Curated OER
Straight Line Motion in Two Parts
Students describe and quantify the motion of toy cars. In this motion lesson, students observe a battery powered toy car on a flat surface and a standard toy car on a sloped surface. They write their observations, measure average speeds,...
Curated OER
Matter in Motion
Second graders examine matter, what it is and what the different states are. For this matter lesson students view The Magic School Bus Meets Molly Cule and answer questions.
Curated OER
Bounce Back - The Long and Short of It
Upper elementary scientists test basketballs with differing amounts of air to find if inflation affects bounce height. The lesson introduction poses the question of whether or not the composition of a ball determines bounce height, but...
Curated OER
Magnet Circus
Students explore the properties of magnets by designing a device that can move as far as possible using only magnets to move it, and design a machine that will stay in motion for the greatest period of time.
Purdue University
Rolling with Roller Coasters
Sometimes science is all fun and games! A hands-on STEM lesson asks learners to design and create models of roller coasters. They analyze the motion using a marble and describe the areas of maximum kinetic and potential energy.
Nuffield Foundation
Measuring Rate of Water Uptake by a Plant Shoot Using a Potometer
How quickly does a plant transpire? Learners explore this question through measuring water uptake with a potometer. They time the movement of a bubble a set distance to understand the motion and rate of speed.
Curated OER
Experimenting with Motion
Young scholars design an experiment to change the motion of a rolling marble. In this designing an experiment lesson plan, students form a research question, they develop a hypothesis and they design an experiment using a graphic...
Curated OER
Sports and Sir Isaac Newton
Eighth graders choose a sport to observe and capture pictures of Newton's Laws of motion in action within the sport. They import these pictures into Avid Cinema to create a multimedia project to go along with the written report and oral...
Curated OER
Linear Motion: Speed, Velocity & Acceleration
Students explore the concept of linear motion. For this linear motion lesson, students calculate distance and time in order to calculate average speed and velocity in the provided problems.
Curated OER
Design a Parachute
Students engage in a discussion about what a parachute is and how it works. They create a parachute using different materials that they think will work best. The students test their designs, which will be followed by a class discussion...
Curated OER
Matter and Molecular Motion
Fourth graders define the states of matter and their properties. They demonstrate the air is matter and observe the effect of molecular motion through these activities.
Curated OER
Force and Motion Project
In this force and motion worksheet, students create a picture book and answer 7 questions on force and 12 questions on motion. There are 4 extra credit questions.
NOAA
Biological Oceanographic Investigations – Call to Arms
How many simple machines does it take to make a robotic arm? An inquiry-based lesson explores that topic and challenges pupils to build a robotic arm that can stretch, turn, and more. A few questions help guide them in the...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Tinkering with Tops
Get kids' heads spinning by challenging them to design a top that will rotate for a minimum of 10 seconds without leaving a 30-cm circle. Groups of learners collaborate through a planning stage, testing stage, and evaluation stage. Some...
Cornell University
Buoyancy
Swimmers know to float by turning their bodies horizontally rather than vertically, but why does that make a difference? In an interesting lesson plan, scholars explore buoyancy and the properties of air and water. They test cups to see...
Cornell University
Airboats
Don't let the resource blow you away. Scholars build airboats from basic materials and collect data on how far the boats move. They refine their designs taking Newton's laws into consideration.
Teach Engineering
Tissue Mechanics
Engage your class by showing them how silly putty and human tissues are alike. Pupils learn more about tissue mechanics by reflecting upon their experiences with silly putty. The lesson covers collagen, elastin, and...
Workforce Solutions
Newton's Laws
Two lessons explore the connection between energy transformation and a given job. In lesson plan one, small groups role-play a scenario that showcases the energy transformations that may take place during a job-specific task. The second...
Teach Engineering
Exploring Energy: What Is Energy?
...Then the water heater exploded like a bomb. Using a video of an exploding water heater, the resource presents the definitions of energy, potential energy, and kinetic energy to be used in later lessons of the unit.
Curated OER
Medieval Catapults
Students design and build a working catapult or trebuchet to explore the concepts of force, motion, and distance.
Curated OER
The Wonderful World of Waves (Wave Basics)
Students define amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and period, calculate period given frequency, and calculate frequency given period, define crest and trough and locate both on diagram of wave, differentiate between latitudinal and...
Curated OER
Fast Cars and Roll-Over
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Planet Paths: Studying Planetary Orbital Paths
Students define and identify planetary orbit, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola, and simulate Kepler's Second Law. They explore interactive websites demonstrating orbital motion and complete modeling activities.
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.)