Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Investigating the Constancy of Gravity: Free Fall Using a Water Bottle

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this physics interactive lecture demonstration, students will predict what will happen if a plastic bottle, filled with water and having a hole near the bottom, is dropped. Will the bottle fall at the same rate as the water inside the...
Unit Plan
E-learning for Kids

E Learning for Kids: Science: Egypt: What Can Forces Do?

For Students K - 1st
A learning module reviewing how much force is needed to push or pull objects. Also learn about the force of gravity.
Unit Plan
E-learning for Kids

E Learning for Kids: Science: Pirates: What Are Some Forces Around Us?

For Students 4th - 6th
Covers the meanings of force, friction, and gravity, and the differences between magnetic and elastic spring force, and between weight and mass. The effect of air resistance on an object's motion is also touched upon.
Article
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: The Buoyant Force Does Not Get Smaller as You Sink

For Students 9th - 10th
This article explains the buoyant force using a submarine as an example. It also discusses what determines the size of the buoyant force using a formula, and explains decompression sickness better known as the bends.
Lesson Plan
Other

Fuel Our Future Now: Grade K 2 Module: Vroom! Vroom! What Makes Cars Go? [Pdf]

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
In this K-2 teaching module, students explore motion, gravity, friction, and energy using objects and model cars. They investigate using hands-on activities with vehicles, as well as online interactives and videos. The culminating event...
Activity
My Science Site

My Science Site: What Drops Faster? [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This resource provides a simple science activity teachers can use to teach gravity and mass. This resource is in PDF form; requires Adobe Reader.
Website
NASA

Nasa: The Space Place: What's a Barycenter?

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site from NASA helps in explaining a barycenter. "In the case of the Earth and the Sun, both bodies actually revolve, or spin, around the center of the mass between them. This point is called the barycenter."
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: What a Drag!

For Teachers 5th - 7th
The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate how drag affects falling objects. Students will make a variety of shapes out of paper and see how size and shape affects the speed with which their paper shapes fall. They will also be able...
Unit Plan
BBC

Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: Mass, Weight and Gravitational Field Strength

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson focuses on gravitational fields and includes what one is, the formula for gravity force, defining weight, formula for mass, an example of how to calculate gravity force, a practice question, and a link to a test.
Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Specific Gravity

For Students 9th - 10th
Wikipedia offers a brief explanation on what specific gravity is and why it is measured in terms of density of water. The equation for its measurement is also given.
Website
Other

Fermi Laboratory:how Strong Is the Strong Force?

For Students 9th - 10th
Use this site to learn about the four forces of nature. Also learn what determines the strength of a force. This question and answer site is a link of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
Handout
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: How High Does the Atmosphere Go?

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson shows the parts of the atmosphere and their size (thickness) relative to the size of the Earth. It includes background information, lesson outline, links to standards and assessments.
Handout
Science4Fun

Science4 Fun: Acceleration

For Students K - 1st
What is acceleration? Brief article discusses how it is measured, deceleration, and gravity.
Handout
Science4Fun

Science4 Fun: Mass and Weight

For Students K - 1st
What is mass? What is weight? Illustrated discussion of mass and weight including how they are measured.
Website
Treehut

Suzy's World: Black Holes

For Students 3rd - 8th
Use this site to find out what is a black hole in space and try an experiment.
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Move It!

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Mechanical energy is the most easily understood form of energy for young scholars. When there is mechanical energy involved, something moves. Mechanical energy is a very important concept to understand. Engineers need to know what...
Unit Plan
NOAA

Noaa: National Ocean Service: Education: Tides and Water Levels

For Students 9th - 10th
A great resource for explaining and understanding tides. Find out what tides are and why it is so important to monitor them. This is an extensive tutorial followed by a set of review questions. All of the information can be downloaded as...
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: The Science of Swinging

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
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.
Interactive
Boston University

Boston University: The Gravitational Field

For Students 9th - 10th
Defines what a gravitational field is, its value, and how to calculate it. Field-line patterns are also drawn and explained.
Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Gravitropism (Geotropism)

For Students 9th - 10th
Gravitropism (or geotropism) is how a plant responds to gravity. Roots have a positive reaction to gravity and they grow toward it. Stems have a negative reaction and grow away from gravity. Learn more about what happens inside a plant...
eBook
NASA

Nasa: Kepler and His Laws

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from NASA provides biographical details about the lives of Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. Discusses Kepler's successes at developing laws of planeatry motion. States the three laws and discusses each one individually....
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Design a Parachute

For Teachers 6th - 8th
After a discussion about what a parachute is and how it works, students will create a parachute using different materials that they think will work best. The students will test their designs, which will be followed by a class discussion...
Interactive
Other

My Physics Lab: Double Pendulum

For Students 9th - 10th
Experiment with a double pendulum to see what happens to the oscillation when you change the mass, gravity, or damping. Students can also change the starting position. The site includes equations to help students understand what is...
Interactive
Other

My Physics Lab: Chaotic Pendulum

For Students 9th - 10th
Experiment with a damped driven pendulum to see what happens to the oscillation when you change the mass, gravity, or damping. Students can also change the starting position. Site includes equations to help students understand what is...