields, but the magnetic field of the spacecraft is interfering with their readings. Scholars attempt to solve the problem that has perplexed NASA scientists for years.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Newton's Second Law

For Students 9th - 12th
In this Newton's law of motion worksheet, students review the concepts and equation associated with Newton's second law of motion. Students complete 7 matching and 5 true or false questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Objects Move

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students will make many discoveries about how and why objects move. They will explore and manipulate the motion of objects and the forces required to control that motion (pushing, pulling, throwing, dropping, rolling, and so on). This...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Proportionality: The X-Plane Generation

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students meet NASA researchers who describe the relationship between force, energy and motion. They discuss how NASA's experimental X-plane is being tested to make space travel more reliable and show how proportionality and ratios are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Newton's Laws of Motion

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students investigate the effect of thin films to surface friction. In this physics lesson, students calculate the coefficient of friction using mathematical formulas. They discuss its importance in their everyday lives.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pitch, Yaw & Roll

For Teachers K - 12th
Students practice the concepts of pitch, yaw and roll. They practice pitch, yaw, roll in a make-believe airplane simulator. Students explore about air, forces, and movement of flight. They read for themselves about air; lift, dragweight,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bounce (Projectile Motion And Collisions)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze the motion of an object as it moves through a complex path that includes rolling, falling, and bouncing. They answer questions related to what forces are acting at any given time.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Newton’s Laws of Motion

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore the three laws of motion. In this physics lesson, 8th graders observe teacher demonstration and explain what happened in terms of Newton's Laws. They complete worksheet at the end of the lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Newton's Laws of Motion

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students perform three activities that each demonstrate one of Newton's Laws of Motion. They use a ramp and toy car to demonstrate inertia, calculate acceleration due to gravity, then use a medicine ball and rolling chair to demonstrate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Newton's Third Law of Motion

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders are introduced to Newton's Third Law of Motion.  In this physics activity students examine the concept of thrust as one of the forces acting on aircraft. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gyrocopter - Describing Rotary Motion

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students calculate angular displacement, velocity and acceleration of gyrocopters. In this physics lesson, students compare data taken from 3 different gyrocopters. They explain how differences in construction material affect rates of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animating Motion

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Learners apply what they recall about objects in motion by animati ng sequences of pictures that model a set of physical conditions. They animate the orbital motions of the Earth, the space shuttle, and the Moon based on calculations of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Santa Claus and Newton's Three Laws of Motion

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students read 3 creative scenarios about Santa Claus and choose which of the 3 laws of motion are being demonstrated in each.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forces in a Climb - Vectors

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners read Forces in a Climb from the Beginner's Guide to Propulsion, and explain each of the formulas using vectors.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Push or Pull

For Students 2nd - 3rd
In this push or pull activity, students observe pictures and determine whether the objects show a push or a pull motion and then draw a push and a pull picture. Students answer eight questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Principles of Flight: Gyrocopter and the Scientific Method

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the concept of the scientific method. In this investigative lesson, students investigate which direction the blades will spin on a gyrocopter. Student will practice using the scientific method to complete the investigation.
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Alka-Seltzer Rockets

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Blast off! An engaging hands-on activity has pupils create rockets powered by Alka-Seltzer. They learn about the physics behind these rockets throughout the process.
Lesson Plan
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University of Colorado

Terra Bagga

For Teachers 5th - 12th Standards
Earth's magnetic poles switch positions about every 200,000—300,000 years. In the activity, groups create a planet with a magnetic field. Once made, they use a magnetometer to determine the orientation of the planet's magnetic field....
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Why Are Vectors Useful? 1

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
How do vectors help make problem solving more efficient? Math scholars use vectors to represent different phenomenon and calculate resultant vectors to answer questions. Problems vary from modeling airplane motion to the path of a...