Torque Teacher Resources
Move your instruction on mechanics, force, and torque in the right direction—and with the right amount of momentum! At Lesson Planet, our teacher team is hard at work finding the highest quality lessons, videos, presentations, and labs that fit your physics curriculum.
Start a unit on mechanics and movement with a presentation on motion in two dimensions, which includes examples of projectile and circular motion, as well as torque and centripetal force. A video that focuses on inertia and momentum would be a great supplement to a discussion on applied forces.
Young physicists get their hands on the problem with a lab that uses meter sticks, ring stands, and hand weights to experiment with the concept of torque. An interactive resource explores how an applied torque affects the balance and rotation of an object.
Having trouble engaging all learners in the subject matter? Take physics to the football field with a video that investigates the topics of applied force and center of gravity in the context of tackle football.
Don’t let your physics instruction succumb to inertia; we’ve struck just the right balance of informative and engaging resources that can move student knowledge forward!
Showing 266 resources
Lesson Planet Curated
TeachEngineering: Forces All Around
Imagine using a hot glue gun or a glue stick to demonstrate tension, compression, and torsion! A six-part series of lessons and hands-on activities teach young engineers about the fundamental facets of engineering design: forces, loads,...
Lesson Planet Curated
Simple Machines
A collection of five lessons and activities introduce young engineers to simple and compound machines. Groups use the engineering design process to design a Rube Goldberg machine to move a circus elephant into a rail car, a pulley system...
Lesson Planet Curated
Crash Course: Physics
Dr. Shini Somara narrates a 46-video Crash Course Physics course based on the 2016 AP Physics I and II curriculum. Topics covered include linear, circular, rotational, simple harmonic, 2D motion, derivatives, integrals, vectors, Newton’s...
Physics Classroom
Torque-ing About Rotation
Let's talk torque! Science scholars evaluate experimental setups during an interactive from the Rotation and Balance series. Individuals calculate the torque of differently arranged weights to determine the effect they have on a balanced...
Teach Engineering
Investigating Torque
Torque--a teachable moment? Here's a lesson on torque (or moment) and variables that include size, reinforcement, structural bracing, and material that affect torque.
Physics Classroom
Getting a Handle on Torque
Do your young physicists get a little unbalanced when it comes to talking about torque? Scholars examine the effects of weight and distance on a balanced system with a simple interactive from the Rotation and Balance series. The resource...
Bowels Physics
Torque: Rotational Statics and Rotational Dynamics
Scholars examine the application of torque in relation to motion by viewing a comprehensive presentation that explains the basic concepts related to torque and rotational motion. The lesson ends with examples showing how to calculate...
Crash Course
Torque: Crash Course Physics #12
It's all about how you pull—not how hard! The 12th installment in a physics series explains the importance of the direction and angle of force when calculating torque. The narrator includes a discussion of the moment of inertia as...
Urbana School District
Projectile and Circular Motion, Torque
Introduce your young scholars to the concepts of circular motion, projectile motion, angular speed, simple harmonic motion, torque, center of mass, centripetal force, and Hooke's Law with a 86-slide presentation. The circular motion...
Curated OER
Motion in Two Dimensions
Two activities employ the use of kinematic equations for determining projectile ranges. They both require the use of a toy dart gun. Included in this resource are both the teacher's guide and student laboratory sheets. This is an...
Curated OER
How are torque and work different?
Sixth graders explore how torque and work are different. In this torque instructional activity, 6th graders will understand the relationship between torque and work as it applies to force and distance. Students will be assessed on their...
Curated OER
The Mag Mile and ... Torque!
High schoolers use paper plates and detailed directions to build a model of the Michigan Avenue Bridge's gear system. By carefully measuring and cutting "teeth" for the gears of the "Gear Train," they create small gear that will...
Curated OER
Gyroscopes in Motion
Physics stars will enjoy learning about the conservation of energy as you demonstrate gyroscope precession. The lecture is broken into five subtopics: cross product, rotating vectors, angular momentum, rotating rigid bodies, and torque...
Curated OER
Torque Play
In this physics instructional activity, students use torque to explain several very odd phenomena. They write the definition of torque and the relation between torque and change in angular momentum.
Curated OER
Learn about Torque
Students calculate torque and determine its uses. In this lesson on torque, students watch a video and teacher demonstrations and work with a small group on a lab activity. Students provide example of how torque is used in daily life,...
Teach Engineering
Wimpy Radar Antenna
The Diary of a Wimpy Antenna? In the last installment of a six-part series, your class constructs a model of a radio antenna and tests its torque. Pupils use the results to design a better model that resists bending and twisting forces.
Curated OER
Robot Gears
High schoolers build simple gear trains and record data to discover how to compute gear ratios. They investigate the definition of torque and how torque can be increased or decreased in a gear train.
Curated OER
The Learning Tower of Straws Challenge
Young scholars construct a tower as high as possible that can successfully lean without collaspling. They examine the effect that lowering an object's center of gravity has on the torque produced on an object.
Veritasium
Gyroscopic Precession
Helicopters fly with the help of gyroscopic precession. An uplifting Vertasium video explains two common forces, momentum and torque. Demonstrations of both forces—along with scientific explanations—help develop an overall understanding...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Rotational Equilibrium
Physics stars design mobiles that demonstrate rotational equilibrium. They take measurements and solve related equations for force by graphing, substitution, or determinants. This is a well-developed lesson plan, complete with student...
National Science Foundation
Science of the Winter Olympic Games: Physics of Slope-Style Skiing
Many mechanical phenomena are explained by a physics professor using Nick Goepper, a Winter Olympics 2014 slope-style skier, as the model. Beginning with kinetic and potential energy, the professor goes on to explain angular momentum and...
Curated OER
The Pork With Torque
Students determine the torque of CEENBoTs wheel hub. In this physics lesson, students reinforce their learning by exploring interactive websites on torque. They give real life applications of torque.
Curated OER
The Gear Game
Learners discuss that the conservatin of energy states that the energy imput must equal the energy output. They then figure out how can a machine help you to perform task otherwise considered impossible? Students discuss the six simple...
Curated OER
Freestanding Structures: A Tech Museum Floor Activity
Students attempt to design the tallest structure that they can with the given materials which are wooden dowels and rubber bands. They discuss the physics of their structure and how they would improve it the next time they built a...
