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Activity
American Chemical Society

Exploring Energy

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
When asked to list everyday objects that require energy, most people list technology that use batteries or electricity. Through hands-on exploration, young scientists discover energy is much more than just circuitry. They play with...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Heat Engine

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
How can heat power an engine? Scholars observe a heat engine working and control variables to determine the most efficient setup. They change the amount of heat input as well as the stroke length. Energy efficiency numbers prove the...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Ski Jump

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
What are the three types of energy a ski jumper uses? If you said potential, kinetic, and heat, then you are correct. Scholars adjust the jumper's mass, jumper's form, and height of the start line in the simulation to display graphs of...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

High Energy Particles

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
How much energy is required to break apart an atomic nucleus and does it vary based on the type of atom? Scholars virtually experiment with a linear accelerator in order to answer these questions. They alter the voltage, length of the...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Block and Tackle

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Can you easily lift more than your own weight? With a pulley system, almost anyone can manage this challenge. Scholars adjust the mechanical advantage (number of pulleys), weight of object being lifted, and the length of rope pulled. The...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Roller Coaster

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Roller coasters rely on both kinetic and potential energy, but how much total energy does a roller coaster need? Scholars vary the mass of a coaster and the height of the initial hill. Graphs showing the types of energy and total energy...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Ramp and Piano

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Can you lift a piano into a truck? Simulation allows scholars to explore the relationship between force, ramp length, and weight. Pupils control the variables of truck bed height, ramp length, weight of piano, and the number of friends...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Ballistics Tests

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
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...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Astronaut Training Chamber

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Most people realize they would weigh less if they were on the moon, but does it change how much weight you could lift if you were on the moon? Scholars adjust the mass of an object to be lifted and select between four different locations...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Loop-the-Loop

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
What prevents a roller coaster from falling when it goes upside down? Scholars experiment with a roller coaster simulation controlling the mass of the coaster, the height of the hill, and the radius of the loop. They learn which factors...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Malt Shop

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
How does the soda clerk know exactly how to get the glass across the counter to the customer? Pupils use the simulation to adjust the launch velocity, glass weight, base area, surface material, and the customer's position to answer that...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Problem Solving Using Rates, Unit Rates, and Conversions

For Teachers 6th Standards
Find a way to work with rates. The 23rd part in a 29-part series presents work problems for the class to solve given work rates. Pupils compare rates to determine which is faster. Some problems require learners to convert the rates to...
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Lesson Plan
Tech Museum of Innovation

Tree House Escape

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Use simple machines to escape from a tree house. Pupils learn about simple machines and how they are useful in everyday life in a STEM lesson. Groups then design a device to rescue a friend stuck in a tree house.
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Lesson Plan
Tech Museum of Innovation

Energy at Play

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
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...
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Lesson Plan
Rochester Institute of Technology

Skateboard Assembly - Line Balance

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Utilize the lesson on utilization. The second installment of a nine-part technology/engineering series teaches scholars about the flow of a balanced assembly line and the definition of utilization. Videos, activities, and simulations...
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PPT
Urbana School District

Energy, Work, Simple Machines

For Students 11th - Higher Ed Standards
The tension of the 236 strings in a grand piano exert a combined force of 20 tons on the cast iron frame. The presentation includes topics such as work, forms of energy, conservation of energy, gravitational and elastic potential energy,...
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Lesson Plan
California Mathematics Project

Treasure Beneath the Sea

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Explore the geometry of treasure hunting! Learners use geometry to design a treasure recovery strategy. The objective is to create a design that minimizes the amount of work required. Budding mathematicians use properties of triangles as...
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Activity
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Teach Engineering

Design and Build a Rube Goldberg

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Let's see how complicated we can make this simple task. The last activity associated with a 10-part series has groups design and build a Rube Goldberg machine. Teams determine a simple task to accomplish and use the engineering design...
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Activity
1
1
Teach Engineering

Machines and Tools (Part 2)

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Which pulley system will give us a whale of a good time? Teams compare the theoretical and actual mechanical advantages of different pulley systems. They then form a recommendation for how to move a whale from an aquarium back to the ocean.
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Activity
2
2
Teach Engineering

Tools and Equipment (Part 1)

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Looking for the best inclined plane for the job? Groups calculate the theoretical mechanical advantage for four different inclined planes. They determine the actual mechanical advantage by measuring the amount of force needed for the...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
Teach Engineering

Just Plane Simple

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
It is plane to see that simple machines help reduce the force needed to perform a task.  This resource introduces three of the simple machines--the inclined plane, the wedge, and the screw, and  the formulas in order to be able to...
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Activity
1
1
Teach Engineering

A Simple Solution for the Circus

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Class members are challenged to design a device that will move a circus elephant into a train car. Groups brainstorm ideas that use simple machines to load the elephant. They then choose one of their ideas, sketch a plan, and present it...
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Activity
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

The Right Tool for the Job

For Students K - 5th
Is a saw a tool? What about a thermometer? Discover the applications of various tools with a worksheet that accompanies a matching card game. Learners search for tools from a stack of cards and circle its match on their worksheet. 
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Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Work and Power

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Assist your class with correctly calculating the values for force, work, and power as they determine the amount various activities require. They gather data and participate in a group discussion to compare results upon conclusion of the...