Curated OER
Gravitational Acceleration
Students investigate the interdependence of mass and gravitational acceleration using computer simulation. In this physics lesson, students derive the formula for acceleration due to gravity. They calculate air resistance on falling...
Curated OER
Rockets on a Shoestring Budget
Students, operating under simulated budget constraints, build pop-rockets and launch them. Working in pairs, they complete budget worksheets and use their "Blast Off Bucks" to pay for the construction. They then redesign their rockets...
Curated OER
Blast Off!
Students build their own rockets. In this rocket lesson, students create the highest flying rocket they can powered by effervescent antacid tablets and water in film canisters. They listen to the story How to Build a Rocket by Hazel...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Built Environment (6) Lab
Sixth graders look at toys in space. In this gravity lesson, 6th graders make predictions about what different toys will do with zero gravity. They watch a space video and see what happens to these toys in space.
CK-12 Foundation
Hot Air Balloon
How can people control a hot air balloon? The simple simulation allows scholars to adjust the payload mass, burner, and vent position on a hot air balloon and observe the changes in velocity and altitude over time. Challenge questions...
CK-12 Foundation
Everglades Airboat
How does an airboat move when there isn't a motor in the water? The simulation teaches the forces related to the thrust and drag on an airboat. Scholars vary the boat mass and thrust force in order to view graphs of the changing force...
It's About Time
Run and Jump
Has your class wondered how fast a human could run or how high they are capable of jumping? Help them understand these concepts as they explore acceleration and use an accelerometer to make semiquantitative measurements of acceleration...
Bowels Physics
Impulse and Momentum
Be impulsive with your high school physics class. Emerging physicists review the slide presentation and learn about impulse, momentum, collisions, and how each variable may be affected. They complete practice problems and conclude with a...
CK-12 Foundation
Pirate Ship
Everything that happens is an interaction, from the wind blowing a sail to a cannon ball being thrust out of a cannon. A simulation shows the interactions involving a sail, air, ball, pirate, cannon, deck, ocean, and the Earth and...
CK-12 Foundation
Unicycle
What is the steepness of a hill before a unicyclist slides down it rather than pedaling down it? The simulation graphs the wheel speed versus the unicycle speed as the rider goes down a hill. Scholars control the mass of the rider,...
Bowels Physics
Direct and Inverse Relationships
Viewers learn to recognize direct and inverse relationships in the world of physics with a presentation that reveals how to recognize a direct versus an inverse relationship from a formula or graph. After showing basic examples, the...
Urbana School District
Energy, Work, Simple Machines
The tension of the 236 strings in a grand piano exert a combined force of 20 tons on the cast iron frame. The presentation includes topics such as work, forms of energy, conservation of energy, gravitational and elastic potential energy,...
CPO Science
Potential and Kinetic Energy
Here's a resource ideal for independent learners who need extra reinforcement or would like to work ahead. These textbook chapters and practice problems cover many basic physics concepts, starting with potential and kinetic energy and...
American Museum of Natural History
Meet the Universe's Main Attraction ... Gravity
Learners read a short description about gravity and what it does and then explore the two ideas about how gravity works. After gaining a better understanding of the concept, individuals participate in a thorough experiment on what would...
Urbana School District
Electrostatics
Why did lightning shock the man? Because it didn't know how to conduct itself. Presentation covers electric charges, insulators, conductors, electroscopes, lightning, generators, grounding, static electricity, and more. Presentation...
Columbus City Schools
The Magic of Energy: A Disappearing Act?
Using the 5E method for teaching about kinetic energy, potential energy, and conservation of energy, this two-week unit with many videos and possible extensions is sure to keep pupils engaged as they are learning.
Curated OER
Travel Mug Design
Students create and develop a travel mug. They create visuals and a three dimensional infomercial. They apply an engineering design and demonstrate knowledge of thermodynamics involved in heat transfer. They illustrate Newton's Law of...
Curated OER
Electricity and Magnets
In this physics review worksheet, students compare average and instantaneous speed, review Newton's laws, electricity, and magnets. This worksheet has 12 fill in the blank, 8 short answer questions, and 6 problems to solve.
Curated OER
Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation
Students explore the nature and magnitude of gravitational forces. In this gravitation lesson students study gravity and answer questions.
Curated OER
Balloon Rockets
Students, after reviewing and analyzing Newton's third law of motion, make balloon rockets and experiment with a variety of models. After the experiment, they chart the results and form conclusions. In addition, they compare/contrast...
Curated OER
The Art of Forces and Motion
Learners view a video and use their knowledge of forces and motion to create an art piece. For this forces and motion lesson, students research forces and motion vocabulary and view a QuickTime video. They apply their knowledge by...
Teach Engineering
The Great Gravity Escape
Groups simulate an orbit using a piece of string and a water balloon. Individuals spin in a circular path and calculate the balloon's velocity when the clothes pin can no longer hold onto the balloon.
CK-12 Foundation
Elevator
Do you weigh slightly less when an elevator first starts its descent? The simulation teaches the change in the force based on the acceleration, constant speed, or deceleration of an elevator. Scholars control the mass and acceleration...
Teach Engineering
Pushing it Off a Cliff
Focus on the conservation of energy, specifically looking at gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy, with a lecture that involves having friends throw light objects at each other to determine which has more kinetic energy and...