Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Basic Circuits

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bulbs & Batteries Side by Side

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students build parallel circuits, exploring how they function and looking at their unique features. They describe how current changes when batteries are added in parallel or removed from a parallel arrangement, demonstrate the process of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The REAL Transformers

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders create a model of a hydroelectric generator. In this physics instructional activity, 9th graders discuss how energy can be transformed from one form to another. They make a flow chart for different energy generating plants.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Circuits

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders discover the differences between parallel and series circuits. They draw and construct the two types of circuits using wires, bulbs, batteries, sockets, and switches.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Electronic Technology

For Students 6th - 10th
In this electronic worksheet, students complete 4 short answer, 6 fill in the blank, and 4 term identifications about electronics.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Design Project: Power Inverter

For Students Higher Ed
In this physics worksheet, students design and build a power inverter given a schematic diagram. They answer 3 short answer questions about the circuit they created.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Life in a Sod House: Get a Sense of It

For Students 3rd - 12th
In this history of Nebraska worksheet, students read information about pioneer life in a sod house.  Students conduct 4 experiments where they use measurement skills and observational skills to imagine the size, light levels, smell...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Do Plants Need Sunlight?

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students investigate why plants need sunlight and what happens if they do not get the light they need.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Come On Baby Light My Fire

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Learners diagnose and repair all types of ignition systems pertaining to recreation and outdoor power equipment. Each small group diagnose, repair and get their engine to run properly.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Please Turn Up the Lights!

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders discuss series and parallel circuits and design an investigation to test a hypothesis on total resistance of series and parallel circuits in combination. After discussion, groups design their experiments, run tests, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Light and Shadows

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students observe and record the apperacne of shadows and how their position and shpae changes during the course of the day. Students measure and record the length oof a partner's shadow at different intervals during the day. In pairs,...
Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Introduction to Circuits and Ohm's Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Take a very basic understanding of circuits and develop a strong understanding of the parts and function of a circuit. This activity is developed to be an independent exploration of circuits from the basics to series and parallel models....
Assessment
Science Matters

Post-Assessment Energy

For Teachers 6th Standards
After nine lessons and activities about energy, here is the final assessment. The 20-questions include multiple choice, multiple choice with justification, short answer, answer analysis, and labeling diagrams to challenge learners.
PPT
Urbana School District

Magnetism

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
The compass was first used in 206 B.C., but we didn't discover magnetic poles until 1263 A.D. Presentation begins with the history of magnetism before continuing on to magnetic fields, magnetic forces, electromagnets, currents,...
Activity
New Jersey Historical Commission and New Jersey Council for the Humanities

Thomas Edison: The Wizard of Menlo Park

For Teachers 1st - 6th Standards
What would change in your daily life due to a power outage? Here, learners explore the inventions brought to us by the one and only, Thomas Edison, and imagine a day without them. Scholars take part in a grand conversation and write a...
Lesson Plan
Santa Monica College

Flame Tests of Metal Cations

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Scientists used flame tests to identify elements long before the invention of emission spectroscopy. Young chemists observe a flame test of five metal cations in the fourth lesson plan of an 11-part series. Individuals then work...
Unit Plan
1
1
PBS

Blow the Roof Off!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Blow the minds of young scientists with this collection of inquiry-based investigations. Based on a series of eight videos, these "hands-on, minds-on" science lessons engage young learners in exploring a wide range of topics...
Activity
It's About Time

AC and DC Currents

For Teachers 7th - 12th
An informative physics lesson includes two teacher demonstrations, one on AC currents and the other on DC currents, allowing pupils to take notes while watching. The resource includes questions to assign as homework or...
Lesson Plan
Discovery Education

It's Getting Hot in Here

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Class members engage in a STEM experiment and investigate how materials affect heating in a house by creating models of houses and using different top surface materials. They record the temperature inside the models and consider what the...
Activity
Teach Engineering

Energy Forms and States Demonstrations

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Does a tennis ball have energy? What about a bowling ball? Demonstrate concepts of different forms of energy forms and states with a variety of objects. Using the equations for potential and kinetic energy,...
Lesson Plan
1
1
Teach Engineering

Concentrated Solar Power

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The seventh segment in an eight-part unit promotes the idea of concentrating the sun to increase the power of a photovoltaic panel. Pupils learn about devices used such as reflectors or lenses.
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Climate Zones

For Teachers 5th - 11th Standards
The climate at the equator is hotter than the climate at the poles, but why? The lesson goes in depth, explaining how the angles of illumination relate to the heating rate at different latitudes and seasons. Scholars use a strong lamp,...
Activity
Teach Engineering

Catching the Perfect SAR Waves!

For Students 9th - 11th
Zero in on an interesting resource involving radar technology. Groups construct a radar sensing unit and learn to calibrate the system. Using the radar system and the Pythagorean Theorem, they calculate distances between objects.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Laser Types and Uses

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the properties of lasers and research their types and uses.  In this laser lesson students view several demonstrations.