Get the ball rolling with this upper-elementary science unit on forces and motion. Offering over three weeks of physical science lessons, this resource is a great way to engage the class in learning about simple machines, friction,...

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.

Students view a video and complete experiments with force and motion.  In this force and motion instructional activity, students examine small pieces and how they affect the motion of a toy car.  Students also experiment with...

Middle schoolers recognize the effect of Earth's gravity on an object's weight. For this force and motion lesson students understand the role of gravity when you drop an object. Middle schoolers experiment with small items. Students...

Middle schoolers 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...

Fourth graders study straight line motion and the forces that affect motion, including the terms force, gravity, and speed. They determine that gravity, weight, and other forces have an effect on speed and motion.

Students experiment with force and motion. In this force and motion lesson, students test gravity using a variety of objects. Students rotate through a series of stations which use force, motion, friction, and inclines. Students predict...

Physicists become Olympians in a competition using centripetal force. They ride a bicycle to comprehend relationships between linear and rotational motion. If you have an old-fashioned record player, it can be used to help pupils...

Students examine gravity, mass, and friction. In this speed and motion instructional activity, students investigate how straight line motion is impacted by gravity, mass, and fiction as they participate in a hands-on activity.

Students consider the first part of Newton's First Law of Motion, the Law of Inertia of objects at rest, which states that every object remains at rest unless acted on by a force. They perform hands-on experiments which demonstrate this...

Students discover that different things move at different speeds. They compare the distance a car travels on a ramp with and without a push. They push the car with one finger the first time, let it move without a push the next time (no...

Young scholars experiment with a steel ball and matchbox car to find the effects of force and motion. In this force and motion lesson, students assemble a track, conduct experiments and record on a shoot the loop worksheet. Young...

Students focus on a force and motion problem, explore it, reflect on it and apply it while completing experiments.  In this motion lesson, students experiment with force and motion by creating a track for testing cars.  

The stage is set for you to guide future physicists through three forceful activities about motion. In the first, learners experiment with rolling carts to discover how objects interact. In the second, they inspect images of an object in...

Lead your class in this exciting activity to learn more about motion and its importance. Pupils learn about a centripetal and why it is required to maintain a constant speed in a circulating moving mass. They apply the equation for...

Students investigate the effects of weights on the motion of a toy car. In this force and acceleration lesson plan, students use different weights, a toy car, a paper clip and string to determine how a car will move as different weights...

Fifth and sixth graders practice working in pairs to determine whether they can walk with constant speed. They test themselves, collect their data, draw graphs with their data collected, manipulate the data, and then draw conclusions...

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...

Take a look at acceleration within the context of automotive technology. They vary the mass on a toy car and run it down a ramp, exploring Newton's second law of motion. Though this is a classic lab activity, you will appreciate the...

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...

A nine-page physics resource supports your lesson plan on acceleration. A step-by-step lesson plan walks you through the materials you need, the background information, steps for leading experimentation, and the explanation of the...

Fourth graders apply concepts of Newton's Laws in scientific inquiries. Use this lesson to have your charges test and identify the characteristics of objects that make them easier or harder to push. After a teacher-led demonstration,...

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...

Students examine the movement of a car on an inclined plane and on a flat surface. Using the amount of drops the car releases, they determine if it was traveling at a constant speed or not. They graph the velocity and acceleration rates...