Show us your moves. Using sensor equipment, scholars track the motion of different movements, such as jogging, skipping, or jump roping. They analyze velocity and acceleration and create graphs representing each movement.

The stage is set for you to guide future physicists through three forceful activities about motion. In the first, learners experiment with rolling carts to discover how objects interact. In the second, they inspect images of an object in...

Several times throughout history, groups of soldiers marching in rhythm across a suspension bridge have caused it to collapse. Scholars experiment with pendulums, resonance, and force to determine why this would happen. First, pupils...

Students 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. They...

Students design a roller coaster that allows a marble to run the course as fast as possible. Students create an experimental roller coaster taking into account the steepness of the hills and the sharpness of the turns. Students use a...

Young scholars study the concepts of motion, velocity, and acceleration through graphing their own movement using LoggerPro. They explain the difference between speed and velocity using the weather vane example. They discover the...

There's more to fluids than meet the eye—they include gases, liquids, and polymers, too! Scholars complete three hands-on activities exploring different properties of fluids. They explore viscosity by measuring the resistance, or...

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,...

Students calculate acceleration due to gravity.

Students create an accelerometer and take measurements of acceleration in a moving car. They study the car speeding up in a straight line, slowing in a straight line and curving at constant speed. They prepare a lab report showing...

Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome. 

Twelfth graders look at local speed limits and traffic controls and see if they are reasonable. They plot the displacement and time to represent velocity, develop a plan for improving the current system, and organize experimental...

Learners explore physics concepts such as velocity, acceleration and speed to create a model of a safe roller coaster. They design and conduct a lab to demonstrate the properties of an object fired horizontally and at an angle.

Students investigate that an unbalanced force, acting on an object, changes it speed or path of motion or both, and know that if the force always acts toward the same center as the object moves, the objects path may curve into an orbit...

Young scholars explore average speed, and graph distances and time.  In this speed and velocity lesson students complete a lab then calculate distances, acceleration and velocity and graph the data.

Sixth graders read about and study motion. They conduct a lab in which they calculate speed using track records at their school. They graph the results and then invite a guest speaker (an officer from the local police department) who...

Middle schoolers design and build their own car. In this physics lesson, students collect data to determine the speed of the car. They plot the data on the graph analyze the relationship between variables.

Students explore centrifugal and centripetal force. In this motion instructional activity, students expand on their knowledge of motion to study velocity, acceleration, and friction. Students examine multiple objects to demonstrate the...

Students distinguish between kinetic and potential energy. They recognize that energy can change from one form to other forms. They identify and describe several forms of energy.

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...

Students calculate the distance and acceleration of an object. In this algebra lesson, students collect data and create table and graphs to analyze it. They complete a lab as they collect and analyze data on acceleration and distance.

Students examine the importance of good quality safety gear. For this investigative lesson, students will tests various polymers, collect data, and analyze the data to determine which polymer is best for safety helmets. They will design...

Students investigate the factors affecting projectile trajectory. In this physics lesson plan, students calculate the range, time and speed of projectiles using mathematical equations.

Students conceptually explore motion graphing by producing motion at different speeds and directions. They experience the lab and then graph the motion of the truck at various speeds and directions. The procedures of velocity are...