Teach Engineering
Circuits
Don't know how to make the initial connection on electric circuits? This lesson provides the background to present the introductory vocabulary to learning about electric circuits. It is organized in a meaningful progression with an...
Curated OER
Electricity and Electrical Circuits
Students are introduced to electricity and electrical circuits. In groups, they draw circuit diagrams, complete a KWL chart and discover the difference between open, closed and series circuits. They define new vocabulary and make...
Cornell University
Electric Vocabulary
Practice electric vocabulary using multiple methods. Learners begin by watching a video that explains vocabulary related to electric currents. They match vocabulary cards to practice and then create an electric circuit. Using the...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Get Connected with Ohm's Law
Ideal for your electricity unit, especially with middle schoolers, this lesson plan gets engineers using multimeters in electrical circuits to explore the relationships among voltage, current, and resistance. Older learners may even plot...
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
Series and Parallel Circuits
Fourth graders explore electrical circuits. In this electrical circuit lesson, 4th graders research the history of the use of light and read a biography regarding Benjamin Franklin. Students the build basic circuits, series...
Curated OER
Electrical Circuits
Students explore parallel and series circuits. In this electrical circuit lesson, students investigate the differences between series and parallel circuits. Students observe the benefits and drawbacks of series and parallel...
Consumers Energy
Circuits and the Flow of Electricity Lesson Plan
I think I lost an electron. Are you sure? Yes, I'm positive! Starting with a hands-on demonstration and problem solving activity, young scientists define vocabulary related to circuitry and currents. Then they build their own circuits...
Purdue University
Design of a Door Alarm
How does electricity work? Budding scientists explore the concepts of electrical currents and open and closed circuits with class discussion and a hands-on activity using a battery to turn on a light bulb. Learners also make predictions...
Curated OER
Electricity and Food: From Glowing Pickles in Citrus Batteries
Fifth graders explore electrical concepts and host a guest speaker. This lesson sets up guidelines for students to follow when they have a guest speaker. Students are primed to become actively involved in a lecture or discussion, while...
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 lesson plan in a series of 14 has pupils use everyday materials to create circuits and make observations...
Curated OER
Simple Circuit: Electric Currents and Circuits
Through inquiry and exploration, 4th graders will learn and understand the functions of open and closed circuits. They will break into 2 groups, define vocabulary, hypothesize how to light a bulb, then test their hypothesis 4 different...
Curated OER
Electrical Circuits
Students compare series and parallel circuits. In this electricity and circuits lesson, students roleplay as a "wire" passing an energy ball to demonstrate how a series circuit works and how the circuit can be broken. Students construct...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Light the Bulb!
Third graders investigate electrical circuits and how light bulbs are powered. In this electricity and power lesson, 3rd graders study the vocabulary necessary which includes the different types of circuits, electrical currents, and...
Bonneville
Activities and Assessment of Vocabulary and Units
It's pass or fail, and one must pass to move on to the next lesson plan—no pressure. The second of seven installments in the Off the Grid unit has pupils demonstrate their knowledge of vocabulary as well as the process of using a...
Bonneville
Three Ways to Generate Electricity
Get your hands on electricity. Pupils investigate magnetic fields and make the connection to generators in the fourth lesson in a series of six lessons on wind versus solar energy. Learners use a small electric motor as a generator to...
Curated OER
Magnetism and Electricity
Students demonstrate a comprehension of the properties, position, and motion of objects and materials, and of light, heat, electricity, and magnetism. They use materials to assemble an electric circuit and test materials, including...
Curated OER
Electricity
Pupils examine basic electrical components. They build a simple electrical circuit which rings a buzzer. They experiment with conducting and nonconducting materials.
Purdue University
Light – Just Right!
What does it mean to be resistant to electricity? Scholars answer the question in a six-part STEM lesson on electricity. They begin by assessing the conductivity of several different materials and progress to designing their own circuits...
Curated OER
Electricity Crossword
In this electricity worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle by figuring out the vocabulary words associated with the 20 clues given.
Curated OER
Electric Circuits
Students explore energy by completing an electricity worksheet. In this conductors lesson, students define the energy related vocabulary terms circuit, electronics, conductor and semi-conductor before examining computer chips in class....
Teach Engineering
How a Hybrid Works
Work with your class to connect series and parallel circuits to hybrid cars. The instructional activity introduces basic circuit diagrams before having scholars apply the understanding of the difference between parallel and...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Basic Circuits
Students explain the difference between a closed circuit and an open circuit. They construct simple to more complicated series and parallel circuits. They explain the difference between a series and parallel circuit.