Twisting and turning through the sky, roller coasters are popular attractions at amusement parks around the world, but how exactly do they work? Explore the physics behind these thrilling rides with an engineering design activity....

Ron Toomer, a famous roller coaster designer, suffered from motion sickness. Pupils design their own roller coasters, learning about potential and kinetic energy in the process. Labs focus on the importance of drop height, energy...

Super detailed, this lesson will educate physical science learners about the flow of electrons. Begin by reviewing potential and kinetic energy with a moving pendulum, and then get them online to observe interactive websites about...

Can your physical science classes describe what happens when two objects collide? Whether they are new to the study of kinetic energy or just brushing up on their skills, pupils can observe the outcome of a variety of collisions...

Students complete a series of activities related to forms of energy. In this energy lesson, students look at forms of energy in their school, how energy is conserved and used efficiently, how magnets are used to generate electricity, and...

Legos in science class? Watch your pupils fall in love with this activity. After learning to measure potential and kinetic energy, young scientists create their own ramps using Lego Mindstorm sensors and software.

...Then the water heater exploded like a bomb. Using a video of an exploding water heater, the resource presents the definitions of energy, potential energy, and kinetic energy to be used in later lessons of the unit.

Everything has potential energy; learning to use it is the key to understanding all types of energy. Scholars learn the difference between kinetic and potential energy. They then apply the concept to drawing examples of both types...

Get the ball rolling and challenge your class to figure out how to make a ball move. The instruction segment is between two STEM activities devoted to doing just that. The first is simple and involves making a ball move from some...

Instructions for series of six activites, a reading of scientific literature, and a choice of six assessments await you in this physics resource. Well-written plans guide you in guiding your pupils to experiment with levers, pulleys,...

Students identify the relationship between kinetic energy, mass, and velocity. Then they explain and graph the relationship between kinetic energy and mass. Students also predict the impact of objects of different mass and velocity on...

Learners design a roller coaster and demonstrate their knowledge of Potential and Kinetic Energy. They determine the average velocity a given marble travels on their roller coaster and apply their knowledge of various measurement systems...

After Sam knocks a glass off the lunchroom table, he uses it as a springboard for explaining kinetic and potential energy. He mentions that sound is a type of kinetic energy and introduces the different forms of energy: thermal,...

Super science learners examine the sun's production of energy by the process of nuclear fusion. Hands-on activities make this instructional activity engaging for middle schoolers. The instructional activity is made up of four parts. Part...

Energize your phase change lesson plans! Add a short but focused interactive into the mix and watch as pupils experience how states of matter react to changes in kinetic energy. The resource tracks the kinetic energy of a cold solid...

Students are able to solve kinetic energy problems. They are introduced to kinetic energy. Students are shown examples of how to solve kinetic energy problems using the formula: Velocity= Distance/Time.

Second graders examine both potential and kinetic energy. After discussing the difference and examples of potential and kinetic energy, they participate in a game of "Show Me Potential Energy/Show Me Kinetic Energy" using toy tops.

Students explore and identify the concepts of potential and kinetic energy. They define kinetic and potential energy and discuss examples of each. Students then play a game involving balance toys, demonstrating both kinetic and potential...

First graders identify both potential and kinetic energy in a game they play in the classroom. They listen as the teacher explains the difference between potential and kinetic energy when observing a simple machine. Using simple...

Third graders investigate different energy conversions through hands-on activities. In this energy instructional activity, 3rd graders move through four stations and conduct experiments illustrating energy conversions. Wave energy,...

Here's an interactive with real potential ... potential energy, that is! Scholars analyze scenarios, then rank objects in order of greatest to least kinetic energy, potential energy, and speed. The interactive provides support materials,...

The amount of energy Americans use doubles every 20 years. The first lesson in a 10-part series teaches scholars about different forms of energy. They rotate through five stations with hands-on activities or experiments at each in order...

Excite your classes with an exploration of the kinetic energy of electrons. Scholars watch as excited electrons transfer their energy between one another. The simulation models this transfer while graphing the change in kinetic energy of...

Middle school physicsl science explorers play a game using dominoes that you have photocopied onto cardstock. Through the game, they familiarize themselves with the conservation of energy and the transformatin from one form to another....