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.
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...
Bowels Physics
Newton's Third Law and Law of Gravitation
Why was Sir Newton so important to the field of science? Pupils discuss his contributions, specifically his Third Law, as they learn about gravity and the center of mass. They work multiple problems to ensure their understanding and...
Virginia Department of Education
The Rate of Motion
How much time does it take to jump over three balloons? Pupils calculate the speed of tasks that require different motions. They determine motions for tasks such as walking, skipping, hopping, and jumping before creating a spreadsheet...
NASA
Newton Car
If a car gets heavier, it goes farther? By running an activity several times, teams experience Newton's Second Law of Motion. The teams vary the amount of weight they catapult off a wooden block car and record the distance the car...
NASA
Applying Newton’s Laws
Newton's Laws get the rocket to work, but do they serve any other functions? A six-page resource classifies rockets by the type of propellant they use. It then describes applications of Newton's Laws of Motion, both in the ability to...
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...
Henry Ford Museum
Physics, Technology and Engineering in Automobile Racing
Start your engines! This five-lesson unit introduces physics and Newton's laws through automobile racing. Each lesson includes background information, a student worksheet, and an answer key. There are also culminating project...
Edmond Public Schools
8th Grade Science Resource Book: Unit 2 - Physics
Get things moving with this extensive collection of physical science resources. Covering the fundamentals of measurement, graphing, lab safety, and experimental design as well as the specific scientific concepts of velocity,...
University of Florida
Understanding Car Crashes: It's Basic Physics!
Make an impact on young physicists with this fun collection of resources. After first watching a video and taking notes on the physics of car crashes, students go on to complete a series of activities that explore the concepts of energy,...
Curated OER
Unit IX: Worksheet 2 - Impulsive Force
Here are nine motion problems for physics fanatics to solve. Topics are pretty typical: rifles firing bullets, freight train cars colliding, astronauts gliding through space, balls being thrown. Pupils compute recoil speed, combined...
Curated OER
Balloon-Powered Car
Attractive and logical instructions are provided for constructing a balloon-powered car. Young physical scientists measure the distance their car travels and record it on a pre-printed data sheet. The make alterations to improve the...
Teach Engineering
Get Me Off This Planet
What do Newton's Laws have to do with getting from Earth to Mars?The activities in this resource show how Newton's Laws work with rockets to get them into space. Background information includes facts about orbits and how orbits are used...
Mr. E. Science
Forces
May the mass times acceleration be with you. The presentation covers forces, Newton's three Laws of Motion, momentum, and vectors.
NASA
Egg Drop Lander
You have to crack a few eggs to make a good engineer! Working in small groups, young scholars design, build, and test devices that protect an egg from breaking when dropped from a ladder.
Curated OER
Rocketry
Middle schoolers design and construct a paper rocket that can be launched with a drinking straw. They participate in a lecture and read an article about rocketry and how Newton's Third Law applies to rocket launches. Each student...
Curated OER
Alka Rockets
Students design a paper rocket propelled by Alka-Seltzer and water to demonstrate Newton's third law of motion. They, in pairs, determine the best combination of Alka-Seltzer and water to produce the maximum launch height and record...
Curated OER
Newton in Motion-Project
Students investigate Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this Newton's Third Law of Motion lesson, students explore the law in the real world. Students break down the definition for understanding and do an experiment using a balloon.
Curated OER
Scooting Along!
Students investigate how Newton's Third Law affects vehicle design. In this Newton's Third Law lesson, students use a web site to research Newton, his third law, and how to design a vehicle that uses a balloon for power. They sketch and...
Curated OER
The Lost Newton's Laws Lesson
Students explore momentum. In this physics lesson, students perform an experiment in which two balls are released on slanted boards while students observe which ball will go the farthest and the fastest. Students define and explain...
Curated OER
Balloon Rockets
In this balloon rocket worksheet, students experiment with a balloon, clothespin, straw, string and tape to observe Newton's Third Law of Motion in action. Students explain the action force and reaction force acting in the investigation.
Curated OER
Describing Motion
In this motion worksheet, students will use Newton's third law of motion to compare the force of objects on Earth with objects on Jupiter. This worksheet has 5 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Finding Balance
Young scholars examine the relationships between force, mass and balance through the lens of clay sculpture. They discuss the definitions and concepts behind Newton's Third Law of motion then individually apply these principles to the...
Curated OER
Newton Rocket Car
Young scholars observe a demonstration of Newton's third law of motion using a small wooden car. They discuss Newton's third law of motion and what happens to motion if the mass or acceleration is increased, construct their car, and...