Science · Physics of the Universe

SEL activities for California HMH Science Dimensions: Physics in the Universe

33 RoseThread Connect activities matched to the chapters of California HMH Science Dimensions: Physics in the Universe (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Each one teaches the chapter's content and builds one Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skill in about 20 minutes.

We look only at each book's table of contents (chapter titles and topics) to suggest activities that fit the flow of your course. We don't use or reproduce any textbook content, and your edition's chapter order may differ slightly. RoseThread Connect is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by these publishers.

Unit 1: Motion and Forces

• The Physicist in Me Self-awareness · Physics of the UniverseStudents list the motion questions they wonder about, from skateboards to dust devils, and name the scientist identity they bring.
• Force and Motion Self-management · Physics of the UniverseAnalyzing motion data to show that net force causes acceleration and identifying the forces that move students toward their goals.
• Designing for Safety Relationship skills · Physics of the UniverseTeams design a device that reduces collision force on an egg and share ideas so every voice shapes the design.
• Balanced and Unbalanced Self-management · Physics of the UniverseModeling balanced and unbalanced forces and noticing when the forces in life feel balanced or out of control.

Unit 2: Momentum and Collisions

• Momentum and Collisions Social awareness · Physics of the UniverseCalculating momentum in collisions and reflecting on how our words and actions transfer impact to others.
• Designing for Safety Relationship skills · Physics of the UniverseTeams design a device that reduces collision force on an egg and share ideas so every voice shapes the design.
• Seatbelts and Choices Responsible decision-making · Physics of the UniverseArguing from crash data about safety features and examining how peer pressure affects risky choices.
• Moving Plates Social awareness · Physics of the UniverseArguing from rock age data for plate motion and recognizing how slow, steady change shapes people too.
• The San Andreas Fault Self-management · Physics of the UniverseModeling how plate motion builds and releases stress along the fault and practicing safe ways to release built up stress.

Unit 3: Forces at a Distance

• Gravity Holds Us Social awareness · Physics of the UniverseUsing the law of gravitation to predict attraction and noticing the invisible pulls between people in a community.
• Electric Charges Self-awareness · Physics of the UniverseModeling attraction and repulsion between charges and reflecting on what attracts and repels us in hard situations.
• Fields We Cannot See Social awareness · Physics of the UniverseModeling the fields between interacting objects and recognizing the unseen pressures classmates may be carrying.
• Materials by Design Responsible decision-making · Physics of the UniverseEvaluating claims about engineered materials and practicing honest reporting of a source's limits.
• Orbits and Night Skies Relationship skills · Physics of the UniverseUsing the mathematics of orbits to predict motion and protecting the dark desert sky through a team awareness campaign.

Unit 4: Energy Conversion

• Energy Is Conserved Self-awareness · Physics of the UniverseCalculating energy changes in a system and tracking where students' emotional energy goes during a school day.
• Wind in the Pass Relationship skills · Physics of the UniverseTeams design paper turbine blades, compare test data against criteria, and share roles to turn ideas into a stronger design.
• Solar in the Desert Responsible decision-making · Physics of the UniverseEvaluating cost and benefit evidence for desert solar farms and weighing habitat loss against clean energy.
• Heat Engines and Efficiency Self-management · Physics of the UniverseInvestigating heat flow and efficiency and finding where students lose energy to stress and how to recover it.
• Geothermal Power Social awareness · Physics of the UniverseModeling thermal energy at the particle scale in geothermal brine and considering how Imperial Valley communities experience new energy projects.

Unit 5: Electricity and Magnetism

• Electric Charges Self-awareness · Physics of the UniverseModeling attraction and repulsion between charges and reflecting on what attracts and repels us in hard situations.
• Magnets and Motors Self-management · Physics of the UniverseInvestigating how electric current creates magnetic fields and channeling curiosity into persistence when a motor will not spin.
• Fields We Cannot See Social awareness · Physics of the UniverseModeling the fields between interacting objects and recognizing the unseen pressures classmates may be carrying.
• Generating Electricity Relationship skills · Physics of the UniverseExplaining how generators induce current and how communities negotiate where new power lines should go.

Unit 6: Nuclear Processes

• Atoms That Change Self-awareness · Physics of the UniverseModeling radioactive decay and reflecting on which parts of ourselves change and which stay stable.
• Dating the Earth Responsible decision-making · Physics of the UniverseAnalyzing half life data to date rocks and meteorites while checking our reasoning for bias.
• Moving Plates Social awareness · Physics of the UniverseArguing from rock age data for plate motion and recognizing how slow, steady change shapes people too.
• The Sun's Engine Self-awareness · Physics of the UniverseModeling fusion in the Sun's core and naming what fuels students' own inner light.

Unit 7: Waves

• Earthquake Ready Relationship skills · Physics of the UniverseExplaining how earthquake risk shapes where and how we live and building a family and class communication plan.
• Signals from Deep Inside Relationship skills · Physics of the UniverseModeling energy flow in Earth's interior from seismic wave evidence and reading the hidden signals in classmates' moods.
• Waves Carry Energy Self-awareness · Physics of the UniverseCalculating relationships among frequency, wavelength, and speed and noticing the ups and downs in students' emotional waves.
• Digital Signals Responsible decision-making · Physics of the UniverseArguing the advantages of digital information and discussing honesty when sharing images and messages online.
• Light: Wave or Particle Social awareness · Physics of the UniverseEvaluating evidence that light behaves as both wave and particle and holding two perspectives at once with respect.
• Sunburn and UV Self-management · Physics of the UniverseEvaluating claims about how ultraviolet radiation affects living tissue and committing to a personal sun safety plan.
• Technology That Uses Waves Relationship skills · Physics of the UniverseExplaining how phones and medical imaging use waves and practicing clear, respectful communication in group chats.

Unit 8: Stars and the Universe

• The Sun's Engine Self-awareness · Physics of the UniverseModeling fusion in the Sun's core and naming what fuels students' own inner light.
• Evidence for the Big Bang Responsible decision-making · Physics of the UniverseConstructing an explanation from redshift and background radiation evidence and staying humble about the limits of what we know.
• Stars Make Elements Social awareness · Physics of the UniverseCommunicating how stars produce elements and recognizing how everyone is connected by the same star stuff.
• Reflecting on the Universe Self-awareness · Physics of the UniverseStudents revisit their week one questions and explain how their sense of place in the universe has grown.

RoseThread Connect activities are drafted with the help of AI and shaped by educators. Students never have to share anything personal. Our five SEL skills are informed by CASEL's SEL Framework; RoseThread Learning is not affiliated with or endorsed by CASEL.