Curated OER
Newton's Laws
Eighth graders distinguish between and apply Newton's Laws. They take a quiz reviewing Kinetic and Potential Energy. Students explain that they have just demonstrated Newton's three laws of motion. They also explain what forces are...
Curated OER
Air: Demonstrating Its Presence and Effects
Young scholars explore the concept of air. In this gravity lesson, students perform various experiments that deal with gravity, air resistance, and air pressure.
Curated OER
Newton's Third Law of Motion
Seventh graders are introduced to Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this physics lesson plan students examine the concept of thrust as one of the forces acting on aircraft.
Curated OER
Colonial Geography: To and From Canada
Students identify the major geographic features of colonial New England. They explain the essential parts to a map and interpret journals to plot a journey. They discover the connection between geography and life.
Curated OER
My Big Rock
Second graders read a story entitled, "My Big Rock." After observing pictures in the book, 2nd graders predict what they believe may happen. They examine strategies for decoding unfamiliar words. Students discuss the girl in the story...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Two Stage Balloon Rocket
Students will build a multi-stage balloon rocket that they can launch across the classroom while learning about real space flight and Newton's laws of motion.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Balloon Rockets in 1 D
For this inquiry activity, students solve a 1D motion challenge in groups. Students build their own balloon rocket from the materials provided with little guidance from the instructor. They collect data and use it to prepare a position...
Center of Science and Industry
Cosi Columbus: Balloon Rockets [Pdf]
Science experiment that demonstrates Newton's Third Law by launching rockets made out of balloons. Includes full list of materials, procedures, and scientific explanation of what causes balloons to shoot forward and how you can make them...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Balloon Rockets
In this activity, students will learn that compressed air creates pressure to propel an air balloon. Students will create a graph in their science journals based on the relationship between the number of air pumps and the distance the...
Utah Education Network
Uen: Trb 3:3 Investigation 5 Balloon Rockets
Learn about the relationship between the force applied to an object and the resulting motion.
Science Bob Pflugfelder
Science Bob: Make Your Own Balloon Rocket!
This site contains a brief procedure for building (and launching) a balloon powered rocket. Introduces concepts of air pressure and propulsion.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Rocket Power
By making and testing simple balloon rockets, students acquire a basic understanding of Newton's third law of motion as it applies to rockets. Using balloons, string, straws and tape, they see how rockets are propelled by expelling...
NASA
Nasa: Rockets Educator Guide: Rocket Races
This lesson allows students to create their own rockets using foam trays and drinking straws that are powered by a balloon. Students will race their rockets on a track and determine why some rockets moved faster than others.
NASA
Nasa: Rockets Educator Guide: Heavy Lifting
A lesson plan for students to construct balloon powered rockets. Students will be given the same materials to construct their own rocket and then have a contest to see who can launch the highest paperclip from their rocket.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: States of Matter: Which Will Propel the Balloon?
For this activity, students take part in a simulation of the three states of matter where they role play being molecules. They then create simple balloon rockets and must explain why a gas is the only state of matter that can cause the...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Action Reaction! Rocket
Students construct a rocket from a balloon propelled along a guide string. They use this model to learn about Newton's three laws of motion, examining the effect of different forces on the motion of the rocket.
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: 3 M Young Scientist Lab: Two Stage Ballon Rocket
Build a multistage rocket from two balloons.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Why Does It Go So Fast? Investigating Rockets
After reading a book about movement and speed, students blow up a balloon and release it. During questioning and discussion, they are guided to make a connection between the balloon and a rocket.
Michigan Reach Out
Nasa Teacher's Resource Center: Balloon Staging
Activity to show student how rockets reach high altitudes.
Michigan Reach Out
Nasa: Rocket Activity: Rocket Pinwheel
This site provides directions for a basic activity that allows students to explore Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Science Museum of Minnesota
Science Museum of Minnesota: Air Cluster
Interesting site with links to activities about wind and air in many forms. Browse the different activities and investigations on the properties of air on the toolbar to the left of the page.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Mechanics Mania
Through ten lessons and numerous activities, students explore the natural universal rules engineers and physicists use to understand how things move and stay still. Together, these rules are called "mechanics." The study of mechanics is...
PBS
Pbs Kids: Design Squad: Build: Launch It
Use a balloon to build an air-powered rocket and launch it to see if you can hit a target.
NASA
Nasa: Imagine the Universe: Welcome to the World of X Ray Astronomy
Site recounts how X-rays were discovered as well as who discovered them. Offers graphics, links to facts on this topic, a quiz, and teacher resources.