Unit Study: Investigating Isaac Newton

Celebrate the birthday of the renowned physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian on January 4 with an Isaac Newton homeschool unit study.

Newton was a radical whose insights transformed the scientific landscape and laid the ground for modern mathematics and physics. He was the first person to truly quantify the law of gravity, the discoverer (with Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz) of calculus, and the first person to recognize the spectrum in white light. Perhaps even more significant was his method, which focused on the mechanics of nature rather than any attempt to discern a cause.

Start Here

These biographies make a solid introduction to Newton and his most important ideas.

• Isaac Newton and Physics for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities by Kerrie Logan Hollihan lets you get to know Newton by doing some of the same kinds of experiments he did.

• Isaac Newton (Giants of Science) by Kathleen Krull is an intelligent, lucid look at a complex man, though it touches on is- sues that may be more appropriate for older readers.

• Isaac Newton and His Apple (Dead Famous) by Kjartan Poskitt is as hilarious as it is informative (though you may have to help your kids translate the occasional British-ism to get the joke).

Get Hands On

After all, Newton helped codify the practice of science. He’d want you to get messy with it!

• Spin a Ball in a Jar

  • Newton Connection: This simple experiment gives you a hands-on look at how the forces of gravity work.

• Try a Little Freefall

  • Newton Connection: If you punch a hole in a cup full of water, the water leaks out. But if you drop that cup with a hole in it, the water stays inside because of freefall weightlessness.

• Keep Water in an Upside-Down Bucket

  • Newton Connection: If you’re spinning the bucket steadily, the forces of gravity will keep the water inside, even when the bucket’s upside-down.

Dig a Little Deeper

Sample Newton’s influence with these activities online.

• So just how important was Isaac Newton’s work to modern science? Let Albert Einstein tell you.

• Find out how Newton’s discoveries influenced the invention of the airplane.

• PBS has a fun look at Newton’s laws in action at the Big Apple Circus — plus ideas for further activities and resources to learn more.

Newtonian Explainers

Newton’s theories seem obvious, but they can be surprisingly hard to explain. Taking a look at different explanations can help you make sense of what Newton’s laws really mean and not just what they say.

• NEWTON’S THREE LAWS OF MOTION An entertaining and easy-to-follow look at Newton’s laws of motion.

• NEWTON’S PHYSICS NOTEBOOK A great introduction to Newton and his ideas.

• MR. TRASK’S PHYSICS With required reading, extra resources, and lab projects, this online supplement is an in-depth look at Newton’s laws.

Newton in Action

Newton on the Bumper Cars Newton’s third law of motion is what makes riding in bumper cars so much fun.

Newton’s Favorite Toy Learn about Newton’s Cradle, a model used to demonstrate principles of physics.

Marble Maze Newton’s laws of motion determine how your marble moves.

Moon Craters The moon’s gravity attracts objects and pulls them to its surface at super-fast speeds, creating craters.

Advanced Reading

• A Portrait of Isaac Newton by Frank Manuel paints a psychological picture of Newton’s life, picking up the threads left by John Maynard Keynes 1947 character study. What kind of person dedicates his life to understanding the world in this particular way? That's the question Manuel wants to answer.

• Isaac Newton and Natural Philosophy by Niccolo Guicciardini summarizes the most current view of Newton — weaving together the different threads of his scientific and philosophical interests to explore intersections and contradictions.

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