CoolStuff Blogs

Our blogs are created with educators from around the country, and offer a fun and engaging way to discover new ideas and inspiration for your classroom.

Beespi v in the Physics Classroom
BeeSpi v in the Physics Classroom
Joe Cossette shares how a small, self-contained photogate - the BeeSpi v - completely unlocked new possibilities in how his students use it investigate motion and energy.
Measuring Forces Made Simple: 3 Activities with the Newton Scale
Measuring Forces Made Simple: 3 Activities with the Newton Scale
Forces are everywhere—pushes, book stacks, elevator rides. Turn them into measurable lessons on Newton’s Laws.
When Pigs fly physics is fun image
When Pigs Fly…Fisikz is Phun!
Showcasing centripetal force, atomic models, and orbital motion, the Flying Pig makes physics interactive and fun. Discover how this engaging demo captivates students in any science classroom.
6 Experiments for Fluid Dynamics
6 Experiments for Fluid Dynamics
Need ideas for the fluids unit in AP Physics 1? These 6 experiments will help you dive into fluid dynamics concepts confidently!
Upcoming Changes to AP Physics for 2024-2025
Upcoming Changes to AP Physics for 2024-2025
From making the exams more consistent to adding Fluids into AP Physics 1, the AP Physics landscape is undergoing some major changes. Stay informed with this article.
Modeling with the "Thin Lens" Equation
Modeling with the "Thin Lens" Equation
Walk through a lab activity that will allow students to derive the Thin Lens Equation from experimental data
A Teacher's Guide to the Arbor Sci Precision Air-Powered Projectile
A Teacher's Guide to the Arbor Sci Precision Air-Powered Projectile
Take your classroom outside to confirm concepts in projectile motion while allowing your students to "feel like true experimental physicists"
Exploring Rotational Inertia
Exploring Rotational Inertia
James Lincoln performs a variety of possible experiments to explain how mass and distance affect rotational inertia, variable inertia, and torque.
A Better Gyroscope Wheel
A Better Gyroscope Wheel
In this CoolStuff post, James Lincoln, a high school physics teacher, uses a modernized Gyroscope Wheel to illustrate the concepts of precession and rotational inertia.
Standing Waves
Standing Waves
In this blog, Aaron Debbink walks you through a digital resource that gives students a conceptual understanding of “standing waves”.
Investigating Projectile Motion in a Controlled Environment
Investigating Projectile Motion in a Controlled Environment
This CoolStuff post walks you through an investigation for students to learn about projectile motion and several different lab challenges you can do with your students related to projectile motion.
Kinetic Energy and Velocity
Kinetic Energy and Velocity
Walk through an introductory physics lab that allows students to develop a model for the relationship between an object’s kinetic energy and velocity.
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