Lesson Planet
Search educational resources
  • Sign In Try It Free
  • AI Teacher Tools
    • Discover Resources Search reviewed educational resources by keyword, subject, grade, type, and more
    • Curriculum Manager (My Content) Manage saved and uploaded resources and folders To Access the Curriculum Manager Sign In or Join Now
    • Browse Resource Directory Browse educational resources by subject and topic
    • Curriculum Calendar Explore curriculum resources by date
    • Lesson Planning Articles Timely and inspiring teaching ideas that you can apply in your classroom
    • Our Story
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
  • Pricing
  • School Access
    • Your school or district can sign up for Lesson Planet — with no cost to teachers
      Learn More
  • Sign In
  • Try It Free

Hi, what do you want to do?

Create a lesson plan
Create a lesson plan
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Find a teaching resource
Find a teaching resource
Why Does The Earth Spin? Instructional VideoWhy Does The Earth Spin? Instructional Video
Publisher
Veritasium
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
6th - 12th
Subjects
Science
4 more...
Resource Type
Instructional Videos
Media Length
2:52
Audiences
For Teacher Use
1 more...
Duration
10 mins
Instructional Strategy
Direct Instruction
Technology
Video
Internet Access
Year
2011
Usage Permissions
Fine Print
Instructional Video

Why Does The Earth Spin?

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Is it really love that makes the world go 'round? Find out in an amusing interview-based video. The narrator asks visitors at a city park why Earth continues to turn on its axis. After several misguided attempts at invoking different physical laws, inertia is revealed as the culprit behind rotation.

22 Views 24 Downloads

Concepts

inertia, the earth, the earth's rotation, mass

Additional Tags

science

Instructional Ideas

  • Use the video to kick off a unit on inertia or as an earth science brainteaser
  • Have paired pupils design an experiment to demonstrate inertia on an object

Classroom Considerations

  • Some background information on forces may be helpful for middle school scientists
  • This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

  • Reveals the correct answer and explains it simply at the end
  • Wrong answers are debunked by explaining the effect that force actually has on Earth, if any

Cons

  • None

See similar resources:

Unit Plan

Earthly Waves

Columbus City Schools
How did scientists discover what lies beneath the earth's surface? Dig a hole? X-ray vision? Guide your class through the types of seismic waves and how these waves helped shed light on Earth's many layers. The included resources provide...
8th Science
CCSS: Designed
Lesson Plan

Layers of the Earth

Science 4 Inquiry
We can't dig a hole through the Earth, so how do we know about the layers beneath our feet? Scholars learn about layering through hands-on exploration of common materials. They study the characteristics of each layer and apply their...
6th - 8th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Video

Tutorial: Rocket Science!

MinutePhysics
Have a blast learning how rockets defy gravity! Show your physics scholars the calculations scientists use to relate the mass of the rocket and its fuel to the force required to fight Earth's gravitational pull. No rocket? No problem!...
5 mins 9th - 12th Science
Instructional Video

The Sun and The Earth: Crash Course Big History #3

Crash Course
Amaze your class with the fact that more than 1,000 confirmed planets exist. The video explains the formation and development of planets, especially the earth. It covers the solar nebula, birth of the sun, and the development of the...
15 mins 9th - Higher Ed Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Video

Why Does Earth Have Deserts?

MinuteEarth
Deserts make up 33 percent of the land surface area on the earth, so why does Earth have them? The video explains the wind and weather patterns that lead to deserts as well as rain forests. It details how this is related to the ocean...
2 mins 6th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Motion, Forces, Energy and Electricity

Curated OER
What a wonderful way to explore motion and forces! Learners design a catapult, after watching a video and discussing types of catapults. This is a comprehensive and complete lesson with links to supplementary resources.
K - 8th Science
Instructional Video

Science of the Winter Olympic Games: Physics of Slope-Style Skiing

National Science Foundation
Many mechanical phenomena are explained by a physics professor using Nick Goepper, a Winter Olympics 2014 slope-style skier, as the model. Beginning with kinetic and potential energy, the professor goes on to explain angular momentum and...
5 mins 6th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Interactive

Study Jams! Gravity & Inertia

Scholastic
Is it possible to defy gravity? Not really. With force and inertia, we can act against it for a little while, but, eventually, gravitational force will pull us back to Earth. The relationships among mass, force, and inertia are all...
4 mins 6th - 9th Science
Interactive

Study Jams! Force & Motion

Scholastic
Set youngsters in motion when studying forces. This quick animated film stars Sam and Mia, two intelligent but cool kids who talk about forces and motion on the soccer field. Consider using this resource when preparing junior-high...
4 mins 4th - 8th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Kinesthetic Astronomy: Earth's Rotation

California Academy of Science
After completing the activity, "Kinesthetic Astronomy: The Meaning of a Year," zoom in on Earth's rotation using the same simulation setup and this outline. Each class member dons a map of the Western Hemisphere and plays the part of...
3rd - 8th Science
Try It Free
© 1999-2026 Learning Explorer, Inc.
Teacher Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Resources

Sign up for the Lesson Planet Monthly Newsletter

Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • Health
  • Language Arts
  • Languages
  • Math
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education
  • Visual and Performing Arts
View All Lesson Plans

Discover Resources

  • Our Review Process
  • How it Works
  • How to Search
  • Create a Collection

Manage Curriculum

  • Edit a Collection
  • Assign to Students
  • Manage My Content
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Use