Radford University
Rocket Quads
How high will it fly? Pairs build straw rockets and launch them at different angles and determine the height and horizontal distance of the flight path. Teams make conjectures about how the angle affects the measured distances and use...
NASA
Resolving 2-Plane Traffic Conflicts by Changing Route—Problem Set B
Do pilots create appropriate spacing between aircraft by traveling a longer or shorter path? An interactive presents two airplanes that violate safety protocols. Pupils must determine how to change the path of one plane to create...
NASA
Resolving 3-Plane Traffic Conflicts by Changing Route—Problem Set C
Keep the planes from crashing. Pupils work with three airplanes and change their flight paths to keep them at a safe distance from each other. Individuals work through three problems in the third interactive in a set of six with...
Radford University
Projectile Motion and Quadratic Functions
Model the flight of a ball. Small groups collect time data for how long it takes to toss a ball between two people. The teacher leads a discussion about projectile motion to get the class thinking about how to calculate the equation of...
Radford University
Midsummer Classic’s Homerun Derby
Hit a home run with your lessons. A two-part activity has learners explore quadratic equations that model the path of a baseball. They see how changing the initial speed of the ball affects its maximum height, maximum horizontal...
NASA
Introduction to Real Air Traffic Control—Problem Set A
Understand what it takes to control planes safely. The first lesson in a series of six introduces the class to the air traffic control situation. The pupils develop their understanding of units used in air travel, then learn how to read...
Curated OER
Throwing Horseshoes
Collaborative learners interpret a quadratic expression written in different forms in this task centered on throwing horseshoes.