Forces and Motion

Inspire students to interact with their environment, investigate important challenges, and create original solutions by tapping into the universal laws of nature. Watch the topic series video to learn how students can harness the Laws of Motion to ignite innovation and pursue exciting STEM careers emerging in the Industry 4.0 revolution.

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.

Chain Reactions

Are you aware of the chain reactions taking place in your life?
Explore the power of our decisions by investigating the cause and effect relationships involved in chain reactions. Students will consider the possibilities of automation before constructing a Rube Goldberg machine designed to improve everyday life.

Goal!

Do all inventions make life easier?
Celebrate the human fascination with technology and innovation as students learn about simple and complex machines. Students will collaborate to create a machine capable of launching an object at a desired target.

Head Protection

Are helmets the most life-saving type of personal protective equipment?
Put students’ design skills to the test as they explore the laws of motion involved in creating the perfect piece of head protection. After investigating the impacts of head trauma, students will apply what they’ve learned in an egg drop challenge.

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.

Magnus Effect Extension Activity

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.
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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.
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