Curated OER
Electricity - How it Works and How We Measure and Pay For It
Students investigate energy consumption by researching wattage. In this electricity lesson, students discuss how electricity works and gets transferred to our electronic devices through generators and circuits. Students examine their...
Curated OER
Leyden Jar: Static Electricity
Students experiment with a Leyden Jar, a device that stores electrical charges. A large voltage can be built up in this jar by adding more and more charge. The modern name for this device is a capacitor.
Curated OER
Electricity Layered Curriculum
Students describe how electric charges exert forces on each other as well as compare the strengths of electric and gravitational forces. They distinguish between conductors and insulators. In addition, students examine voltage and...
Curated OER
Electrical Generators
Learners study what an electric generator does and its history. In this energy lesson students complete several experiments including building their own electric generator.
Curated OER
Transforming Energy
Super detailed, this lesson will educate physical science learners about the flow of electrons. Begin by reviewing potential and kinetic energy with a moving pendulum, and then get them online to observe interactive websites about...
Curated OER
Electricity
Middle schoolers watch instructor present demonstrations of the basic principles of static electricity, and then conduct some of their own experiments. In small groups, students build simple circuits, using batteries, to try to light up...
Curated OER
Van der Graaf
Four demonstrations with the Van der Graaf generator are delineated for you to share with your science classes. Instructions, explanations, and safety precautions are included. However, a background explanation of the static electricity...
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #6: Solar-Powered Battery Charger
In a previous activity, learners build an ammeter. That ammeter, or a pre-made one, is required in order to carry out this activity. The objective is for lab groups to design a way to connect solar cells that can recharge a battery....
Carnegie Mellon University
Battery Workshop
Introduce your class to the workings and parts of a battery-operated circuit. Pairs of pupils use lemons to make batteries and measure voltage and current with a multimeter. An accompanying worksheet is used for recording values and...
Curated OER
Aurora Borealis
Students discuss what causes the northern lights and the folklore attached to them. They discuss magnetic fields, and use various common materials to discover if ions conduct electricity.
Curated OER
Using Transistors: Let's Get Transistorized!
Students build two circuits and explore how transistors function. This activity allow them to observe the operation of a transistor as an amplifier.
Cornell University
Making a Battery
Don't be shocked when your class has a blast making their own batteries! Science scholars examine a dry cell battery, then design and construct a wet cell battery. The activity guides them through the parts of a battery, the variables...
Curated OER
Magnet Mania
Students explore magnetic fields. In this science instructional activity, students create a magnetic field using electricity. Students observe the effect of a magnetic field on the compass needle.
Carnegie Mellon University
Consumer Preferences in Lighting
What is a watt? This tongue-twisting, mind-bending question and others are answered through this instructional activity on the different lighting options available. With the support of a PowerPoint, teach your physical science class...
Curated OER
A Simple Motor
Instructions for building a simple electromagnetic motor are provided for the teacher. Aside from some sketchy background information and a list of content standards to be met, that is about all you will find in this resource. The motor...
Curated OER
Energy Transformations
Learners investigate energy and energy transformations. They compare the various forms of energy, create the circuit and sketch the connections. In addition, they label the circuit to identify areas where energy transformation is present.
Curated OER
A Guide (on the Side) to Physics
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concepts related to the study of Physics. They participate in class discussion and list common misconceptions of Physics. Students write and discuss the problem of Science illiteracy.
Curated OER
Activity #9 Extending Oil Well Production
Students simulate methods used to extend the effective life of an oil well by extracting less available oil. They identify techniques which can be used and evaluate their effectiveness. Pupils are introduced to rock size and temperature...