Students will discover infrared by repeating Herschel's experiment, learn the relationship between frequency and wavelength, and describe how images are created in infrared light. They will also learn how infrared energy influences climate by studying thunderstorms. As part of an ongoing process, students will apply what they learn by monitoring daily GOES satellite infrared images for severe thunderstorm activity and, in conjunction with the U.S. Weather Service, keep a journal of their severity and location.

This resource is a part of the Infrared-Hot lesson plan. This resource provides step by step ways for teachers to implement the lesson.

This resource is a part of the Infrared-Hot lesson plan. This resource includes links to student resources for the lesson.

The Inquiry Project is used to test students knowledge of how specific landscapes change over time. As teachers, we will provide a short lecture portion to give students an idea of what the project is all about. In this portion we will incorporate our grabber video and other visualizations to really engage the students in what is being taught. Once they become comfortable of what is expected of them, they will create a power point to explain how a certain landscape changes over time.

Inquiry Project PBL lesson plan. Students learn about natural geological forces and how they affect nature. Using this knowledge, hypothesize what the same natural monuments might be like in 100 years from now. Students will make a presentation for information, discuss/debate with other stuents, then write reflection on project and what they learned.

In this lesson, students test a variety of insulators and relate their knowledge to energy conservation. With teacher guidance, students design their own investigation. After all experiments are completed, the class looks across the data and draws evidence-based conclusions.

This activity can be students' first exposure to using Direct Measurement Videos in physics. Students will use a video to make measurements that will allow them to calculate the speed of a roller coaster. This activity will also help students understand the concept of average velocity.

In this tutorial students will learn about the difference between static and current electricity, explain how an object can gain or lose a charge, identify the charge (positive or negative) of a substance if given numbers of positive and negative particles, and define electric discharge and grounding.

In this introductory physics activity, students will investigate the basic requirements for electricity. They will create a simple circuit for a quiz board that will light up when the correct matching pair is selected. Students will create six questions and answers for the quiz board, using electricity vocabulary terms.

This lesson introduces the concept of gravitational force and explains how it is experienced.

In this lab activity, students investigate the differences of current in series, parallel, and complex circuits through the building of a small model house containing the different types of circuits.

In this activity students will first brainstorm all the terms (vocabulary) they can think of related to electricity. Next, they will work collaboratively in groups to try to define these terms. Then in groups they will create word webs drawing correlations between the various terms. Groups will discuss how light bulbs work, how they light up, write down their ideas. Next, students will try to draw what they believe a circuit is and how it works. They will need to write several sentences concerning their thoughts. Then they will be given a battery, wires and a light bulb and asked to check their designs. Students will explore what they believe series and parallel circuits are, write down their ideas and draw some pictures. They then will be given materials to try and create these circuits. Finally, students will predict and test differences in bulb brightness in a variety of series and parallel circuits.

In this investigation, students will learn that speed, velocity, and changes in velocity are the result of the action of forces on objects such as friction. Students will construct a simple, balloon powered car and race it on three different surfaces. Students will analyze their car's performance, identify design flaws and apply knowledge to improve their car. They will also graph class results for each of the three surfaces.

In this lab activity, students identify the common misconception that heat and temperature are one in the same. Students feel several objects at room temperature and predict their temperature based on feel. The students almost always identify thermal conductors as feeling colder. The students measure the actual temperature, finding that it is at room temperature. The lab then relates conductivity and specific heat.

In this activity students apply what they have learned about weighted averages, isotopes, and systems of equations to a new situation...coins in a sealed container. They learn some historical information regarding the composition of pennies and then are faced with a challenge: to determine the number of pre-1982 and post-1982 pennies that are contained in a sealed container without opening the container. After they determine the number of each type of penny contained in their canister, they will be asked to compare the pennies to isotopes.

In this activity students will investigate the paths that marbles take once set into motion and then how to change those paths, noting if and how they change.

In this lab activity, students investigate the concept of frame of reference by observing, describing and drawing the same walking motion from different positions. Additionally, they determine the effect of frame of reference on the walking time. Students analyze their data and observations and develop a working definition of the concept of frame of reference. A description of the lab report format is provided.

In this lesson, students will build a simple DC motor out of metal coat hangers, a 24-guage wire armature and field magnet, 14-guage wire brushes, and build the motor so that it rotates when connected to a 10-volt DC power supply. Students will understand the principles of operation of the DC motor, to include: induction of an electromagnetic field via current flowing through a conductor (electromagnetism), and become familiar with the notion that Forcetotal of the motor is proportional to charge, proportional to speed, proportional to the induced magnetic field (B), and dependent on the angles between the rotation of the armature in the field magnetism. Forcetotal = qv X B = (mv2/R), where q is the amount of charge, v is velocity of charge, B is the magnetic field strength, m is the mass of the charge, and R is the radius of the armature loop. Students will be able to solve one variable magnetism problems, describe how their motors operate, and write up a lab report on their findings. During the lab report, students will discuss how they got their motors to rotate faster than the initial trial after building it.

In this project-based unit, students build a working catapult and prepare an extensive lab report explaining the physics behind its design and implementation.

In this activity, students roll miniature cars down a ramp and measure speed and acceleration every 10 cm. Students manipulate variables such as type of car, height of ramp, or ramp material to investigate how these changes affect speed and acceleration. Values for speed and acceleration can be graphed; graphs can be compared and the slope differences discussed.