JoinAll Book Chapters
Book Chapter
In this lesson, children will observe and gain an appreciation for the diversity of birds in their local area. Children will compare different birds to identify the characteristics they have in common. In addition to the complete lesson, this selecti...
Book Chapter
In this lesson, children will investigate the school grounds to find different weeds and to identify the different places weeds can grow. In addition to the complete lesson, this selection contains the following book parts: Chapter 1, “Science for ...
Book Chapter
In this lesson, children will use their observation skills to identify what tree branches look like. They will then use the knowledge they gained from their investigations to put pieces of a tree branch back together. In addition to the complete less...
Book Chapter
In this ongoing unit of study, children will use their observation and comparison skills to understand that certain trees change throughout the seasons. In addition to the complete lesson, this selection contains the following book parts: Chapter 1, ...
Book Chapter
In this lesson, children will use their observation skills to closely examine leaves. Children will compare leaves, noticing that leaves can vary in size, shape, and color. In addition to the complete lesson, this selection contains the following boo...
Book Chapter
In this lesson, children will use their observation skills to find objects with similar characteristics while on an outdoor nature scavenger hunt. In addition to the complete lesson, this selection contains the following book parts: Chapter 1, “Sci...
Book Chapter
In this lesson, children will explore the outdoors to discover different objects in nature. Children will sort objects to learn about and identify different plant structures with particular attention to the parts of a flower. In addition to the compl...
Book Chapter
This is the newest book in the bestselling Uncovering Student Ideas in Science series. Like the first edition of volume 1, this book helps pinpoint what your students know (or think they know) so you can monitor their learning and adjust your teachin...
Book Chapter
Problem-Based Learning in the Physical Science Classroom, K-12 (Book Sample)
Problem-Based Learning in the Physical Science Classroom, K–12 will help your students truly understand concepts such as motion, energy, and magnetism in true-to-life contexts. The book offers a comprehensive description of why, how, and when to ...
Book Chapter
Science for Young Children (Book Sample)
Available for Pre-order. This publication will be released in FEBRUARY 2018 Nurture curiosity and even joy in the youngest scientists. The 24 inquiry-based lessons in this lively collection show you how. The activities are organized into sections on ...
Book Chapter
Guitar Designs—Exploring How Music Is Made
In this activity, students use household items to make a functional guitar that can play at least one octave and a song. This selection highlights the physics concepts of sound and wave properties, as well as the core engineering concepts of design, ...
Book Chapter
Newton’s Third Law Paper Trampoline
In this activity, students learn about Newton’s third law by testing fabrics and other materials for a trampoline designed to provide the highest possible bounce of a steel ball. This selection highlights the physics concepts of Newton’s third la...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students use a 30 cm × 30 cm piece of aluminum foil to construct a boat that supports the weight of the largest number of golf balls. This selection highlights the physics concepts of net force and buoyancy, as well as the core eng...
Book Chapter
Beyond the Egg Drop: Infusing Engineering Into High School Physics (Book Sample)
Problem: You’re eager to expand your physics curriculum and engage your students with engineering content but you don’t know how. Solution: Use the approach and lessons in Beyond the Egg Drop to infuse engineering into what you’re already teach...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students are challenged to construct a cantilever that supports the greatest weight at the greatest distance from the edge of a desk using only the materials provided. This selection highlights the core engineering concepts of desig...
Book Chapter
Cards to the Sky Gummy Bear Tower
In this activity, students use playing cards to build a tower that can withstand wind such that gummy bears can stand on top of it. This selection highlights the core engineering concepts of design and analysis. It includes the Table of Contents, Pre...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students use tape, string, and 20 strands of spaghetti to build the tallest tower that will support one large marshmallow on top. This selection highlights the core engineering concept of design. It includes the Table of Contents, P...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students create a mathematical model to predict the time it will take for a soda can punctured with holes of different sizes to drain. This selection highlights the core engineering concept of models. It includes the Table of Conten...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students will predict and analyze how different materials will behave in a wind tube, then design and test a hovercraft that can stay in the wind tube for 10 seconds. This selection highlights the core engineering concepts of design...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students create a Rube Goldberg device that includes at least three energy transfers and eventually pops a balloon. This selection highlights the core engineering concepts of systems. It includes the Table of Contents, Preface, Summ...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students use limited materials to design a balloon-powered cart that travels three meters in less than five seconds. This selection highlights the physics concepts of distance, time, velocity, Newton’s laws, and energy, as well as...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students use a toothbrush, a small motor, and some wire to make a bristlebot, then optimize it for maximum displacement. This selection highlights the physics concepts of distance, time, velocity, and vectors, as well as the core en...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students design a mousetrap-powered car that goes the fastest down a narrow racetrack. This selection highlights the physics concepts of motion and force, as well as the core engineering concepts of design, systems, and models. It i...
