Las Cumbres Observatory
The Cosmic Distance Ladder: Parallax
Scientists don't have a ruler long enough to measure to the stars, so they rely on math. Scholars learn to calculate the distance from Earth to a star using the parallax method. They use angle measures from different perspectives to...
Curated OER
Angling for Distance
Explore the concept of projectile distance through determining the angle that will provide the maximum distance of a launched projectile. Students launch baseballs on a football field and video tape the path of the ball.
Prince William Network
Migration Math Madness
A great way to incorporate math into life science, this lesson has learners measure migratory routes on a map and calculate the actual distance that shorebirds on the routes would cover. Learners compute the distance covered in both...
Curated OER
Measure Twice, Cut Once
Elementary schoolers learn about metric units and how they are used by engineers. They learn how engineers use the units to measure mass, distance, and volume. Then, they estimate measurements of units, and compare them to actual...
Curated OER
Scaling it Down: Caves Have Maps, Too
Measurement and map skills are the focus of this lesson, where students crawl through a "cave" made out of boxes, desks and chairs, observing the dimensions. Your young geographers measure various aspects of the cave and practice math...
Curated OER
Massive Migrations
Here is an exciting exploration of a fascinating topic for your emerging ecologists: bird migration! They begin by visiting the US Fish & Wildlife Service website to discover which Arctic birds come to their areas. They are assigned...
NASA
Earth, Can You Hear Me Now?
How long did you say? Class groups plot the distances between Earth and Mars and determine the trigonometric function that models the data. Using a calculator, they graph the function to determine when the distance and communication...
Curated OER
Scale Model of the Solar System
Young scientists gain a better understanding of space, the solar system and its vastness by creating a scale model. Students first need to calculate the distance between each of the nine planets according to the size of their scale. This...
Curated OER
Water to the Max
Students experiment with the angle that yields the greatest distance of water at constant pressure. In this experiment with the angle that yields the greatest distance of water at constant pressure lesson plan, students shoot water out...
Curated OER
What's Your Speed?
Learners explore the concept of distance v. time. They use a CBR to collect data on their distance over time, then plot their data using a scatter plot and find an equation to model their data. Pupils discuss what if scenarios which...
Curated OER
Speed and Collisions Administration Procedures
Learners investigate speed as an important variable regarding force of an impact. Students roll a car down a ramp and into a block of wood. The distance the car travels, the time until impact and the distance the block moves are...
NASA
Communications and the Lunar Outpost
Can you hear me now? Groups use given information about communication on the moon to determine the maximum distance an astronaut can travel and stay in communication. Using the calculations, they determine what lunar features they can...
Curated OER
On the Trail of the Blue Crab
Third graders read the article "Blue Claw," discuss crab migration, and look at a map of the Hudson River. They complete a worksheet where they must use subtraction to determine the distance migrating crabs travel.Web links, article, and...
Curated OER
TIMS, The Bouncing Ball: Math, Science, Measurement, Graphs, Variables
Learners determine the exact relationship between the height from which a ball is dropped and the distance that it rebounds.
Curated OER
Lego Robotics: Measuring Speed
Students build and program a LEGO robotic car as well as measure and graph its speed. They acquire familiarity with principles of construction, motion, design and problem solving. They compare a robot's speed over two different surfaces...
Curated OER
The Case of the Biological Biosphere: Health, Math, Technology
Students investigate various aspects of the human body in this imaginative Tree House Detective episode about the biological biosphere. In a series of They take measurements, analyze data, and use technology. The lessons revolve around...
Curated OER
Exploring the Hudson in 1609
While this lesson focuses on a study of the Hudson River, it could be used as a template for a discussion of map skills, converting measurements, and plotting a route. The lesson includes vocabulary and other resources to make it a...
Curated OER
The Crash Scene
Fifth graders explore geography by participating in a mapping activity. In this engineering instructional activity, 5th graders identify the differences between latitude and longitude and practice locating precise points on a globe or...
Curated OER
Match Me!
Young learners explore motion graphs in this lesson. They investigate distance-time plots as they move in a specific way in front of the CBR in an attempt to make a motion plot that matches a given plot. Pupils explore the connections...
Curated OER
Which Way?
Middle schoolers explore distance-time plots. In this algebra lesson, they will investigate how different types of motion affect the distance-time plot.
Curated OER
Plot Your Course
Students determine distance and direction on a nautical chart. In this nautical lesson, students identify obstacles and characteristics of common aid to navigation on a nautical chart.
Curated OER
Hit and Run
Pupils explore data collection in this instructional activity. They investigate distance vs. time and velocity vs. time graphs using information collected with a CBR 2 to simulate the reconstruction of an accident.
Curated OER
Vectors: How Much Force Can You Apply
This lesson entails the viewing of two videos to get an overview of force and its application. The lesson covers how vectors use force in real-world situations.
Curated OER
ExplorA-Pond:2nd Grade Perimeter
Second graders visit a real pond. They estimate the pond's perimeter using "student feet." In groups, they measure the pond's perimeter-each group measuring a section of the shoreline. They convert student feet into actual feet and find...