Lessons

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displaying 1 - 10 of 52 lessons
title description rating updated author
Iron and Magnets

This lesson provides general backround on magnets, and suggests several classroom activities involving magnets and iron filings. These include 

  • identifying magnetic materials
  • staging paper clip battles
  • finding the north pole of a magnet
  • ...
2.82353
Average: 2.8 (17 votes)
16-Oct-2023 guy bar magnet with field lines
Color Perception

This lesson provides a tutorial in color perception and the physiology of color sensitive cells in the eye. It includes three classroom activites for exploring color vision:

  1. a game testing peripheral color vision
  2. a demonstration of mixing colored light...
4.142855
Average: 4.1 (7 votes)
8-Nov-2018 guy photoreceptor response
Cohesion and Surface Tension

Surface tension explains why dew drops are spherical, why a stream of liquid separates into droplets as it falls, and why some heavier-than-water objects can float on the surface of a still pond. In the absence of gravity, surface tension can be a powerful effect, as...

3.916665
Average: 3.9 (24 votes)
27-May-2018 guy water strider
Soda Bottle Rocket

This lesson gives instructions for a simple rocket that can be constructed out of a soda bottle and some alcohol in a matter of seconds. I also explain the basic principles of rocket propulsion (Newton's 3rd law) and offer some suggested design refinements, including a...

3.6
Average: 3.6 (15 votes)
23-May-2017 guy alcohol rocket
Basic Electromagnets

This lesson provides some general background on electromagnets and describes three simple activities for students to explore on their own. For reference, it also includes formulas for the magnetic field strength around several common types of electromagnets.

learning...

3.25
Average: 3.3 (8 votes)
23-May-2017 guy wire solenoid with bolt
Hair, Balloons and Static Electricity

This lesson describes and explains the common effects of static electricity. It provides instructions for making a "pith ball" to study static electric effects from different materials, and includes data on many common materials.

3.810975
Average: 3.8 (164 votes)
23-May-2017 guy sciphile and balloon
Zoetropes, Phenakistoscopes and Other Animation Toys

A lesson on zeotropes, phenakistoscopes and other vintage animation technologies, with explanations and attached printouts for making your own version.

 

2.923075
Average: 2.9 (13 votes)
22-May-2017 guy zoetrope
Magnetic Materials

This lesson is a brief guide to exploring magnetic materials. It lists a variety of everyday metals, their magnetic properties, and where to find them. Students are encouraged to locate as many examples as they can, and test them with magnets. A checklist for students is...

3.58095
Average: 3.6 (105 votes)
1-Aug-2016 guy
Bernoulli's Principle and the Venturi Tube

The Bernoulli principle states that a region of fast flowing fluid exerts lower pressure on its surroundings than a region of slow flowing fluid. The principle applies to the motion of air over an airplane wing, to air flow through a carburetor, to a flag flapping in the...

4.22449
Average: 4.2 (98 votes)
6-Jul-2016 guy
Stacked Ball Drop - Lessons in Conservation of Energy and Momentum

Drop a stack of balls on the floor. By carefully choosing the relative masses of the balls, it is possible to send the top ball flying many times higher than the distance it fell. Analysis of the collision offers good lessons in relative motion and the conservation of...

4.09091
Average: 4.1 (88 votes)
9-Jun-2016 guy Ball Drop

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