You can make experiments the most fun and engaging part of your science class. Experienced educators and curriculum specialists have developed each of these lessons, and we have tested them in real classrooms. PocketLab middle school lessons span across all the Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) disciplines. Browse all the middle school lessons below or use the filters to search for specific content.
Middle School Science
Egg Drop Experiment with Data
Egg Drop Experiment with Data
We can take an egg drop further by adding sensor data collection. Normally an egg drop is a “pass or fail” activity, and collecting data is difficult. With an sensor in place of the egg for trial runs, students can refine their designs with real life data.
Speed of Mini HotRod: Long Track Challenge
Introduction
Would you like to engage your entire science class as a group in a challenge? If so, then the "Speed of Mini HotRod: Long Track Challenge" may serve that purpose well!
Crash Cushioning Lab - NGSS Based
Introduction to Crash Cushioning
In addition to automobile features that promote road safety, there has been and continues to be a great deal of work on highway features that save lives. An earlier lab entitled Crash Cushion Investigation, submitted by PocketLab, makes use of the PocketLab HotRod to investigate crash cushioning similar to that shown in Figure 1.
"High Striker" with PocketLab & ScratchX
Carnival Games
Most everyone enjoys a carnival! Some like the food--from cotton candy, to funnel cakes, to ice cream. Others enjoy rides such as the carousel, Ferris wheel, and bumper cars. Many like to test their skills in games like "Milk Bottle", "Balloon and Dart", and "Ring Toss". One of the most well-know skill games is "High Striker", sometimes called "Ring the Bell" or "Strongman Game". This game is commonly played by guys trying to impress girlfriends and wives with their macho strength. In this game, a large mallet is used to strike one end of a lever. Th
Theremin Synth Music with Voyager/ScratchX
Introduction
A theremin , named after its Russian inventor in the early 1900's, is an electronic musical instrument that is controlled without any contact by the musician. Volume is controlled by moving one hand near one antenna, while pitch is controlled by moving the other hand near a second antenna. The sound is generated by a pair of high-frequency oscillators.
Dynamometer for Hand Strength
A PocketLab Voyager Hand Dynamometer
Hand and finger strength is vital in many aspects of life--from sports such as rock climbing to jobs including airline baggage workers. PocketLab Voyager's tactile sensor can be used to construct a very simple hand dynamometer to measure strength of a person's hands and fingers. Figure 1 shows a simple dynamometer constructed by the author. It consists of a 2" x 2" x 4" block of wood to which the PocketLab tactile sensor has been attached using removable double stick poster tape.
Heel Pressure: Running versus Walking
Heel Pressure
Do you really know how to walk or run? PocketLab's tactile pressure sensor provides for an opportunity for your students to investigate foot pressure during these activities. Improper form can ultimately lead to unwanted visits to a podiatrist. Whenever you take a step, your body places pressure on muscles, joints and tendons in your legs, knees, ankles, feet and toes. Controlling heel pressure is a key factor to prevent injuries in this regard.
Tactile Pressure in Gripping/Lifting Objects
Introduction to Tactile Pressure
Tactile pressure sensors are used for a wide variety applications including, but not limited to the following:
PocketLab/Ozobot LIDAR Demonstration
Introduction
LIDAR—an acronym for Light Detection and Ranging—is a method for remote sensing to measure distances. While LIDAR commonly uses reflected laser light to accomplish this, students can investigate LIDAR principles by using Voyager’s IR rangefinder in conjunction with Ozobot Evo. Ozobot is a tiny programmable robot that can follow lines. In this activity, PocketLab Voyager is mounted on top of Ozobot. While Ozobot t
Voyager Rides an RC Car for Summertime Fun
RC Car Fun!!!
Here is a fun summertime activity! Race an RC car with PocketLab Voyager. Challenge your friends to see who can negotiate a series of cones in the shortest amount of time without hitting any of the cones. Start and end times are obtained by Voyager's magnetometer as the RC car passes by magnets.