Curated OER
Companies Racing to Build Electric Car
Students examine how they use batteries, then read a news article about how cars are being designed to use batteries. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then...
Curated OER
Electric Current and Circuits
Compare the drift speed of conduction electrons in a current-carrying wire to the signal speed of changes in current. They also distinguish between DC and AC and describe how AC is converted to DC.
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
Electricity
First graders become aware of the presence of static electricity. They create static electricity using friction.
Curated OER
Static Electricity
Students engage in a instructional activity that is concerned with the concept of static electricity. They conduct an experiment with balloons and make observations of how it works. The data is collected and written down and they define...
Curated OER
Alessandro Volta: The Invention of the Voltaic Pile (The First Electric Battery)
High schoolers conduct a series of experiments on electricity. In this physics lesson, students study the work of Alessandro Volta particularly his experiment on the the Voltaic Pail. They build their own Voltaic Pile to recreate his...
Curated OER
Electric Field Mapping in 3D
Students create a 3D vector field map of an electric field. For this physics lesson, students measure the voltage inside an aquarium with water. They present their findings and map to class..
Curated OER
Energy Conversion in Electricity – Resistors and Circuits
Students explore electrical energy. In this electricity lesson, students design and build a large circuit in order to determine whether circuit size correlates with the light of a bulb.
Curated OER
Electrostatics
Middle schoolers examine ways positive and negative charges are attracted and repelled by watching teacher demonstrations, and complete activity sheet related to classroom demonstration activities to prove proficiency of knowledge of...
Curated OER
Galvanometers
Students construct their own galvanometer. In this physics lesson, students explain how it is used to detect electric current. They conduct an experiment to measure how much electricity flows through the circuit.
Curated OER
Magnetic Pick-ups
Students investigate the push and pull of magnets. In this magnetics lesson plan, students are introduced to the idea that there are forces that happen on earth which cannot be seen, such as electrically charged objects, magnetic force...
Curated OER
Van de Graaff Generator
High schoolers explore static electricity using the Van de Graaff generator. In this physics lesson, students construct their own Van de Graaff using simple materials. They explain how charges accumulate on this device.
Curated OER
Applied Science - Technology (3A) Pre Lab
Third graders discuss electric currents. In this circuit lesson, 3rd graders create a picture of a battery circuit and a light bulb. They show the positive and negative charge and the flow of electrons.
LABScI
Circuits Lab: Lightbulbs
Electrons flow from negative to positive, but the general consensus is that current flows from positive to negative. Scholars explore current through construction of circuits in both series and parallel. The focus is on voltage,...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Electricity for Kids! It's Shocking!
Students investigate the world of electricity by completing a KWL sheet. In this energy activity, students view PowerPoint presentations about electricity, who invented it, and how it is used today. Students define several electricity...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Physics Lab
Students explore electricity. In this Physics lesson plan, students investigate the origin of static electricity. Students compare static electricity to current electricity.
Curated OER
Semiconductors
Students investigate the properites of a semiconductor device known as a diode. They recognize a diode as a one way conducting device. They describe alternating current and the use of a diode to convert it to direct current. Students...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Yogurt Cup Speakers
Sixth graders build a speaker as they investigate the roles of electricity and magnetism. They discover the properties of magnets, create an electromagnet, and determine the direction of a magnetic field. They show cause and effect...
Curated OER
Zapped!
Fifth graders describe the behavior of static electricity as observed in nature and everyday occurrences.
Curated OER
Breaking News: Nissan to Make Future New York Taxis
Students explore current events by completing worksheet activities. In this transportation lesson, students read a news article discussing Nissan's new contract to create New York Taxis due to their improved fuel economy. Students answer...
Curated OER
Electrical Current
Students describe an electrical current and the factors that determine the resistance of an object. In this electrical current lesson plan students discuss their knowledge of voltage, current and resistance.
Teach Engineering
May the Magnetic Force Be with You
Class members use mathematics in order to better understand magnetic forces and their interaction on charged particles. After a demonstration of the interaction between a magnet and an electron beam using a CRT computer monitor, learners...