Book Chapter
Amusement Park Engineer—Bumper Cars
In this activity, students use PhET simulation to create a proposal for a design of a set of bumper cars that are safe, fair, and fun for children, teenagers, and adults. This selection highlights the physics concept of momentum, as well as the core ...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students design a vehicle that successfully lands an egg dropped from a height of two meters. They use force plates, motion detectors, and other tools for analysis along the way. This selection highlights the physics concept of impu...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students design a vehicle that successfully lands an egg dropped from a height of two meters. They use force plates, motion detectors, and other tools for analysis along the way. This selection highlights the physics concept of impu...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students use mathematical models to create solutions for a successful bungee cord for different conditions. This selection highlights the physics concept of energy formation, as well as the core engineering concepts of design, analy...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students design a wearable and usable insulating glove that can slow the temperature drop that occurs when it is placed in ice water for three minutes. This selection highlights the physics concepts of heat transfer and thermal equi...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students analyze and predict behaviors of a designed system using Coffee Joulies. They use graphic models to explain and communicate the effectiveness of the product and conditions tested. This selection highlights the physics conce...
Book Chapter
Pendulums—And the Beat Goes On
In this activity, students build a pendulum that acts as a metronome to keep pace with the beat of a song. This selection highlights the physics concepts of period, frequency, and simple harmonic motion, as well as the core engineering concepts of de...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students design a board game that uses mirrors and lenses and demonstrates students’ understanding of optics concepts. This selection highlights the physics concepts of refraction and reflection, as well as the core engineering co...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students build a functioning speaker using common household items. The winning speaker is determined by both the volume of sound and the quality of sound. This selection highlights the physics concepts of electromagnetism and sound ...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students design school spirit memorabilia using at least three LEDs, a battery, and a switch. This selection highlights the physics concept of circuits, as well as the core engineering concepts of design, analysis, and systems. It i...
Book Chapter
Lights Out! Zombie Apocalypse Flashlight
In this activity, students use some simple household items to design a working flashlight that can be operated with one hand. This selection highlights the physics concept of circuits, as well as the core engineering concepts of design, analysis, mod...
Book Chapter
In this activity, students read an article about using magnets to influence the behavior of bees, and then consider the physics principles for this “magnet” instrument and what engineers must consider to design this apparatus. This selection high...
Book Chapter
Newton’s Third Law Paper Trampoline
In this activity, students learn about Newton’s third law by testing fabrics and other materials for a trampoline designed to provide the highest possible bounce of a steel ball. This selection highlights the physics concepts of Newton’s third la...
Book Chapter
In this lesson, students learn the distinction between nonrenewable and renewable sources of energy, recognizing that wind energy is one of the primary renewable sources used today. They also learn about the concept of resource scarcity as it pertain...
Book Chapter
In this lesson, students make connections between the geography of the United States and the availability of wind resources. They explore the scientific process and measurement of natural phenomena. By investigating a variety of maps students gain a ...
Book Chapter
In this lesson, students investigate the economics of wind farms, their environmental impacts, and wind turbine blade design. Students consider the advantages and disadvantages of using wind energy, and then use the engineering design process (EDP) a...
Book Chapter
This lesson’s activity is the Wind Farm Challenge. In this lesson, each student team creates a proposal for a wind farm designed to convince the local community that the wind farm is a desirable addition. In its proposal, each student team consider...