Our Physical Science students have been bringing Newton’s Laws of Motion to life with engaging, hands-on experiments that showcase creativity, collaboration and critical thinking.
One group of students designed their own rubber band cars and conducted experiments to explore Newton’s Three Laws of Motion: Law of Inertia, F=ma and Action-Reaction.
To document their findings, students created short video projects, citing evidence from their trials to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the concepts.
Another group of Physical Science students participated in the "Inertia 500" Challenge. These students worked in teams as “pit crews” to explore the concept of inertia. Each crew selected one variable—such as ramp angle, car speed, or materials used to launch a Play-Doh object—and aimed to make the object fly the farthest from a toy car.
As part of their process, students worked collaboratively to plan their investigations, selecting a specific variable to test and agreeing on a strategy. They completed detailed lab write-ups to outline their hypotheses and methods before conducting trials to collect data. By calculating the average distance for each variation, they determined the most effective strategies for their challenge. This hands-on activity not only deepened their understanding of inertia but also fostered teamwork and problem-solving skills.
These innovative, hands-on labs exemplify how our Physical Science students are embracing science concepts. By connecting ideas like Newton's Laws of Motion to real-world applications, students are not only mastering the science but also building essential skills in collaboration, critical thinking and creative problem-solving. Through their experiments, videos and detailed lab work, they’ve shown that learning really is limitless when driven by curiosity.
Click the photo to check out highlights from a few Physical Science classes as students take on their car challenges in action!