Curated OER
On The Go! Forces and Motion
Students create a car using physics. In this forces and motion lesson plan, students create a car and test which changes in design change the performance of the car. Students complete a graphic organizer with the different...
Curated OER
Friction in Our Lives
Students explore force and friction. In this force and friction lesson, students discover everyday examples of how friction helps and hinders things we do. Students create a ramp to test the speed of their car. Students use...
Curated OER
Science in Focus: Force and Motion
Students explore force and motion through a series of experiments. In this physics lesson, students create and interpret speed graphs. They build an electromagnet and explain the factors affecting its strength.
Curated OER
Forces and Motion
Students build parachutes for chicken eggs. In this physics lesson, students describe the forces acting on a falling object. They predict which of the three parachute models they made has the best chance of keeping the egg intact after a...
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...
Purdue University
The Represented World: Recreational STEM
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...
Curated OER
Friction Restriction: Creating a Design Plan to Redesign the Tread of Tennis Sneakers to Increase Friction
Learners evaluate the friction of tennis sneakers and redesign them to increase friction. In this physics lesson, students calculate starting, sideways and forward stopping friction. Using quantitative data, they prove that redesigning...
Curated OER
Force and Motion - Part 2
Students test different objects such as dominoes, marshmallows, slides, and more to test their force, motion, gravity, friction, and the concept of matter. In this force and motion lesson plan, students understand that the force an...
Curated OER
Surface Friction and Wear Characteristics of Common Materials
Students identify the factors affecting friction. In this physics lesson, students construct their own rocket car and race them. They graph the average speeds and discuss how lubricants affect friction between rubbing surfaces.
Curated OER
Don't Slip!
Students measure, record, and graph the force of moving a block of wood along sand paper. In this friction lesson plan, students read a spring scale, collect data, construct a graph, and propose a model to explain how fiction works.
Curated OER
Acceleration, Drag, Gravity, Motion, Forces, and Friction
Eighth graders build and run mousetrap cars in order to measure distance, time, and mass for their cars. They use these measurements to calculate average speed and kinetic energy, then create a slide show to visually explain how the car...
Curated OER
Properties of Matter (Biomaterial Through Nanotechnology)
Students investigate friction between different surfaces. For this physics lesson, students research biomaterials that can reduce friction. They calculate efficiency using a mathematical formula.
Curated OER
The Physics of Sports: An 8th Grade Physical Science Project
Explore the relationship between sports and physics in a cross-curricular lesson. Middle and high schoolers prepare a multimedia presentation based on a chosen sport. They answer five physics vocabulary questions about how the laws of...
Purdue University
Simple Machines
What's the best way to use a simple machine to solve a real-world problem? Scholars construct their own simple and complex machines to explore the concepts of work and force. They discuss examples of simple machines they have found in...
Curated OER
Newton's Laws of Motion
Students investigate the effect of thin films to surface friction. In this physics lesson, students calculate the coefficient of friction using mathematical formulas. They discuss its importance in their everyday lives.
Curated OER
Physics of Roller Coasters
Students study the physics used to design today's roller coasters. In this engineering instructional activity students complete several activities including designing their own roller coaster.
Curated OER
Exploring Force and Motion
Students explore the concepts of force and motion by creating a video. In this physics lesson, students are assigned one particular aspect of force and motion to investigate and work in groups to create a video that will be...
Curated OER
Slip Slide'n Away
Students analyze the sliding of boxes along a warehouse floor. In this algebra lesson, students connect math and physics by calculating the friction created by the sliding of each box. They develop faster method to move the box, based on...
Curated OER
Wheelies
Students design wheels for a coaster car to travel varying terrain. In this motion and friction lesson plan, students discuss friction and motion and test wooden wheels on a track. Students then brainstorm how to increase friction and...
Curated OER
Toying Around with Newton's Laws
Eighth graders identify balanced and unbalanced forces that affect the movement of objects and Newton's three Laws of Motion. Students also design a contraption utilizing Newton's Laws of Motion that will launch a marshmallow five meters.
Colorado Unit Writing Project
Simple Machines
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...
Curated OER
Rover Landing Design Challenge
Students examine the concepts of forces and motion. They work together to design protective devices for their egg rovers as they are dropped from a specific height. They record their observations and discuss.
Curated OER
Investigating Motion
Students explore types of motion. In this motion experiment, students observe how objects move. Students work in small groups to discover the laws of motion.
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Students discover what simple machines are and identify a gear, a pulley, and a lever. In teams, they build at least two models each of simple machines and challenge them with specific instruction cards. Finally, students present and...