Curated OER
Work-Kinetic Energy Theorem
Students prove the validity of the Work-Kinetic Energy Theorem by analyzing the Car and Driver website which lists qualitative and quantitative data about an assigned car. They decide whether or not they would purchase the car based on...
University of Georgia
Freezing and Melting of Water
Examine the behavior of energy as water freezes and melts. An engaging activity provides a hands-on experience to learners. Collaborative groups collect data and analyze the graphs of the temperature of water as it freezes and then...
Virginia Department of Education
The Rate of a Chemical Reaction
If your pupils think a catalyst is a list of their cats, then this might be the lesson plan for you! Young chemists study the effect of temperature, catalysts, concentration, and particle size on reaction rates during four different...
Curated OER
Mechanical Energy
Young scholars discover the difference between kinetic and potential energy in an experiment using toy cars and tracks. In small groups, they set up the experiment to determine the distance milk cartons will travel when hit by toy car....
Curated OER
Design Your Own Rube Goldberg Machine
Young scholars participate in a culminating activity for a unit on Energy and Simple Machines. They are challenged to incorporate simple machines in to a complex mechanical system. While designing and testing their machine they will...
Curated OER
A Hilly Ride
Fifth graders investigate situations that show how kinetic and potential energy are exchanged. They determine how friction is a source of energy transfer from kinetic to thermal energy by experimenting with a car and track. They answer...
Curated OER
Attributes of Accuracy
Students explain necessity in using accurate instruments when measuring, and how measurements can be checked for accuracy. They make a six-inch ruler, design, test, and evaluate a system to measure work, and produce a table and graph to...
Curated OER
Waterwheel Work
Students investigate the history of the waterwheel and common uses for water turbines today. They construct an experimental waterwheel using a two-liter plastic bottle, measure the rate of revolution of a waterwheel, and complete a...
Curated OER
Fossil Fuel Sources, Usage and Alternatives: What Are the Options?
Students examine the relationship between energy and the environment. In groups, they participate in experiments to discover the law of thermodynamics and the differences between potential, kinetic and mechanical forms of energy. They...
Virginia Department of Education
Soap, Slime, and Creative Chromatography
Do you think chromatography paper suffers from separation anxiety? Young chemists make soap, slime, silly putty, and experiment with chromatography in this lesson. The material includes clear instructions for each experiment along with...
Virginia Department of Education
Molar Heat of Fusion for Water
How can you describe heat of fusion in a way the class understands and relates the importance of this concept to present day issues? In this third lesson of the series, learners conduct an experiment, demonstrating the flow of heat...
Teach Engineering
Things That Matter to Flocculants
How does the dirt get out of your drinking water? A hands-on activity introduces the use of flocculants to help clear solid particles out of water. The plan walks learners through the process of setting up an experiment that controls the...
Curated OER
Reaction Kinetics and Rate Laws
In this reaction kinetics worksheet, students draw a graph of energy vs. reaction progress and determine the factors which change the speed of a reaction. Students learn about rate laws. This worksheet has 1 graph, 15 fill in the blanks,...
Curated OER
Potato Launcher Energy Lab
Students investigate conservation laws using a potato launcher. In this physics lesson, students measure angles, time and distance of the potato. They discuss applications of experiments like this.
Curated OER
Elastic Racquet
Pupils discover the science behind a tennis racket by looking at a simple toy that works in a similar way. After looking at the related mathematical equations, students experiment with the simple toy to find the spring constant k by...
Curated OER
Introduction to Friction
Students study the properties of the frictional force between two surfaces in contact. They inspect various phenomena in nature where friction plays an important role and demonstrate
Cornell University
Catapults
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.
Science Geek
Gas Laws
A physical science presentation begins with an explanation of ideal gases and their behavior. Then it introduces all of the gas laws with descriptions and formulas.
Virginia Department of Education
Heat Transfer and Heat Capacity
It's time to increase the heat! Young chemists demonstrate heat transfer and heat capacity in an activity-packed lab, showing the transitions between solid, liquid, and gaseous phases of materials. Individuals plot data as the changes...
Cornell University
Catapult
Studying levers couldn't be more exciting! Learners build their own catapults and test the results as they make adjustments to the fulcrum. They compete against other groups to create the most accurate apparatus.
Columbus City Schools
What’s Up with Matter?
Take a "conservative" approach to planning your next unit on mass and matter! What better way to answer "But where did the gas go?" than with a lab designed to promote good report writing, research skills, and detailed observation. The...
Virginia Middle School Engineering Education Initiative
Save the Penguins: An Introduction to Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
Heat things up in your physical science class with this interactive lesson series on thermodynamics. Through a series of class demonstrations and experiments, young scientists learn how heat is transferred through conduction, convention,...
Curated OER
Domino Effect
Seventh graders investigate a change from potential energy to kinetic energy and discuss the concept of waves carrying energy. They, in pairs, work on an experiment which is guided by a worksheet imbedded in this plan.
Curated OER
Ball Bearing Roller Coasters and Teamwork Lab
Learners discuss potential and kinetic energy and design roller coasters to study this concept. In this energy lesson, students discuss the potential and kinetic energy of a roller coaster. Learners design roller coasters and hypothesize...