Physics Lesson Plans (Page 4)

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

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In this fun engineering lesson plan, your students will build a rocket-catching device to help a falling rocket land vertically without crashing, using simple and readily-available materials. Elementary and high school versions of this lesson plan are also available. This lesson was part of the 2025 Science Buddies Engineering Challenge. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Rocket Catcher Challenge for Grades K-5

Lesson Plan Grade: Kindergarten-5th

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In this fun engineering lesson plan, your students will build a rocket-catching device to help a falling rocket land vertically without crashing, using simple and readily-available materials. Middle school and high school versions of this lesson plan are also available. This lesson was part of the 2025 Science Buddies Engineering Challenge. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Rubber Band Car Challenge for Grades 3-5

Lesson Plan Grade: 3rd-5th

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In this fun engineering lesson plan, your students will build rubber band-powered cars using readily available craft supplies. The challenge is to build a car that goes as far as possible while making careful use of materials. Middle school and high school versions of this lesson plan are also available. This lesson was part of the 2024 Science Buddies Engineering Challenge. Note for K-2 teachers: you can do this challenge with younger students too! Contest entry is open to all K-12… Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Rubber Band Car Challenge for Grades 6-8

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

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In this fun engineering lesson plan, your students will build rubber band-powered cars using readily available craft supplies. The challenge is to build a car that goes as far as possible while making careful use of materials. Elementary school and high school versions of this lesson plan are also available. This lesson was part of the 2024 Science Buddies Engineering Challenge. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Rubber Band Car Challenge for Grades 9-12

Lesson Plan Grade: 9th-12th

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In this fun engineering lesson plan, your students will build rubber band-powered cars using readily available craft supplies. The challenge is to build a car that goes as far as possible while making careful use of materials. Elementary school and middle school versions of this lesson plan are also available. This lesson was part of the 2024 Science Buddies Engineering Challenge. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

High School - Science & Engineering Practices

What Causes Lightning?

Video Lesson Grade: 6th-8th

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Lightning is a powerful display of static electricity in nature. But what is static electricity? In this lesson, students will learn about static electricity and electric fields by building a device that can detect electrical charges, called an electroscope. They will use their electroscope to investigate how well different materials can build up electric charges by rubbing them against wool. During their experiments, students will be able to demonstrate how electric fields exert forces on… Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-PS2-5. Conduct an investigation and evaluated the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.

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

2022 Paper Ball Run Challenge for Grades 9-12

Lesson Plan Grade: 9th-12th

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Add a twist to a classic activity with this fun lesson plan. Your students will design and build a ball run for a ping pong ball using nothing but paper and tape. Their goal is to make the slowest ball run possible. How long can they make it take for the ball to go through their ball run? The 2022 competition is over, but you can see what students built and learn about the winners on the 2022 Engineering Challenge summary page. Teachers, note that elementary and middle school … Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

High School - Science & Engineering Practices

A Roundabout Way to Mars

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

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Students explore orbit transfers and, specifically, Hohmann transfers. They investigate the orbits of Earth and Mars by using cardboard and string. Students learn about the planets' orbits around the sun, and about a transfer orbit from one planet to the other. After the activity, students will know exactly what is meant by a delta-v maneuver!Engineering Connection Aerospace engineers must be creative when planning the best routes and methods to send a spacecraft from Earth… Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-ESS1-2. Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.

Air Pressure, It's in the Bag

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-12th

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"Vacuum sealed" © 2010 Windell Oskay In this activity, students are asked to create a change in air pressure using a garbage bag and vacuum cleaner, then create an illustration, model or concept map that explains what is happening. This activity is part of the KQED Engineering Is: Bringing Fish Up from the Deep e-book. The e-book explores the science and engineering principles behind the California Academy of Sciences' portable… Read more

Physics Lesson Plans (66 results)

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