Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balloonautics

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners are introduced to basic aerodynamics through a discussion of thrust and drag and a hands-on activity. They examine the forces of thrust, drag, air pressure, aerodynamic shapes and Newton's Third Law Of Motion.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Newton's Laws

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students state Newton's Laws of Motion. They explain how force, mass and acceleration are related. They analyze action and reaction forces, calculate momentum, and explain conservation of momentum
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Squid Races

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students imitate squid propulsion using a balloon and experience Newton's third law: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Various anatomical designs are tested and analyzed. They calculate the speed of each squid...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocket Science 101

For Teachers 4th - 6th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocket Racer

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Young scholars design their racer then trace their designs onto Styrofoam tray and athen attache a balloon to a strw which is attached to the "car" to construct a rocket propelled "car." They collect data to determine the speed and the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocket Pinwheel

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners observe a balloon-powered pinwheel to study the principles of rocketry. They study Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating Motion

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bottle Rocket Launcher

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students construct a bottle rocket launcher for use with the Bottle Rocket and Project X-35 activities. They construct a bottle launcher from "off-the-shelf" hardware and wood using simple tools.
Lesson Plan
BioEd Online

Bio Ed Online: Balloon Blast

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In the following lesson students are asked to devise a plan to measure the distance of a balloon's flight, predict the direction a balloon will travel as it deflates, learn about Newton's Laws of Motion, experience Newton's Third Law,...
Activity
Center of Science and Industry

Cosi Columbus: Balloon Rockets [Pdf]

For Students 3rd - 8th
Science experiment that demonstrates Newton's Third Law by launching rockets made out of balloons. Includes full list of materials, procedures, and scientific explanation of what causes balloons to shoot forward and how you can make them...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Rocket Power

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
By making and testing simple balloon rockets, students acquire a basic understanding of Newton's third law of motion as it applies to rockets. Using balloons, string, straws and tape, they see how rockets are propelled by expelling...
Activity
Michigan Reach Out

Nasa: Rocket Activity: Rocket Pinwheel

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site provides directions for a basic activity that allows students to explore Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Balloon Racer Project

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This project will motivate learners to process and apply Newton's laws of motion to make their vehicle travel as far as possible