Engineering and physics are complementary!
Hands-on engineering curriculum, aligned to Next Gen physics and physical-science standards, provides context on how these topics can be applied to make the world a healthier, happier and safer place.
Physics and Physical Science Curricula
Physics and Physical Science Curriculum featuring Engineering
Our engineering curriculum is aligned to Next Gen's Physics and Physical Science Standards, and engages students in science and engineering practices including: asking questions, carrying out investigations and communicating information through exploring real-world challenges.
Select your physical science or physics topic:
Exemplar NGSS-aligned TeachEngineering curriculum:
Using gumdrops and toothpicks, students conduct a large-group, interactive ozone depletion model. Students explore the dynamic and competing upper atmospheric roles of the protective ozone layer, the sun's UV radiation and harmful human-made CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons).
To better understand electricity, students investigate the properties of materials based on their ability to dispel static electricity. . Students learn to identify materials that hold static charge as insulators and materials that dispel charge as conductors. The class applies the results from thei...
Students learn about atoms and their structure (protons, electrons, neutrons) — the building blocks of matter. They see how scientific discoveries about atoms and molecules influence new technologies developed by engineers.
Students use gumdrops and toothpicks to make lithium atom models. Using these models, they investigate the makeup of atoms, including their relative size.
Students compare and contrast matter and antimatter, learn how antimatter can be used as a form of energy, and consider potential engineering applications for antimatter.
Select your physics topic:
Exemplar NGSS-aligned TeachEngineering curriculum:
Students measure the relative intensity of a magnetic field as a function of distance. They place a permanent magnet selected distances from a compass, measure the deflection, and use the gathered data to compute the relative magnetic field strength.
In this activity, students examine how different balls react when colliding with different surfaces. They learn how to calculate momentum and understand the principle of conservation of momentum.
Students measure and analyze forces that act on vehicles pulling heavy objects while moving at a constant speed on a frictional surface. They study how the cars interact with their environments through forces, and discover which parameters in the design of the cars and environments could be altered ...
Students use a simple experimental setup consisting of a current-carrying wire and a magnet to explore the forces that enable biomedical imaging. In doing so, they run a current through a wire and then hold magnets in various positions to establish and explore the magnetic force acting on the wire. ...
After a demonstration of the deflection of an electron beam, students review their knowledge of the cross-product and the right-hand rule with example problems. Students apply these concepts to understand the magnetic force on a current carrying wire. Through the associated activity, students furthe...
Select your advanced physics topic:
Exemplar NGSS-aligned TeachEngineering curriculum:
Students use tabletop-sized robots to build projectile throwers and measure motion using sensors. They compute distances and velocities using simple kinematic equations and confirm their results through measurements by hand. To apply the concept, students calculate the necessary speed of an object t...
Students work within constraints to construct model trusses and then test them to failure as a way to evaluate the relative strength of different truss configurations and construction styles. Within each group, each student builds two exact copies of the team's truss configuration using his/her own ...
Students observe four different classroom setups with objects in motion (using toy cars, a ball on an incline, and a dynamics cart). At the first observation of each scenario, students sketch predicted position vs. time and velocity vs. time graphs.
The objective of this activity is to articulate concepts related to force and motion through direct immersive interaction based on "The Science Behind Harry Potter" . Students explore the relationships between displacement, velocity and acceleration, and calculate simple projectile motion.
Students learn about video motion capture technology within the context of a high school physics class. They learn about vector components, magnitudes and directions, position, velocity, and acceleration. Students use a (free) classroom data collection and processing tool, the ARK Mirror to visual a...
Frequently Asked Questions
Both the Engineering Design Process and the Scientific Method are tools employed by engineers to solve challenging, multifaceted problems. The steps of the scientific method are employed when an engineer needs to test a hypothesis or learn about unknown processes, while the engineering design process is an iterative cycle that is useful in designing new products and processes. Through applying the Engineering Design Process, engineers continuously learn from failure to make incremental improvements in product or process designs. Learn more about how to use the Engineering Design Process and find example curriculum on our Engineering Design Hub!
The difference between Making and Engineering is in the extent of planning and analysis that goes into product design. Engineered products are not the result of trial and error, but a careful understanding of how the world around us works through the mastery and application of knowledge in physics, math, chemistry, biology, sociology and other fields ---and integrating that knowledge to design products and processes that behave in creative, yet predictable, ways. For a broader idea of what engineers do, check out our What is Engineering video!
