Students investigate whether a bowling ball will float or sink in an …
Students investigate whether a bowling ball will float or sink in an aquarium of water after measuring the ball and determining the density. This is meant to be an investigative inquiry of the concepts of density and significant figures.
Students investigate whether a bowling ball will float or sink in an …
Students investigate whether a bowling ball will float or sink in an aquarium of water after measuring the ball and determining the density. This is meant to be an investigative inquiry of the concepts of density and significant figures.
In this demonstration of chemical change, the presenter blows breath into a …
In this demonstration of chemical change, the presenter blows breath into a methylene blue solution releasing carbon dioxide which acidifies the water and changes it from a bright blue color to green.
In this interactive activity from the Building Big Web site, use your …
In this interactive activity from the Building Big Web site, use your knowledge of bridge design to match the right bridge to the right location in a fictitious city.
How must the environmental and engineering factors of designing a bridge be …
How must the environmental and engineering factors of designing a bridge be combined to create a safe bridge? People have built bridges over rivers, canyons, and other barriers for centuries. As engineers developed better technology and materials, the bridges became larger and stronger. Regardless of the type, all bridges apply common science principles related to forces, including tension and compression. Bridges of the future must be designed with lightweight materials that can withstand extreme weather events. Engineers must design bridges to create safe pathways for multiple forms of transportation, including bike lanes, pedestrian walkways, and passage for large cargo ships. Bridges can also be a source of inspiration, community gathering, and pride in a place. Bridges of the future must be designed with the community and environment in mind. Students will consider design criteria and constraints when defining an engineering problem. While analyzing the phenomena of the Hassanabad bridge collapse, students will consider the environmental and social factors involved in developing a structurally sound future bridge.
This is a 3-hour lesson that includes a self-paced interactive module and classroom activities. The teacher guide includes a challenge sequence (timeline), relevance to standards, materials list, print-outs, assessment, evaluation rubric, and learning extensions.
Lesson objectives: (1) Define and analyze the structural elements of bridges, including beams, arches, trusses, and suspension. (2) Identify tension and compression (tensile and compressive) forces in different types of bridges. (3) Analyze variables (materials, shapes used in the design, environmental factors) engineers must consider when designing a bridge with structural integrity with the ability to withstand a load (weather, cars, people, etc.)
Students work in groups to create soap bubbles on a smooth surface, …
Students work in groups to create soap bubbles on a smooth surface, recording their observations from which they formulate theories to explain what they see (color swirls on the bubble surfaces caused by refraction). Then they apply this theory to thin films in general, including porous films used in biosensors, listing factors that could change the color(s) that become visible to the naked eye, and learn how those factors can be manipulated to give information on gene detection. Finally (by experimentation or video), students see what happens when water is dropped onto the surface of a Bragg mirror.
SSAC Physical Volcanology module. Students build a spreadsheet and apply the ideal …
SSAC Physical Volcanology module. Students build a spreadsheet and apply the ideal gas law to model the velocity of a bubble rising in a viscous magma.
Whether you want to light up a front step or a bathroom, …
Whether you want to light up a front step or a bathroom, it helps to have a light come on automatically when darkness falls. For this maker challenge, students create their own night-lights using Arduino microcontrollers, photocells and (supplied) code to sense light levels and turn on/off LEDs as they specify. As they build, test, and control these night-lights, they learn about voltage divider circuits and then experience the fundamental power of microcontrollers—controlling outputs (LEDs) based on sensor (photocell) input readings and if/then/else commands. Then they are challenged to personalize (and complicate) their night-lights—such as by using delays to change the LED blinking rate to reflect the amount of ambient light, or use many LEDs and several if/else statements with ranges to create a light meter. The possibilities are unlimited!
In this hands-on activity, students explore the electrical force that takes place …
In this hands-on activity, students explore the electrical force that takes place between two objects. Each student builds an electroscope and uses the device to draw conclusions about objects' charge intensity. Students also determine what factors influence electric force.
Have you ever ridden a roller coaster? Have you ever wated to …
Have you ever ridden a roller coaster? Have you ever wated to design your own? There are plenty of expensive toys and even video games that will let you build your own coasters -- but in this project you'll make one out of paper and tape and learn about roller coaster physics along the way!
Construct and measure the energy efficiency and solar heat gain of a …
Construct and measure the energy efficiency and solar heat gain of a cardboard model house. Use a light bulb heater to imitate a real furnace and a temperature sensor to monitor and regulate the internal temperature of the house. Use a bright bulb in a gooseneck lamp to model sunlight at different times of the year, and test the effectiveness of windows for passive solar heating.
Students are challenged to design their own small-sized prototype light sculptures to …
Students are challenged to design their own small-sized prototype light sculptures to light up a hypothetical courtyard. To accomplish this, they use Arduino microcontrollers as the “brains” of the projects and control light displays composed of numerous (3+) light-emitting diodes (LEDs). With this challenge, students further their learning of Arduino fundamentals by exploring one important microcontroller capability—the control of external circuits. The Arduino microcontroller is a powerful yet easy-to-learn platform for learning computer programing and electronics. LEDs provide immediate visual success/failure feedback, and the unlimited variety of possible results are dazzling!
Students build their own small-scale model roller coasters using pipe insulation and …
Students build their own small-scale model roller coasters using pipe insulation and marbles, and then analyze them using physics principles learned in the associated lesson. They examine conversions between kinetic and potential energy and frictional effects to design roller coasters that are completely driven by gravity. A class competition using different marbles types to represent different passenger loads determines the most innovative and successful roller coasters.
Students will come away from this lesson with a better understanding of …
Students will come away from this lesson with a better understanding of series and parallel circuits. They will understand what happens to voltage when energy sources are wired in series and parallel with each other. They will be curious about when we use energy sources in parallel versus in series.
In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, the cast shows how the …
In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, the cast shows how the 34 steps in their Rube Goldberg invention use everything from gravity to carbon dioxide gas in order to accomplish one simple task: pouring a glass of milk.
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