Students apply the mechanical advantages and problem-solving capabilities of six types of simple machines (wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, pulley) as they discuss modern structures in the spirit of the engineers and...

First graders explore movement and motion. In this motion lesson, 1st graders how objects can move as well as how the Earth is in constant motion and the force of gravity. Students complete a coloring sheet.

Students work together to discover the concept of angular momentum. They participate in experiments in which they test rotation and relate it to an object's mass. They participate in a literacy activity in which they compare mythology...

Students examine living and non-living things in their environment. They identify trees, plants, and grasses in their neighborhood and those that originate in Illinois in this unit of lessons.

Students explore the concept that free-fall eliminates the local effects of gravity. They discuss what an Earth-orbiting spacecraft experience is like as well as the terminology of weightlessness. Their lab experiment commences.

Students predict the behavior of coffee in a cup while it is dropped during a demonstration. They relate their observations to the weightless conditions that astronauts experience in space and discuss the concept of free-fall.

The good thing about building this rover is you get to eat it afterwards. Pairs determine rover parts they want to include in their design based upon their cost and usefulness. The teams design their rovers, build them from edible...

Scholars build robotic arms that swing back and forth and use them to collect velocity and acceleration data. To analyze the results, pupils compare data to the equations for angular velocity and centripetal acceleration.

Students read an article, brainstorm ideas and prepare journals investigating why people enjoy 'thrill' rides, what forces affect the body on these rides and how they can become dangerous.

Students study kinetic and potential energy. In this energy lesson, students in grades K-2 understand the differences between kinetic and potential energy. Students in grades 3-5 demonstrate that kinetic and potential energy. Students in...

In this oral language worksheet, students work in pairs to ask and answer questions. The first student asks 6 questions about the preferences of Leonardo di Caprio and Cameron Diaz. When the partner answers, it is checked and marked as...

Sixth graders explore the concept of inequalities and how to solve them in the realm of integers. The instructor would benefit from using a number line and reviewing integers before using this lesson.

Students investigate gravity.  In this weightless lesson students complete a lab activity about how a free fall might effect how one perceives gravity.

In this sampling errors activity, students problem solve to find the sampling errors for each word problem. Students finish by finding a sampling method that might bias the last surveys.

Students learn what a pendulum is and how it works in the context of amusement park rides. While exploring the physics of pendulums, they are also introduced to Newton's first law of motion - about continuous motion and inertia.

If you'd like to investigate the physics of amusement park rides, then this project is for you. You'll build a roller coaster track for marbles using foam pipe insulation and masking tape, and see how much the marble's potential energy...

Lots of people enjoy roller coasters, but not many understand why they feel the strange excitement they do when riding them. In this science fair project, you will build and use an accelerometer to figure out and measure gravity-induced...

After downloading the "Motion Video Analysis" software, users can collect data about moving object's position from digital movie clips. This collection of data will allow them to plot motion graphs and draw conclusions about physics in...

Interactive site by STEM teacher Mariana Garcia-Serrato in a lesson on physics in which students design, budget for and analyze their own roller coasters.

Help the Mummy build a rollercoaster to entertain the Atoms Family monsters by investigating the concepts of kinetic and potential energy.

Students explore the science behind thrill rides, including the physics of a roller coaster, human emotions, and physiological effects on the body. A related article is accessible through free registration.