Curated OER
Parachutes: Is it Surface Area or Shape?
Students investigate how to make a good parachute. In this physics lesson, students observe the motion of parachutes as it falls and measure the time. They collect data and calculate the average descent time for each canopy shape.
Curated OER
Graphing Speed
Students use LOGAL motion detector probe and observe a generated graph as a student performs various standard motions, and make measurements of time and distance. They suggest various time and distance measurements which a student can...
Curated OER
Gravity
Seventh graders progress through the Science Court: Gravity CD-ROM program. They read about and discuss how gravity was discovered. They complete review worksheets in preparation for the test.
Curated OER
Measurement of the Depth of the Ocean
Young scholars comprehend the physical properties of pressure and Boyle's Law by designing a depth gauge. They construct a capillary depth gauge and calculate the calibrated depth marks of the capillary tube. They determine the margin of...
Curated OER
Fun with Balloons
Fifth graders design their own hot air balloon. In this science lesson, 5th graders investigate how factors like weight and sizes affect a balloon's lifting power. They also write math problems based on facts written in the book "The...
Curated OER
Opposites Attract
Students demonstrate the attraction of small pieces of paper to a charged plastic rod and conduct experiment with other objects to determine whether they can hold a charge. They then use online applets to apply their experiments to...
Discovery Education
Cushion It!
Sugar cubes, collide! Groups design protection systems using bubble wrap to protect sugar cubes from being destroyed by falling batteries in the STEM lesson. They consider how the experiment relates to collisions in real-world...
Teach Engineering
Pushing it Off a Cliff
Focus on the conservation of energy, specifically looking at gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy, with a lecture that involves having friends throw light objects at each other to determine which has more kinetic energy and...
Curated OER
What is the Rock Cycle and Its Processes?
Geology beginners examine three different rock samples and determine their origin by their characteristics. By making and recording observations, they become familiar with features of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock types....
Curated OER
Take a Leap!
Eighth graders discuss the flight of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk. They study artwork of various sculptors showing the concept of flight. They write a paragraph and design a papier-mache' sculpture that shows movement.
Curated OER
Flying in Unusual Places
Eighth graders create a surrealistic composition that depicts flight.
Curated OER
Ride the Road to Freedom
Second graders discover that people can connect the dots of the stars to make pictures in the sky and have been doing so for thousands of years. They understand that throughout the United States people worked together to plan an escape...
Curated OER
Newtonian Mechanics
Students familiarize themselves, through teacher demonstration, with Gavendish's apparatus first used for experimentally determining the value of the Universal Gravitational Constant G, and calculate theoretical value of Earth's...
Curated OER
Super Gelatin
Students investigate the refraction properties of gelatin to calculate its index of refraction. They discover that as the light travels through the gelatin, its speed and wavelength also change. Students find th indes of refraction of an...
Curated OER
Investigation of Hooke's Law Lab
Young scholars determine the spring constant by conducting an investigation. In this physics lesson, students collect data and create a graph of force vs. displacement. They compare the results of two different methods to find spring...
Curated OER
The Catepillar Song
Young scholars remember the orderly changes of a butterfly by performing physical motions to a song.
Curated OER
Falling
Students should describe the path that the motion would take as well as what might begin or stop the motion. The common characteristic of all the motions that students have experienced directly is that one or more forces are acting on...
Curated OER
Pure Substances and Mixtures
Pupils compare and contrast the properties of substances and mixtures. In this chemistry lesson plan, students simulate spontaneous mixing by performing a short class activity. They differentiate heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures.
Curated OER
Hang Time
Students discuss how all objects fall at the same rate and vertical motion is independent of the horizontal motion. Students apply this information to center of mass activities before solving equations.
Curated OER
Where Will It Go?
Students predict the path of a ball bouncing off an object. In this physics lesson, students conduct the rolling ball experiment to test their prediction. They perform several trials for accuracy.
Curated OER
Ballistic Pendulum Lab
Students determine the muzzle velocity of projectile launcher. In this physics lesson, students compare the pendulum method and kinematic method in calculating the initial velocity. They analyze data and discuss results in class.
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
Phases of Matter
Students describe the motion of solids, liquids and gases. In this chemistry instructional activity, students describe how temperature affect motion of the particles. They determine the physical properties of each phase.
Curated OER
Bungee Man Lab
Students explore the motion of a toy bungee jumper using the scientific method. They view a video of a bungee jumper and discuss what can be measured about a bungee jump. Students discuss the scientific mehtod and how to design an...