Curated OER
Learn to Build a Rocket in 5 Days
Young scholars explore physics by participating in an engineering activity. In this rocket lesson, students define a list of scientific vocabulary terms such as "re-engineering" and "trade-off." Young scholars identify the rocket...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: A Battery That Makes Cents
Batteries are expensive to purchase in a store, but you can make one your self for exactly 24 cents. In this experiment, you will make your own voltaic pile using pennies and nickels and determine how many coins in a pile will make the...
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Physics 2000: Quantum Atom
Several pages with an interesting discussion of the visible light spectrum and atomic absorption and emission line spectrum. Features excellent graphics, thorough and understandable discussion, and many interactive Java applets.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Electron Current Flow
A teacher lesson plan which could be easily converted into an idea for a student project or presentation. This page describes an activity in which the water-electricity analogy is used to investigate the relationship between current,...
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Structures Around the World
How does that bridge stay up? What are the forces acting on that column? This site helps students understand how structures can be built by having them build their own. Also provides images of real structures for kids to compare with...
Other
Cool Science
This non-profit organization brings "cool" science programs to schools in the Pikes Peak, CO area, but the website also provides exciting videos, experiments, and links to online users. Watch real chemistry and physics experiments and...
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Electrochemistry
A teacher lesson plan which could be easily converted into an idea for a student project or presentation. This page describes activities in which the interconversion of chemical and electrical energy are investigated. Complete activity...
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Ohm's Law
For the teacher planning a lesson plan or for the student preparing for a project or presentation. This page describes a series of simple activities related to the voltage-current-resistance relationship.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Resistances in Series and Parallel Circuits
A teacher lesson plan is provided here. This page describes two activities in which the effect of multiple resistors on the current and overall resistance of both series and parallel circuits are investigated. Complete activity...
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Batteries and Bulbs
For the teacher planning a lesson plan or for the student preparing for a project or presentation. This page describes an activity in which parallel and series circuits are constructed using batteries and bulbs. Complete activity...
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Simple Circuitry and Series Circuit
A teacher lesson plan which could be easily converted into an idea for a student project or presentation. This page describes an activity in which the basic nature of a circuit and the concepts of a series circuit are investigated....
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Series and Parallel Circuits
A teacher lesson plan which could be easily converted into an idea for a student project or presentation. Ideal for pre-high school pupils. This page describes an activity in which the history of electric circuits, the nature of electric...
Other
Science Fair Primer: Physics Project Ideas
Lists many science fair project ideas in the area of physics.
Other
Physics Labs: Heat of Fusion (Hf) of Ice
A complete set of directions, notes and suggestions for a lab involving the determination of the heat of fusion of ice. Suitable for a student project or lab investigation.
Other
Physics Labs/heat of Vaporization (Hv) of Water
A complete set of directions, notes and suggestions for a demonstration involving the determination of the heat of vaporization of water. Suitable for a student project or lab investigation.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Third Law of Motion
This Illinois Institute of Technology site is a lesson plan and lab that utilizes a toy rocket to investigate Newton's third law. Includes directions and practical applications.
Other
Physics Labs/specific Heat (C) of Metal
A complete set of directions, notes, and suggestions for a lab involving the determination of the specific heat values for various metals. Suitable for a student project or lab investigation.
Boston University
Optics Demonstrations: Holograms
A short description of a demonstration involving a hologram. Suitable as a supplement for a teacher lesson plan or as an idea-generator for a student project.
Boston University
Bu: Optics Demonstrations: Diffraction
Short descriptions and graphics of three demonstrations which illustrate the diffraction phenomenon. Suitable as a supplement for a teacher lesson plan or as an idea-generator for a student project.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Lab Activity: Helicopter
The Illinois Institute of Technology lets learners investigate the aerodynamics of a helicopter, focusing on the variables which effect the lift, thrust, drag, and weight. Students investigate the effects of aerodynamics on a wide board.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Lab Work: Come Fly With Me
This site by the Illinois Institute of Technology lets students use a vacuum cleaner hose, ping pong balls, straws and other materials to investigate the effect of moving air upon the surfaces which it hits. Principles are applied as...
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Lab Work Forces & Acceleration
The Illinois Institute of Technology provides this site. The site contains a graphing activity which illustrates that a constant force exerted upon an object results in constant acceleration. Rolling carts and stopwatches are used to...
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Colliding Spheres
This lab activity from the Illinois Institute of Technology lets students investigate the impact of collisions upon the velocity and momentum of the colliding objects. Requires understanding of vectors.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Momentum Conserved
This site by the Illinois Institute of Technology gives a Lab activity in which pupils use a variety of toys to discover Newton's second law and momentum conservation. Newton's cradle, skate boards, and a toy motorcycle are incoporated...