National Wildlife Federation
Power Pellets! Nuclear Energy in the United States
Nuclear power provides about 20 percent of the energy generated in the United States. The seventh activity in the series of 12 tackles nuclear power. After sharing what they know about nuclear energy, scholars complete a...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating Factors Affecting the Heart Rate of Daphnia
What variables change heart rate? Young scientists observe the beating heart in Daphnia to understand these variables. They make changes in temperature, chemicals, and other factors as they graph the heart rates. Analysis questions help...
Curated OER
Physical Setting: Physics Exam 2004
Twelve pages of mostly multiple-choice questions comprise this comprehensive New York Regents physics exam. It covers an entire year's worth of physics curriculum and requires about three hours for completion. Review the questions to...
Virginia Department of Education
Properties of Compounds and Chemical Formulas
Young chemists have unknown compounds they need to sort. Performing three different tests on each, the chemical behaviors they observe become the basis for data analysis.
Curated OER
Me And My Shadow
Students investigate the concept of a shadow. They design a tool to create shadows for an experiment. They make observations and record the size and shape of shadows. The lesson contains background information for the teacher to deliver...
NASA
Photons in the Radiative Zone: Which Way Is Out? An A-Maz-ing Model
Can you move like a photon? Young scholars use a maze to reproduce the straight line motion of a photon. The second in a six-part series of lessons on the sun has learners measure angle of incidence and refraction to determine the path...
Curated OER
Red Light, Green Light
Learners investigate the friction between tires and the road and how it affects the movement of cars while driving. They discuss and define friction, experiment with sandpaper and wax paper to determine which material provides the least...
Curated OER
WHAT MAKES A LIGHT BULB LIGHT?
Students are able to use inquiry to answer the essential questions. They are able to predict and test configurations of a battery, bulb, and wire that make the complete circuit. Students craft a group and individual theory of a...
Curated OER
Linear Motion
In this fantastic physics and math lesson, student pairs create a ramp that will transport a rolling marble in order to learn about linear motion. Students use cardboard, straws, toothpicks, marshmallows, and paper clips in order to make...
Curated OER
Linear Motion
High schoolers are able to build an understanding of linear motion. They are able to define and calculate the speed and acceleration of various objects. Students are able to differentiate betweeen instantaneous speed and average speed....
Curated OER
Newton's Laws and Forces
In this Newton's laws and forces worksheet, learners answer 11 questions about inertia, vectors, force, and acceleration using Newton's laws. They also answer 3 questions about classification of species.
Curated OER
Materials for Teaching Modern Physics
A must-see for any physics teacher! You will find 217 pages of physics activities and worksheets that cover motion, electricity and magnetism, light, modern and quantum physics, and astronomy. Each activity comes with an answer...
Curated OER
Energy and Change: The Five Basic Laws
Five basic law of physics and energy are listed here, with a simple explanation of what each actually means in the real world! Your young physicists will appreciate the concepts being made more relevant and the language being made more...
K12 Reader
How Things Move
As part of a comprehension exercise, kids read a physical science article about motion and then answer a series of comprehension questions based on the passage.
Curated OER
Free Up the Ketchup!
Students, in teams, use given materials and their knowledge of Newton's First Law to create a device that will remove a sticky ping pong ball from a 16-oz. cup (which represents ketchup stuck in a bottle.)
Curated OER
Thomas Edison's Bright Ideas
Thomas Alva Edison may be one of the most well-known scientists to elementary or middle schoolers. Use his story to show that he invented more than just the light bulb and to inspire youngsters to work hard! You could use this on the...
Curated OER
To See or Not to See: The Colors of Light
Seventh graders describe and conduct an experiment that identifies the physical properties of light. They explore sources of visible light and an electromagnetic spectrum. Students explain the conversion of one form of energy to another.
IOP Institute of Physics
Physics in Concert
What do physicists and musicians have in common? A lot more than you might think. After first viewing a slide show presentation and completing a series of skills practice worksheets on the physics of light, sound, and...
Purdue University
Design of a Door Alarm
How does electricity work? Budding scientists explore the concepts of electrical currents and open and closed circuits with class discussion and a hands-on activity using a battery to turn on a light bulb. Learners also make predictions...
University of Texas
Lives of Stars
Stars exist from a few million years to over 10 billion years, depending on their mass. Scholars perform a play acting as stars to learn about their different life cycles. They develop an understanding of many of the fundamental concepts...
Curated OER
Friction
Students compare and contrast the movement of objects on different surfaces, experimenting with friction and forces of motion. This friction instructional activity has numerous online tools including worksheets and virtual activities;...
Curated OER
Reflecting Light
Students are introduced to the reflective properties of light and use mirrors to make light from a source reflect onto a specific target. They take turns and record the amount of time it took to correctly reflect the light.
PHET
Where to See an Aurora
Where can you see an aurora in North America? After completing an astronomy activity, scholars can locate the exact coordinates. Pupils plot points of the inner and outer ring of the auroral oval and answer questions based on...
Utah Education Network (UEN)
Utah Open Textbook: Physics
Textbooks come in all shapes, sizes, and media these days. An electronic textbook resource offers Physics materials for an entire course. The text offers an explanation of physics topics as well as examples of calculations and reading...