Sixth Grade, Physics Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 9)

Test the Webb Space Telescope's Amazing Multiple Mirrors and Sunshield

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Can you imagine designing and building a space telescope the size of a tennis court? Believe it or not, that is someone's job! Hundreds of engineers were involved in getting the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) into space. This telescope has the potential to enable astronomers to see light from when the Universe was first formed. No one knows what amazing discoveries this might lead to, but already, JWST has delivered astounding deep space images that offer an unprecedented look at… Read more

Use a Catapult to Storm Castle Walls

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You may have seen movies or read books where armies in medieval times catapulted large rocks or other objects at castles (or each other!). These armies used different types of catapults to accomplish different goals — for example, launching things over or into castle walls to knock them down. In this experiment, you will use a ping-pong ball catapult to lay siege to a "castle" and find the right settings to hit your targets. Read more

What's the Best Exposure Time for Sun Print Paper?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know you can make paintings or drawings using sunlight? You can do it by leaving objects on top of special sun print paper until the light creates an imprint of the objects. How does this process work? How long should you leave the paper in the sun to get the best result? What does any of this have to do with the process of making the microchips that power our phones and computers? Try this project to find out! Check out this page for more science projects related to this process. Read more

Wind Maze

Lesson Plan Grade: 4th-12th

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Students will explore the elements by designing a wind maze, a device that can direct the wind along a specific path. Learning Objectives Students will: Design and test a wind maze. Consider how to direct the wind down an intended path by creating bends in the maze. Use observations from their tests to compare solutions and iterate on their designs. NGSS Alignment This lesson helps students prepare for these Next Generation Science Standards Performance Expectations: … Read more

A Candle Seesaw Balancing Act

STEM Activity

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Do you love playing on a seesaw? Why is it that depending on where you sit on the beam, and the weight of the person on the other side, you either fly up into the air or fall down to the ground? And why is it so difficult to perfectly balance the seesaw? It can all be explained with physics! In this activity, you will investigate the balancing forces of a seesaw—with a seesaw made of candles! Read more

A Magnifying Discovery

STEM Activity

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Have you ever looked through a magnifying lens? Why does an object look different when you look at it through the magnifying lens? Even though the object appears to get larger or smaller, it really stays the same size. Each lens has its own unique power of magnification; how powerful is your lens? Read more

A Simulator for Suborbital Spacecraft

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wished you could fly to space? Space flight is getting more accessible thanks to reusable rockets that make getting to space much cheaper. Civilian astronauts can even buy tickets for a few minutes in space! But exactly how high is "space"? How do engineers predict how high a rocket will go and figure out how to make it land safely? Find out in this project as you explore the physics of suborbital space flight. Read more

Balls Bouncing Off of Surfaces

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

For example, think of hitting a baseball, heading a soccer ball into the net, or hitting a tennis ball with a racquet. Where the ball goes depends on...what? You can set up a simple model to start your investigation. You'll need a marble, a flat piece of wood, a flat piece of cardboard, a pencil, a ruler, a protractor, and a level surface. Lay down the cardboard down on a level surface and set up the flat piece of wood at one edge. The wood will act like a wall, and you're going to roll… Read more

Black in the Spotlight

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

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How does light interact with matter? In this fun hands-on lesson, your students explore how different materials transmit, absorb and/or reflect light. They create their own experiments to demonstrate these phenomena and use a phones' built-in light sensor and a sensor app to add quantitative data to their arguments. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations: