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Physics: Forces and Motion
Students recognize the effect of Earth's gravity on an object's weight. In this force and motion lesson students understand the role of gravity when you drop an object. Students experiment with small items. Students measure in Newton's....
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Newton's Laws of Motion
Ninth graders utilize Newton's Laws of Motion to explain how things move, create poster illustrating each law of motion, and present and explain their poster to classmates.
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Forces and Cannons
Students create an Alka-Seltzer cannon in this lesson plan. They explore the difference between balanced and unbalanced forces, and how unbalanced forces can cause motion. They then examine how a cannon works and create their own.
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Crash Test Dummies
Fifth graders are introduced to Newton's First Law of Motion. In groups, they describe the differences between balanced and unbalanced forces. They participate in experiments that demonstrate how equal and opposite forces act upon...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: 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...
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Motions and Forces
Students explore motions, forces and magnetism. They investigate magnetism as a force and examine the construction of a magnet. Students examine the force that magnetism produces.
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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 presented to...
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Newton's Three Laws of Motion Lesson Plan
Students explore Newton's three laws of motion using a variety of activities. In this physics lesson, students calculate the average speed of a vehicle they constructed using distance and time information. They identify and draw the...
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Newton's Laws of Motion
Sixth graders explore Newton's laws of motion with their own bodies. In this relative motion instructional activity students will use a wide range of materials bringing them from the concrete to the abstract on video. Students will draw...
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Pushy Kids in Physics
Students examine the concepts of balanced forces, unbalanced forces, and resulting net forces. They participate in a force and motion demonstration by pushing students in various directions, and calculating and identifying the resulting...
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Newton's Laws
Eighth graders distinguish between and apply Newton's Laws. They take a quiz reviewing Kinetic and Potential Energy. Students explain that they have just demonstrated Newton's three laws of motion. They also explain what forces are...
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Rocket Science 101
Learners explore the aspects of Newton's First and Third Laws of Motion as they conduct controlled rocketry experiments and analyze the Mars Mission in terms of the principles of rocketry.
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Newton's First Law Crash!!
Students examine Newton's first law of motion and demonstrate how it applies to cars. In this motion lesson students complete an experiment and worksheet on speed and inertia.
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Cruising Aircraft and Balanced Forces
Students, after reading an explanation from a NASA Web-based textbook, demonstrate an understanding of the text by applying it to questions involving cruising aircraft and balanced forces.
It's About Time
Push or Pull - Adding Vectors
Demonstrate Newton's Second Law of Motion with an engaging lesson. Individuals explore the difference between forces in relation to a push or a pull, and they identify various forces that cause an object to move. They explore the concept...
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Freestanding Structures: A Tech Museum Floor Activity
Students attempt to design the tallest structure that they can with the given materials which are wooden dowels and rubber bands. They discuss the physics of their structure and how they would improve it the next time they built a...
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Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Eighth graders examine two different types of tires and the effects of different factors on the amount of force needed to overcome sliding friction such as when the vehicle tries to stop.
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Rocket Angles
Eighth graders create rockets that be launched at varying angles to determine which angle is best to launch at for the longest distance.
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Changes in Force, Motion, and Energy
Eighth graders construct various machines and compare the work done by them.
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Secondary Robot
Students identify the forces acting on a stationary/constant velocity robot. For this physics lesson, students draw a free body diagrams of the forces. They explain the difference between zero acceleration and zero net force.
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Simple Machines
Third graders are introduced to the six types of simple machines and discover how they make tasks easier. In groups, they rotate between stations to experiment with the different types of simple machines. To end the activity, they make...
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Changing Ramp Heights
Students conduct an experiment to determine how the change in ramp height affects the distances a ball is able to move a stationary cup. Data is collected from several trials and recorded and analyzed.
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Free Up the Ketchup!
Students, in teams, use given materials and their knowledge of Newton's First Law to create a device that will remove a sticky ping pong ball from a 16-oz. cup (which represents ketchup stuck in a bottle.)
It's About Time
Automatic Triggering Devices
How does the air bag trigger in an accident? The lesson explores how automatic triggering devices work in automobiles. Using examples such as a seat belt lock and air bag, scholars design their own device to better understand the...