Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Investigating Projectile Motion: Creating a Catapult

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson is for 9th grade physical science students. It begins with an inquiry-based lesson using a projectile motion computer simulation. It culminates with students building a catapult; applying and connecting science knowledge from...
Lesson Plan
The Wonder of Science

The Wonder of Science: Ms Ps2 1: Collision Design Solution

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Help your young scholars explore how the motion of objects changes during a collision. This website includes work samples, phenomena, assessment templates, and videos that focus on collision design solution.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Multiple Choice Planetary Motion Study Cards

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Kepler's Laws 1,2,3 including eccentricity of elliptical orbits. Good for reviewing planetary motions (NYS Earth Science).
Online Course
Cosmo Learning

Cosmo Learning: Physics 240: Science and Engineering I

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of video lectures from a physics for science and engineering course taught at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The course discusses the concepts of mechanics, wave motion, sound, heat and thermodynamics in thirty-five...
Article
Open Curriculum

Open Curriculum: Force and Motion

For Students 9th - 10th
This article helps students learn about Newton's laws of motion and the properties of force.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physical Science: Calculating Acceleration From Force and Mass

For Students 7th - 9th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How to calculate acceleration from force and mass, and force from mass and acceleration.
Activity
Middle School Science

Middle School Science: Balloon Powered Race Cars

For Students 9th - 10th
An idea developed by a physical science teacher who applied Newton's Laws of Motion in creating a balloon powered race car. Find simple objective, materials, rules, and procedures.
Website
NASA

Nasa: Rockets Educator Guide: How Rockets Work

For Students 3rd - 8th
In this article, learn how rockets work. Discover Newton's Law of Motion and learn how it supports rocketry.
Lesson Plan
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Teaching Engineering Design With an Egg Drop

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners build a device to protect an egg and prevent it from breaking when dropped.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Design and Launch Bottle Rockets

For Students 3rd - 5th
If you want to discover what makes rockets fly, this is an activity for you. You can even add different features, like fins, a nose cone, and a parachute to find out how these alter the flight!
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: The Science of Fun!

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the science behind circus acts. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Article
Open Curriculum

Open Curriculum: Newton's Laws in Three Dimensions

For Students 9th - 10th
Students can use this article to learn about forces and motions in three dimensions.
Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Force and Motion: Newton's First Law: Inertia

For Students 3rd - 5th
A video and a short multiple-choice quiz on the meaning of inertia.
Interactive
Wisc-Online

Wisc Online: Physics: Newton's Laws

For Students 9th - 10th
Play this game to review for a physical science test on Newton's laws.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Effect of Friction on Objects in Motion

For Students 6th - 8th
The funny thing about friction is that you couldn't get anywhere without it, yet it still acts to slow you down as you're getting there. Here is an easy project to measure the effects of friction.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Motion Pretest

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students will take a pretest to assess their knowledge about motion in a physical science class.
Article
Story Behind the Science

Story Behind the Science: Pendulum Motion, Time, and Shape of Earth [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Article outlining the scientific history behind the evolution of theories about measuring time based on the movement of a pendulum, and about how gravity would impact a pendulum's movement depending on one's proximity to the Earth's...
Article
Story Behind the Science

Story Behind the Science: Pendulum Motion [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
The history of the pendulum and its importance both in timekeeping, and in how timekeeping was used to solve other problems, such as determining longitude on a map.
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Destination Outer Space

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students acquire a basic understanding of the science and engineering of space travel as well as a brief history of space exploration. They learn about the scientists and engineers who made space travel possible and briefly examine some...
Activity
University of California

Understanding Science: Newton's 2nd Law: Inquiry Approach Lesson

For Teachers 10th - 12th
For this lesson, students develop their own scientific experiment to test Newton's hypothesis that the acceleration of an object depends on the net force acting upon it and its mass. After completing their designed experiment, students...
Activity
Teachers TryScience

Teachers Try Science: Eggs at Rest Stay at Rest

For Students 5th - 8th
Students demonstrate the properties of inertia with some common kitchen materials.
Handout
Other

Easy Science for Kids: All About Force: Pushing and Pulling

For Students 2nd - 5th
Students will understand that pushes and pulls can have different strengths and directions. Students investigate the effects of these different pushes and pulls.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physical Science: Velocity Time Graphs

For Students 7th - 9th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How to draw a velocity-time graph and what it represents.
Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: The Accomplishments of Isaac Newton

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the life of Isaac Newton and his many accomplishments in physics, mathematics, optics, and religious study, and how his discoveries helped in space research.