sir isaac newton for kids

Sir Isaac Newton (1642 – 1727) was an English scientist who made great contributions to physics, optics, mathematics, and astronomy. Among elementary and high school students, he is best known for his Three Laws of Motion and the Universal Law of Gravitation. Have you heard the story of an apple falling on Newton’s head? Learn more at the following sites.

NASA: Newton’s Three Laws of Motion

“The motion of an airplane through the air can be explained and described by physical principles discovered more than 300 years ago by Sir Isaac Newton.” This hyperlinked illustrated lesson created by NASA introduces Newton’s Laws of Motion and how they apply to aviation. Grade level buttons (labeled 6-8, 9-12, and 11-12) link to related worksheets, activities, and quizzes. Stay on the Newton Guided Tour by navigating with the Next and Previous buttons, or jump to a new section by visiting the colored buttons (such as Comet Index or Model Rocket Index).

The Physics Classroom: Newton’s Laws of Motion

The Physics Classroom is an illustrated and animated tutorial for high school students written by high school science teacher Tom Henderson. These four lessons explain Newton’s laws of motion with multimedia demonstrations and quizzes. My favorite clicks are the interactive activities listed in Shockwave Physics Studio and the animations found in Multimedia.

PBS: Newton’s Dark Secrets

“He was the greatest scientist of his day, perhaps of all time. But while Isaac Newton was busy discovering the universal law of gravitation, he was also searching for hidden meanings in the Bible and pursuing the covert art of alchemy. In this show, NOVA explores the strange and complex mind of Isaac Newton.” Although few classrooms probably explore this side of Newton’s fascinating character, I’m including it for a change. The best clicks are His Legacy by him and Einstein on Newton.

For more information on Isaac Newton and links to the sites reviewed here, visit Isaac Newton under “Surfing the Web with Kids.”