THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
ENERGY AND FORCES

Forces such as gravity and magnetism transmit energy across space from one object to another and doing everything from attracting electrons to protons to keeping nearly million-pound jumbo jets in the air. Learn how we use sensors to measure these forces and better understand our world.

Video Topic Series Guide

The Caterpillar Foundation Video Series Guide for high school physics is a standards-aligned curriculum of engaging videos and hands-on activities designed to bring the world of STEM and Industry 4.0 into the classroom. Students learn the fundamentals of physical laws and how to problem solve by tackling real-world challenges in class and after-school sessions. Through a process of investigation, team discussion, and hands-on experiences, students will advance theory into applications they can see and touch.

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Hands-On Classroom Activities

Discover how the Laws of Motion play a part in every single thing we do with these simple, easy-to-implement activations aligned to education standards. Students will take on a series of creative STEM challenges in which they put the power of force and motion into action.

Classroom Activity

Mixed Reality Headsets

How can virtual reality be used to change the world?
In this activity, student teams select a professional discipline they’re interested in and ideate a way that virtual or mixed reality headsets could improve that field.
Download.PDF, 475KB
Classroom Activity

Virtual Gravity

What is gravitational force and how do you calculate it?
Students learn about Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation and apply their knowledge to design and storyboard a lifelike mixed reality experience simulating the gravity of a selected planet or moon.
Download.PDF, 519KB
Classroom Activity

World of Forces

What if the laws of physics were different?
The formal laws of physics take a holiday in this activity as students develop a videogame using forcefields to drive the gameplay. Students will create illustrations or storyboards to explain the game setting, characters, and goals using magnetic, electrical, and gravitational forcefields.
Download.PDF, 478KB

AI, big data, machine learning, and automation will usher in a new and novel world full of interesting careers that don’t even exist today.

– Kat, Host

After School Activity

Explore the ways that the Laws of Motion can be harnessed in students’ everyday lives with a series of engaging activities that are easy to implement in any environment.

Afterschool Activity

Sensing and Communication

Uncover the mysteries of the Magnus Effect as students learn how this unique phenomenon of motion is used to achieve amazing effects in sports, engineering and beyond. Kickstart creative problem-solving with a series of hands-on student activations that put the fundamentals of motion into action.
Download.PDF, 509KB

Facilitator Guide

Students learn the fundamentals of physics and how to solve problems by tackling real-world challenges in out of class and after-school sessions. Through a process of investigation, team discussion, and hands-on experiences, students will advance theory into applications they can see and touch.
Download.PDF, 606KB

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