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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Everglades Airboat

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
How does an airboat move when there isn't a motor in the water? The simulation teaches the forces related to the thrust and drag on an airboat. Scholars vary the boat mass and thrust force in order to view graphs of the changing force...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Elevator

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Do you weigh slightly less when an elevator first starts its descent? The simulation teaches the change in the force based on the acceleration, constant speed, or deceleration of an elevator. Scholars control the mass and acceleration...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Pirate Ship

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Everything that happens is an interaction, from the wind blowing a sail to a cannon ball being thrust out of a cannon. A simulation shows the interactions involving a sail, air, ball, pirate, cannon, deck, ocean, and the Earth and the...
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Handout
CPO Science

Potential and Kinetic Energy

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Here's a resource ideal for independent learners who need extra reinforcement or would like to work ahead. These textbook chapters and practice problems cover many basic physics concepts, starting with potential and kinetic energy and...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Airplane

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
How does an airplane control its take off and descent? Scholars explore the forces acting on an airplane and control the angle of attack, wing profile, thrust, and airplane size. They learn about lift, drag, thrust, gravity, and the...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Horse and Cart

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Can a horse pull more than its weight? A simple simulation answers this question and more. Pupils adjust the mass in a cart, the mass of the horse, the acceleration of the horse, and the angle of the tension rope between the horse and...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Bowling Alley

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Sometimes it appears that a bowling ball slides down the alley rather than rolling, while other times it appears to switch rolling directions at some point. Scholars control the bowling ball size, initial rotation, initial speed, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Motion Through the Ages

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders conduct internet research to produce a timeline of man's growth in understanding of concepts of motion and planetary motion through history.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Science of Swinging

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students learn how a pendulum works in the concept of an amusement park ride. In this pendulum lesson, students are introduced to Newton's first law of motion and how it works in an amusement park ride. Continuous motion and inertia are...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

F = a, Inertia, and Friction

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use a matchbox car to push across a hard surface and observe what happens. They then push the car across a soft or rough surface and discover what happens. The two ideas are discusses as Newton's First and Second Laws of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marble Run

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students use marbles to conduct experiments on movement of objects and explore Newton's three laws of motion. In this motion lesson plan, students use marbles, tubing, foam, paper cups, and more.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balloon Rockets

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students, after reviewing and analyzing Newton's third law of motion, make balloon rockets and experiment with a variety of models. After the experiment, they chart the results and form conclusions. In addition, they compare/contrast...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocket Science 101

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the aspects of Newton's First and Third Laws of Motion as they conduct controlled rocketry experiments and analyze the Mars Mission in terms of the principles of rocketry.
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Activity
It's About Time

Run and Jump

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Has your class wondered how fast a human could run or how high they are capable of jumping? Help them understand these concepts as they explore acceleration and use an accelerometer to make semiquantitative measurements of acceleration...
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Activity
It's About Time

Automatic Triggering Devices

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
How does the air bag trigger in an accident? The lesson explores how automatic triggering devices work in automobiles. Using examples such as a seat belt lock and air bag, scholars design their own device to better understand the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Newton's Third Law

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students describe an everyday situation which demonstrates Newton's Third Law. They state Newton's Third Law;"Every action has an equal and opposite re-action, or every force has an equal and opposite force" in their own words. ...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

FRAMES OF REFERENCE: THE BASICS

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the concept of frames of reference in physics: that two frames of reference, each moving with respect to the other with a constant velocity v, observe the same accelerations and therefore Newton's laws are the same in both.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aircraft Motion

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students, after reading an explanation from a NASA Web-based textbook, demonstrate an understanding of the text by applying it to the calculations involving the motion of an airplane.
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Lesson Plan
Physics Classroom

From a Feather to an Elephant

For Teachers 9th - 12th
It is always a rush to drop objects from great heights, and with this physics experiment, class members will not be disappointed! They drop a single coffee filter from a balcony or table top, record the time it takes to reach the ground,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Go Car, Go!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students design and build their own car. In this physics lesson, students collect data to determine the speed of the car. They plot the data on the graph analyze the relationship between variables.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

F = Ma, Inertia, And Action-reaction

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate Newton's Second and Third Laws of Motion. They determine what makes objects harder or easier to push. While investigating they determine how applying force in order balance out gravity allows things to stay...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Skateboard Science

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Young scholars investigate how skaters can turn in midair. In this physics lesson, students relate Newton's Laws to skateboarding. They carry out the maneuver with the help of their classmate.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Vectors

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students are introduced to the bridge building challenge. They perform two labs and work in small groups to finish the vector worksheet. Students review vector additions. They then move onto the Forces on an Inclined Plane Lab. ...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Activity One Teacher Page: Vehicles In Motion

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students identify variables that affect the system, and specify which variables are independent and which are dependent.