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

Students create an Alka-Seltzer cannon in this lesson. 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.

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...

Young scholars 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...

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.

Young scholars 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.

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...

Young scholars 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...

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...

Eighth graders construct various machines and compare the work done by them.

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...

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...

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.)

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...

Students 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.

Learners creat a ramp using cardboard and tape. They follow directions to perform an experiment to determine the degree of tilt needed to cause an empty milk carton to tip over. Students discuss their results in terms of center of gravity.

High schoolers 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.

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.

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 lesson, they make a...

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.

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.

Students apply their knowledge of friction, drag, mass and gravity as they design, build, and test mini-bobsleds.

Eighth graders create rockets that be launched at varying angles to determine which angle is best to launch at for the longest distance.

Students build a device that captures and carries a pet rat safely back to its cage with out "harming" the rat or themselves. They build and experiment with wind-up or battery operated rat cat toys after predicting the outcome of their...