| Middle School
- P.FM.M.2 Force Interactions -"Some forces between
objects act when the objects are in direct contact
(touching), such as friction and air resistance, or
when they are not in direct contact (not touching),
such as magnetic force, electrical force, and gravitational
force."
- Applied
Science - Electric and Magentic Forces
This is generally a resource site, but
it has some really nice interactive slide shows
about electricity and magnetism, including their
history. There are lessons with materials, background,
procedures, questions, etc.
- Auroras:
Paintings in the Sky
Good interactive site with lots of pictures.
Explains the formation of auroras and their relationship
to the earth's magnetic field. Good connection
with solar system and atmospheric science as well.
Lesson plans provided.
- Bend
Water With Static Electricity
This is an activity to test the effects of static
electricity on a stream of water. This will demonstrate
how an object is changed without direct contact
from a force.
- Build
Beakman's Electric Motor
See a very easy way for your middle or high school
students to build and even take home a motor of
their own for little money and easy to find materials.
Many links to similar sites and scroll down to
the end for directions to build. Note: Play
with the motor yourself ahead of time, many materials
can be adjusted from the suggested materials.
(such as… ring magnets instead of rectangular,
plastic cup for base instead of wood block, vary
wire loop sizes by getting different dowel sizes
instead of toilet paper roll, different gauge
wire… many opportunities for discovery for students)
- Building
Big: Forces Lab
Enables students to experiment with the forces
that affect structures. They can also investigate
how the shape of a structure and the materials
from which it is constructed affect its ability
to withstand forces. Closely related to this benchmark
in that it related forces to their effect on objects
around them. Also related to benchmarks 1 and
2. Ideal for a hands on project revolving around
these ideas.
- Circles
of Magnetism IV
This activity demonstrates how electricity
can move something by using two parallel, current-carrying
wires that exert forces on each other.
- Dirtmeister
Students are given directions to set up an investigation
about friction. Good details and easy to do.
- Force
and Motion Science Fair Projects
Several science fair ideas are listed for force
and motion with links for other topics.
- Forces
in Action
This is an on-line activity that allows the student
to change the variable and observe differences.
The student must fill in information in a table
and answer questions based on the information.
Quizes are available.
- Force
and Motion Unit
An entire complete unit on force and motion, which
includes worksheets, demonstrations, experiments,
readings and tests.
- Forces
in One Dimension New
- This is a simulation to teach about position,
velocity, and acceleration graphs.
- Frank
Potter's Science Gems
Excellent site for student interaction with
several concepts, including, force, motion, acceleration,
gravity, velocity, etc... Includes several student
activities where students are able to change
the parameters. Contains many excellent links
to sites on this topic.
- Free
Body Diagrams
Helps students develop skills in drawing free
body diagrams by providing background information,
examples, and an online self-test.
- Friction New
Students learn that rubbing two
objects together causes friction and they heat
up. The particles break free when one reaches
the melting point.
- Friction
Game
Students send a car around
a track and note the difference in legnth traveled
by changing the push and/or the surface. Quiz
follows.
- May
the Force be with You! New
- This site explains and illustrates topics
related to force and motion. These topics
include Newton's
first, second, and third laws, balanced and
unbalanced forces, gravity, velocity, and acceleration.
It would be appropriate for use with upper
elementary or middle school students.
- Roller
Coaster Builder
Students build a roller coaster and test to see
if there is enough force to propell the coaster.
- SIMPLE
MACHINES
Teacher lesson plans for pulleys, levers, inclined
planes, screws, wedges, wheel and axle, and
machines
within machines. There are also subsets of activities
within these topics.
-
Simple
Machines
This site gives you an explanation of each
simple machine. Then, put simple machines
to work as you build a tree house.
- Slide
Show for Teachers
This is an animated slide show giving directions
for an activity to experiment with work. This
would be great for partners.
- Static
Electricity
Teacher and student resource with fun diagrams
and graphics. Includes simple activities.
- Super
Sparker
Try this simple experiment and make your own
lightning. The directions and illustrations
are great. There
is a follow-up article that explains the science
principles involved in the experiment.
- The
Compound Machine New
Students answer questions
about forces and simple machines as an object
travels through a compound machine.
- Thinking
Fountain
Demonstrate contact and non-contact forces to
change the motion of an object. This is a quick
way to demonstrate air resistance. Students
are
given an activity comparing by dropping a wad
of paper and a flat piece of paper. This site
also will enable to user to go to other activities
such as parachutes.
