Kenan Fellows
Analyzing Speed from Different Modalities
Show us your moves. Using sensor equipment, scholars track the motion of different movements, such as jogging, skipping, or jump roping. They analyze velocity and acceleration and create graphs representing each movement.
Curated OER
Linear Motion
Students are able to build an understanding of linear motion. They are able to define and calculate the speed and acceleration of various objects. Students are able to differentiate betweeen instantaneous speed and average speed. They...
Curated OER
Roller Coaster Physics
Students design a roller coaster that allows a marble to run the course as fast as possible. Students create an experimental roller coaster taking into account the steepness of the hills and the sharpness of the turns. Students use a...
Curated OER
Measuring Acceleration
High schoolers create an accelerometer and take measurements of acceleration in a moving car. They study the car speeding up in a straight line, slowing in a straight line and curving at constant speed. They prepare a lab report showing...
Curated OER
Inertial Mass, Weight, and Newton's Second Law of Motion
The stage is set for you to guide future physicists through three forceful activities about motion. In the first, learners experiment with rolling carts to discover how objects interact. In the second, they inspect images of an object in...
LABScI
Viscosity: The Fluid Lab
There's more to fluids than meet the eye—they include gases, liquids, and polymers, too! Scholars complete three hands-on activities exploring different properties of fluids. They explore viscosity by measuring the resistance, or...
Curated OER
Motion
Sixth graders read about and study motion. They conduct a lab in which they calculate speed using track records at their school. They graph the results and then invite a guest speaker (an officer from the local police department) who...
Curated OER
Go Car, Go!
Students design and build their own car. In this physics lesson, students collect data to determine the speed of the car. They plot the data on the graph analyze the relationship between variables.
Curated OER
Laws of Motion
Students explore centrifugal and centripetal force. In this motion lesson, students expand on their knowledge of motion to study velocity, acceleration, and friction. Students examine multiple objects to demonstrate the laws of motion.
Curated OER
"Graphing Your Motion"
Students study the concepts of motion, velocity, and acceleration through graphing their own movement using LoggerPro. They explain the difference between speed and velocity using the weather vane example. They discover the difference...
Curated OER
Straight Line Motion in Two Parts
Students describe and quantify the motion of toy cars. In this motion lesson, students observe a battery powered toy car on a flat surface and a standard toy car on a sloped surface. They write their observations, measure average speeds,...
Curated OER
Let's Outrage the Bull
Learners study kinetic and potential energy. In this energy lesson, students in grades K-2 understand the differences between kinetic and potential energy. Learners in grades 3-5 demonstrate that kinetic and potential energy. Students in...
LABScI
Harmonic Motion: Pendulum Lab
Several times throughout history, groups of soldiers marching in rhythm across a suspension bridge have caused it to collapse. Scholars experiment with pendulums, resonance, and force to determine why this would happen. First, pupils...
Curated OER
Straight Line Motion with a Stomper
Students explore average speed, and graph distances and time. In this speed and velocity instructional activity students complete a lab then calculate distances, acceleration and velocity and graph the data.
Curated OER
Up and Down We Go
Students explore physics concepts such as velocity, acceleration and speed to create a model of a safe roller coaster. They design and conduct a lab to demonstrate the properties of an object fired horizontally and at an angle.
Curated OER
Velocity and Acceleration
Twelfth graders look at local speed limits and traffic controls and see if they are reasonable. They plot the displacement and time to represent velocity, develop a plan for improving the current system, and organize experimental...
Curated OER
Forces and Acceleration Unit
Students investigate that an unbalanced force, acting on an object, changes it speed or path of motion or both, and know that if the force always acts toward the same center as the object moves, the objects path may curve into an orbit...
Curated OER
Speedy Spaghetti
Students explore the principles of motion by constructing a car out of pasta that will carry a large marshmallow and travel down a ramp. They discuss the formula for calculating speed, design and build their cars, and calculate their...
Jefferson Lab
The Shape of Things
Here is an interesting science lesson/activity which has learners working in groups in order to simulate experiments done at the Jefferson Science Lab. For this one, groups use a pie tin, a Hula Hoops, a marble, and a magic marker to...
Curated OER
Newton's Second Law of Motion
Sixth graders study Newton's second law of motion and verify it. In this force and motion lesson students complete a lab activity and collect data, analyze it and graph it.
Curated OER
Speed Trap
Students conceptually explore motion graphing by producing motion at different speeds and directions. They experience the lab and then graph the motion of the truck at various speeds and directions. The procedures of velocity are...
Curated OER
Investigating Motion
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.
Curated OER
Trajectory and Range of a Projectile
Students investigate the factors affecting projectile trajectory. In this physics lesson, students calculate the range, time and speed of projectiles using mathematical equations.