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Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Crash Test Dummy
Why are car manufactures required to install seat belts and airbags; do they really make that big of a difference? Scholars use a simulator to determine the amount of force dissipated by a seat belt and airbag in a head-on crash. This is...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Pirate Ship
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...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Ballistics Tests
How did scientists measure the speed of incredibly fast things before the invention of high-speed photography? Scholars virtually perform ballistics tests to discover the process. They control the rifle type, bullet mass, and target...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Circle of Pong
A STEM activity presents a simulation of placing a scientific instrument in a lava flow. Teams design and build a device that can place a ping pong ball in a cup from a distance of at least three feet. They test and refine the device...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Rover Landing
Model the landing of the Mars Rover using an egg. The STEM activity has pupils create a landing device for a falling egg to simulate the landing of the Mars Rover. They test their devices through experimentation to safely land the device.
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Listening Devices
What noise is coming from that box? Teams design and build a device that hears a noise from inside a box. Groups must complete the task within a time limit and use the STEM design process. Participants must be able to hear the sound well...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Freestanding Structures
How high can you go? In a STEM design challenge, teams design and build a structure using only dowel rods and rubber bands. The goal is to build the tallest freestanding structure using all of the dowel rods. Teams present their designs...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Energy at Play
Get the ball rolling and challenge your class to figure out how to make a ball move. The instruction segment is between two STEM activities devoted to doing just that. The first is simple and involves making a ball move from some force...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Balloon Astronaut
Design protection from high-speed particles. The STEM lesson plan highlights why astronauts need protection from space debris. Pupils use the design process to design, build, and test a spacesuit that will protect a balloon from a...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Momentum
If you hit an object in the road when you're traveling at 60 mph, will it slow you down? Use the concept of momentum to explore this question. Make momentum calculations and predictions for velocity after collisions.
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
The Science of Rainbows
Rainbows bring happy thoughts, especially after a rainstorm. Lead your class in a physics exploration through the composition of rainbows and the science behind their construction as well as their geographical placement in nature.
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
The Science of Snowflakes
We are all the same, yet we are all different—just like snowflakes. Learners explore the science behind snowflakes and their uniqueness as they view the video segment on snow. They conclude with a discussion about physical and chemical...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
The Science of Game of Thrones
Ready to don medieval costumes and gain a more thorough understanding of the science behind Game of Thrones? Pupils view a short video to explore the intricacies of a popular book and television series, and learn the science behind many...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
The Science of BBQ!!!
Ready for a lesson on the wonders of cooking? Young scientists view the short video segment and explore the science of temperature changes on physical and chemical properties in food as the cooking process transforms raw ingredients into...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Why Does Time Go Forward?
Has your class ever wondered why time always progresses in a forward direction and why we cannot travel backward? Learners view this short video segment to explore the concept of entropy and its relevance to time in relation to their...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Using Conservation of Energy to Determine Average Impact Force
Explore the center of gravity with your science class as they create a deadfall trap with common materials. They research the concepts of energy conservation and gravitational force before dividing into small groups to create a model of...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Touchdown
Individuals design and build a set of shock absorbers to protect their astronauts when they land. Using a limited amount of supplies, pupils build a system that will keep two large marshmallows from flying out of a cup when it lands...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Bouncing Balls
How high will it bounce? Groups determine the height different balls bounce off of different surfaces. By performing the necessary calculations, they determine the initial and final momentum of the balls. The included worksheet provides...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Circular Motion
Lead your class in this exciting activity to learn more about motion and its importance. Pupils learn about a centripetal and why it is required to maintain a constant speed in a circulating moving mass. They apply the equation for...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Concentrating on Collisions
How important is momentum? Pupils investigate and apply the definition of momentum as they conduct analyses during a series of one-dimensional collisions. They infer the relative masses of two objects by carefully staging and predicting...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
The Mu of the Shoe
What is mu? Emerging scientists explore the coefficient of sliding friction, or mu, and apply its concepts as they complete activities in the interesting lesson. They measure the sliding friction between soles of their own athletic shoes...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
NASA Engineering Design Challenges - Spacecraft Structures
What kind of design challenges are there in building structures to support rocket engines? The unit takes design teams through the process of building the lightest possible thrust support structure that can withstand the necessary forces...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
Conservation of Momentum
Assist your class with understanding collisions as they apply the Law of Conservation of Momentum. Pupils measure the momentum before and after manipulation of two objects so that one strikes another in an inelastic collision. The lesson...
Lesson Planet: Curated OER
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...