- Roller
Coaster Physics
Great information on types of energy and
conservation of energy via amusement park rides
and games.
Some student interaction on the main page, on
the midway.
- Weightless
Follies, Apollo 10 Crew in Zero Gravity New
Video showing Apollo 10 crew in gravity
to demonstrate what happens when there is no
gravity.
- Zephyr
Physics: Magnetism New
- This site contains information about magnets
and magnetism. It also includes an interactive
quiz and a printable worksheet for students
to complete after they have viewed the website.
It would be appropriate for use with upper
elementary
or middle school students.
- P.FM.M.3 Force -"Forces have a magnitude and
direction. Forces can be added. The net force on an
object is the sum of all of the forces acting on the
object. An object’s speed and/or direction of
motion changes when a non-zero net force is applied
to it. A balanced force on an object does not change
the motion of the object(the object either remains
at rest or continues to move at a constant speed in
a straight line)."
- Forces
in One Dimension New
This is a simulation
to teach about position, velocity, and acceleration
graphs.
- Forces
and Motion Activity Tub New A set of
activity cards that can be used in science centers
where students complete a series of activities
relating to force and motion. This is a PDF file.
- Frank
Potter's Science Gems
Excellent site for student interaction with
several concepts, including, force, motion, acceleration,
gravity, velocity, etc... Includes several student
activities where students are able to change the
parameters. Contains many excellent links to sites
on this topic.
- Free
Body Diagrams
Helps students develop skills in drawing free
body diagrams by providing background information,
examples, and an online self-test.
- Friction
Experiment New
Students try to stop a vehicle from
hitting another by changing the speed and size
of the vehicle as well as the road conditions.
- May
the Force be with You! New
This site explains and illustrates
topics related to force and motion. These topics
include Newton's first, second, and third laws,
balanced and unbalanced forces, gravity, velocity,
and acceleration. It would be appropriate for
use with upper elementary or middle school students.
- Roller
Coaster Physics
Great information on types of energy and
conservation of energy via amusement park rides
and games.
Some student interaction on the main page, on
the midway.
- Velocity,
Speed, and Motion... Oh My! New
- Information on velocity, speed and motion,
explaining the differences.
- P.FM.M.4 Speed -"Motion can be described by a
change in position relative to a point of reference.
The motion of an object can be described by its speed
and the direction it is moving. The position and speed
can be measured and graphed as a function of time."
- Cars
and Energy
Good experiment to answer the question, how does
the height of a ramp affect potential energy of
a car?
- Free
Body Diagrams
In middle school, students study the concepts
that are covered in Newton's three laws. This
site contains background information on Newton's
laws and related concepts, including mass, weight,
frictional forces, forces in circular motion,
and the force of gravity. The concept maps help
students to discern the relationships among concepts.
- Ladybug Motion New
Student can move the ladybug
to learn about position, velocity and acceleration
vectors.
- Maze Simulation Activity New
Learn about position,
velocity, and acceleration in the "Arena
of Pain". Use the green arrow to move the
ball. Add more walls to the arena to make the
game more difficult. Try to make a goal as fast
as you can.
- NASA
Glenn Learning Technologies Project - Rocket Activities
With some simple and inexpensive materials,
you can mount an exciting and productive physical
science unit about rockets for children. The
guide begins with background information sections
on the history of rocketry, scientific principles,
and practical rocketry. The sections on scientific
principles and practical rocketry are based
on
Isaac Newton's Three Laws of Motion. These
laws explain why rockets work and how to make
them
more efficient.
- Roller
Coaster Physics
Outstanding.
This Webquest will relate the ideas of Newton’s
Laws of Motion to the thrill and excitement of
riding the biggest and baddest roller coasters
around. Students research Newton’s Laws
of Motion and roller coasters. Students
will then use their research and knowledge to
evaluate roller coasters.
- The Moving Man:Simulation New
Students move
a man around and learn about position, velocity,
and acceleration graphs.
- The
Physics Classroom
Outstanding!
Newton's Laws can be found here. Inertia and mass,
balanced and unbalanced forces, State of motion,
and a whole lot more. This site is a site you
will want to check out.
- The
U of O Physics Student Page
This has a few interactive lessons for 1-dimensional
kenimatics.
- Velocity, Speed, and Motion... Oh My! New
Information
on velocity, speed and motion, explaining the
differences.
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