It's About Time
Run and Jump
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...
Curated OER
Newton's Third Law and Aircraft Propulsion
Students research propulsion, graph data, and interpret the results.
Curated OER
Forces and Newton's Laws Unit
Students participate in lessons on Forces and Newton's Laws by selecting activities and assignments to complete in a Layer Unit. Students select assignments and activities in the C Level, B Level, and A Level.
Cornell University
The Physics of Bridges
Stability is key when building a bridge. Scholars explore the forces acting upon bridges through an analysis of Newton's Laws and Hooke's Law. The activity asks individuals to apply their learning by building a bridge of their own.
NASA
Water Rocket Construction
What are the basics for building a rocket out of a two-liter bottle? The procedures outline the basics to create an air- and water-powered bottle rocket. Prior to launching the rockets, teams perform safety checks to ensure their designs...
NASA
Project X-51
In a nose-cone to nose-cone competition, which rocket will prevail? Teams form rocket companies to design and build a rocket while competing against other teams in an economic challenge. The team that comes up with the best benefit/cost...
DiscoverE
Air-Powered Mini Rocket
Does the position of the clips make a difference? The activity provides directions to build and test a paper rocket. Pupils attach paper clips to the rocket in different configurations and measure the distance the rocket flies each time....
NASA
Heavy Lifting
Astronauts need a way to lift heavy objects. Pupils design and build a crane out of cardboard and determine ways to improve their cranes based upon the outcomes of testing.
CK-12 Foundation
Horse and Cart
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...
Curated OER
Force/Newton's Laws/Friction
Learners describe how to recognize a force, define balanced and net forces, state Newton's first law of motion, explain why friction works, state Newton's second Law of Motion, and explain why the direction of force is important.
Curated OER
Newton's Laws
Students state Newton's Laws of Motion. They explain how force, mass and acceleration are related. They analyze action and reaction forces, calculate momentum,
and explain conservation of momentum
Curated OER
Crash Course in Flight
High school physicists demonstrate Bernoulli's Principle by blowing on different items and finding that they do not move in the expected direction! They apply Bernoulli's equation to the flight of an airplane. This well-organized lesson...
Curated OER
Looking for Newton
Students discuss the rhyming pattern of various types of poetry. With a focus on limericks, they follow the specific rhyme scheme and create a limerick about Newton. They share their poem with the class and write another one related to...
Curated OER
Balloonautics
Students are introduced to basic aerodynamics through a discussion of thrust and drag and a hands-on activity. They examine the forces of thrust, drag, air pressure, aerodynamic shapes and Newton's Third Law Of Motion.
Curated OER
The Circle of Learning
Students review Newton's Third Law of Motion and participate in an experiment. After the experiment, they use their notes to write a scientific summary of what happened during the project. They present their project to the class and...
Curated OER
Planet Paths: Studying Planetary Orbital Paths
Students define and identify planetary orbit, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola, and simulate Kepler's Second Law. They explore interactive websites demonstrating orbital motion and complete modeling activities.
Curated OER
Rocket Science 101
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.
Curated OER
Newton Car
Students demonstrate Newtons law of motion by examining the reaction of a rolling car when its mass and acceleration is increased. For this acceleration lesson students complete and activity that shows them how Newtons Law of Motion...
Urbana School District
Gravitation
Introduction your class to famous astronomers with a presentation that also covers Newton's Laws of Gravitation, Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion, both uniform and nonuniform gravitational fields, and how to calculate the gravitational...
Curated OER
Model Rockets
Students build a model rocket. In this model rocket lesson, students explore a rocket launch cycle. Students investigate the laws of physics for each part of the launch. Students build model rockets and launch at school.
Curated OER
F = Ma, Inertia, And Action-reaction
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...
Curated OER
Rock-A-Bye Pendulum
Third graders analyze the effects of force on an object in motion and its relationship to a change in speed. This lesson uses a pendulum to demonstrate the principle.
Curated OER
Rocket Pinwheel
Students observe a balloon-powered pinwheel to study the principles of rocketry. They study Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Curated OER
Rockets
Students are introduced to a project involving rockets. After chosing a rocket of their own, they assemble them in class and use an open field for launching them. They relate the path of their rocket to Newton's Second and Third Laws...