Most have felt a static electricity shock, but what actually causes it? Scholars observe, develop a hypothesis, experiment, and learn about static electricity. Through multiple short writing samples, they describe static electricity in...

As part of a larger series, an informative video introduces the concept of perpetual motion machines and the science proving they don't work. The narrator then shares machines that appear to work and highlights the hidden sources of energy.

Host a design challenge of Olympic proportion! Junior engineers build their own bobsleds using simple materials. The activity focuses on kinetic and potential energy and how the center of mass affects motion on a downhill track....

How is tug of war related to pushing a refrigerator? Here's a simulation connects these two activities with Newton's First Law of Motion. Four different simulations allow scholars to explore net force with tug of war, motion with pushing...

Keep calm and half pipe. An exciting simulation teaches pupils about energy transfer from potential to kinetic and thermal as a skater moves through a half pipe or other track. After a brief introduction, scholars can build their own...

Apply the concepts of conservation of energy to a skater to introduce a fun way the concepts apply to real life. Scholars build tracks, ramps, and jumps then analyze the various types of energy and friction. For an added challenge,...

Planning an elementary science unit has never been simpler! These twelve lessons guide young scientists through an exploration of simple machines and their many uses in the real world before asking them to apply their learning in the...

Set youngsters in motion when studying forces. This quick animated film stars Sam and Mia, two intelligent but cool kids who talk about forces and motion on the soccer field. Consider using this resource when preparing junior-high...

What a thrilling job for an engineer: designing advanced athletic competition suits! Which materials can most reduce friction and drag, and yet still be flexible enough to move with the athlete's body? With attention focused on Shani...

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...

Chemistry concepts come alive against the backdrop of the Sochi Olympic Winter Games! Here is a captivating clip to share with your chemistry kids. It teaches how the bonds in a water molecule contribute to the formation of a lattice...

Here is a nifty worksheet on energy transfer. Physics fanatics analyze a diagram and state whether or not friction is involved. They sketch bar graphs and draw energy flow diagrams for each system as well. Circular motion, movement up...

Students apply their knowledge of friction, drag, mass and gravity as they design, build, and test mini-bobsleds.

Physicists experiment with the coefficient of static friction on both a level surface and an incline. After answering five pre-lab critical thinking questions, learners go to the lab. They determine the mass required to get a solid...

Mr. Kirwan of the Nevada Joint Union High School District has put together a fun group of problems to solve using the coefficients of friction. In some cases the objects in motion are on level ground and in some cases on in inclined...

Twenty-one thought-provoking questions about momentum and impulse fill the page. Physics enthusiasts describe momentum, relate it to impulse, describe conservation of momentum, and define two types of collisions. They apply equations in...

Your introductory physical science class will be energized by this PowerPoint. They will be able to define energy, work, and power. They will be able to perform calculations for kinetic and potential energy. They will be able to describe...

Physical science scholars discover an array of heat sources. They experiment to connect radiation to heat. They begin to understand thermal equilibrium. Then, they test to see if mass affects the rate of temperature change. Choose a few,...

Physics learners experiment with three laboratory activities to learn about air resistance and friction. First, they use a hair dryer to move different sized spheres to determine the relationship between cross-sectional area and air...

Give every type of learner in your physics class an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned throughout the year. From analyzing tables and graphs, to evaluating diagrams and solving problems, there is an outstanding variety of...

How are forces and motion important to a swing set? Scholars explore the concepts of force and motion using swing sets. In preparation for their own STEM design project, individuals take surveys and data from peers, complete labs on...

Read on if engineering interests you. Instructors peruse a set of narrative STEM lessons for grades K-6. All activities are based on reading a children's book and then solving a problem using the engineering design process.

Build on techies' knowledge of engineering design. A set of STEM lessons for grades one through six provides instructors with suggestions for engineering instruction. The activities require pupils to design and build structures, such as...

It's rare for even 40 percent of test takers to pass the AP Physics 1 exam. Improve those odds for young scientists with the help of actual free response questions covering topics from free body diagrams to velocity. The College Board...