Students conduct experiments with balloons, pennies, marbles and cups to help them understand the concept of centrifugal force or Newton's Law of Motion.

Using coil-spring driven cars, first year physicists experiment with Hooke's Law of elasticity. They also calculate potential and kinetic energy transfer times and distances. Not much instruction is provided to the teacher in this...

Do not let friction drag you down! The 11th segment in a series of 22 focuses on the fourth force acting upon an airplane—drag. Pupils learn about the effects and causes of drag.

Simple momentum computations and more complex collision computations can be found on these two worksheets. All of them can be answered by choosing from five possibilities. The first worksheet contains nine problems to solve, while...

In this forces activity, high schoolers use the equations for acceleration and Newton's second law to learn about different motions and forces. This activity has 7 problems to solve.

Students are divided into 6 groups with each group rotating to a different lab. The labs can be run over the course of a few days; or spread out for a longer period of time.

Students distinguish between kinetic and potential energy. They recognize that energy can change from one form to other forms. They identify and describe several forms of energy.

Students investigate the interdependence of mass and gravitational acceleration using computer simulation. In this physics lesson plan, students derive the formula for acceleration due to gravity. They calculate air resistance on falling...

Math and science come together in this cross-curricular astronomy lesson plan on planetary motion. Starting off with a hands-on activity that engages the class in exploring the geometry of circles and ellipses, this lesson...

Who has the power? The founding fathers asked the same question when the United States was formed. Learners explore issues that arose during Madison’s presidency that raised constitutional questions. Through discovery, discussion, and...

Students have the opportunity to use higher-level thinking skills and to apply their talents to previously learned material. It provides an opportunity for visual, auditory, and tactile/kinetic learners to utilize their particular...

Second graders investigate the law of polarity. In this magnets lesson, 2nd graders discover how magnets are used in everyday life and which objects in our environment are magnetic. Students experiment with bar magnets and record...

Mathematicians use a CBR 2™ motion detector to determine their speed or velocity going down a playground slide. They also experiment with different ways to increase their speed going down the slide. Finally, students complete the Student...

Students observe a video about pilots, their desired traits, and explore the similarities between a bird and an airplane. Using paper, wood or foam, they design create an aircraft to be flown in a competition to see which plane will fly...

If you are attracted to activities dealing with diamagnetism, here is a rare find that you will appreciate. With a neodymium magnet and a few common materials, move a pair of juicy grapes without touching them. Though the fruit is...

Fifth graders participate in a series of hands-on, Web-based activities and video-based activities to extend their learning of Forces and Motion.

Learners create a rocket using Alka-seltzer of baking soda and vinegar. For this physics lesson, students identify the factors affecting the length of time the rocket is propelled. They relate this activity to actual rocket launched in...

Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of a simple machine and uses the law of motion to justify why they operate. Students explore the laws by constructing some simple machines to illustrate the concepts.

Do you have an energy hog in your home? Individuals pick at least one room at home to determine the amount of energy the appliances consume. Using that information, pupils fill out a worksheet to determine the cost of running each...

The lesson has sufficient background information for the teacher to implement the lesson. Students are asked to summarize the three laws of motion. They also conduct classroom activities to role play the Laws of Newton.

Students discuss and give examples of Newton's three laws. They then answer questions in reference to Newton's three laws. One example of the questions that students answer is: A water-skier typically uses a 75 foot tow rope. The skier...

Students investigate the characteristics of simple machines. In this simple machine lesson, students investigate work as a product of applying constant force. They answer questions about what happens on Earth and what may have happened...

Middle schoolers explore placing a satellite into orbit, then about forces needed to keep an object in orbit. They examine how satellites orbit in elliptical paths and about properties of ellipses. They learn Kepler's 3rd Law of...

Students explore hurricanes. In this science instructional activity, students discuss the aspects of hurricanes and watch videos of hurricanes. Students discuss the motion of the hurricanes.