Curated OER
Series and Parallel Circuits
Fourth graders explore electrical circuits. In this electrical circuit instructional activity, 4th graders research the history of the use of light and read a biography regarding Benjamin Franklin. Students the build basic circuits,...
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Simple Electrical Circuits
Students construct a simple electrical circuit. In this electrical circuit lesson, students use a cell battery, bulb, and wire to construct a simple circuit. Students read about switches, circuits, and electricity in Electro Wiz...
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Simplicity of Electricity
Students examine how to make an electrical circuit. They listen to a teacher led discussion, design a switch to control a circuit, and construct a signaling device.
Science Matters
Parallel Circuits
The lights don't always go out when the switch is flipped. The 10th lesson in a series of 14 helps learners build a conceptual understanding of the flow of electricity through a parallel circuit. They then build their own parallel...
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Simply Circuitry and Series Circuit
Students investigate a series circuit. In this physical science lesson, students use a battery, switch, and light bulbs to build an electrical circuit. Students identify the standard symbols being used in electric circuitry.
Science Matters
Series Circuit and Switches
Lights out! Scholars build on their understanding of a simple circuit by adding a switch and creating schematic drawings. The eighth activity in a series of 14 has pupils use everyday materials to create circuits and make observations as...
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Electricity: Series and Parallel Circuits
Fourth graders explore electricity and electrical circuits. They explore series and parallel circuits using Christmas lights. Students pull lights out of each strand of lights. They observe the results when the light bulb is pulled out....
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Introduction to Elementary Circuits
Students explore how a circuit works and create a circuit to use energy from a battery to light a bulb. In this introduction to circuits lesson plan, the students study the parts of a circuit and have a class discussion of what would...
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One Path
Students discover that charge movement through a circuit depends on the resistance and arrangement of the circuit components. In a hands-on activity, students build and investigate the characteristics of series circuits. In another...
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Paths of Electrical Currents
Fourth graders examine the paths that electrical currents travel. They create a current of electricity using flashlights, bulbs, batteries, wires and tape. They determine how to create a closed circuit that will light the bulb. They...
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Build a Simple Circuit
Students construct an extremely simple series circuit that powers a lamp on and off with a switch. They are in groups of 4 and are given a set of components and have to build the circuit working together as a group. Finally, they have to...
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The Path of Electrons
Students engage in an interactive "hot potato" demonstration to gain an appreciation for the flow of electrons through a circuit. They role play the different parts of a simple circuit and send small items representing electrons (paper...
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What's a Resistor?
Students determine what a resistor does as they construct parallel circuits. In this circuitry lesson, students experiment with batteries, alligator clips, a resistor and a three-way switch to find out what a resistor does. They continue...
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Bulbs & Batteries in a Row
Learners investigate simple series circuits and their properties. In small groups they draw a circuit diagram on their Series Circuit Building worksheet, follow step-by-step directions to construct a simple series circuit, and solve...
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Exploring Electricity: Light Sculptures
Students study electricity by making their own light sculptures. In this light sculptures lesson, students review electrical loops and circuitry components. Students then plan, create, and refine light sculptures.
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Switcheroo
Students construct a simple switch and determine what objects and what types of materials can be used to close a switch in a circuit and light a light bulb.
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Electromagnets
Young scholars are introduced to the relationship between electricity and magnetism. Using a compass, they observe and record the effects of placing the object near magnetic fields and electric currents. They also experiment using a...
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Light Your Way
Students investigate how a simple series circuit functions. They design and construct a working portable flashlight, develop a written plan for the flashlight, test their flashlight for functionality and reliability, and draw the series...
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Mystery Card 1
Young scholars test their knowledge of electrical conductors and circuits by constructing an electric tester and using it to determine where electricity flows between circles on a mystery card.
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Mystery Card 3
Students will make a circuit on a mystery card. They will connect wires, bulbs, and battery to form an electrical tester. After students learn how to make one following the directions, they can create their own mystery card by...
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Mystery Card 2
Students make a circuit on a mystery card. They then use an electrical tester to determine where electricity flows between circles on the card. They will connect wires, bulbs, and a battery to form an electrical tester.
Curated OER
Build a Simple Motor?
Young scholars experience how to construct a simple electromagnet based motor. In groups they explore what a component is and construct a circuit that can rotate the orientation of the magnet by turning the switch on and off....
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Junkyard Wars-Investigating More Electromagnets
Fourth graders conduct an investigation in order to determine a way to change the strength of an electromagnet's magnetic force. After conducting "control" lifts with their electromagnet, groups make initial changes, record data, and...