Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Series and Parallel Circuits

For Students 9th - 10th
Wikipedia offers information on two basic ways of wiring components in electrical circuits, series and parallel circuits.
eBook
Concord Consortium

Concord Consortium: Calculating Voltage in Series Circuits

For Students 9th - 10th
See how Ohm's Law can tell us that the voltage across resistors will depend on that current value I and each R-value.
Lesson Plan
Discovery Education

Discovery Education: Earth's Energy

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
A hands-on lesson for helping students understand simple circuits, series circuits, and parallel circuits, and the differences between the three.
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Series and Parallel Circuits

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A teacher lesson plan which could be easily converted into an idea for a student project or presentation. Ideal for pre-high school students. This page describes an activity in which the history of electric circuits, the nature of...
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Resistances in Series and Parallel Circuits

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A teacher lesson plan is provided here. This page describes two activities in which the effect of multiple resistors on the current and overall resistance of both series and parallel circuits are investigated. Complete activity...
Activity
Other

Alternating Current Series Circuit

For Students 9th - 10th
This site outlines a lab dealing with Alternating Current Series Circuit. It includes graphs and formulas, and a list of questions associated with the lab.
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Lights On!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students in this activity will build simple circuits using a battery, wires, and light bulbs. This activity allows students to examine how electricity is conducted through a light bulb using a battery as a power source. Students will...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Bulbs & Batteries in a Row

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Everyday we are surrounded by circuits that use "in parallel" and "in series" circuitry. Complicated circuits designed by engineers are composed of many simpler parallel and series circuits. During this activity, students build a simple...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Bulbs & Batteries Side by Side

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
We are surrounded everyday by circuits that utilize "in parallel" and "in series" circuitry. Complicated circuits designed by engineers are made of many simpler parallel and series circuits. In this hands-on activity, students build...
Interactive
Physics Classroom

The Physics Classroom: Electric Circuits: Circuit Builder

For Students 9th - 10th
Students manipulate this virtual electronic circuit board where they can add resistors, light bulbs, wires, and ammeters to build a circuit, explore Ohm's law, and compare and contrast series, parallel, and combination circuits. Three...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Wired for Learning

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
As part of a unit on electrical circuits, students will work in collaborative groups to create a video of how to construct parallel and series circuits. This lesson plan was created as a result of the Girls Engaged in Math and Science...
Handout
eSchool Today

E School Today: Electricity

For Students 4th - 8th
Explore current electricity and different types of electric circuits.
Handout
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Ac Circuits

For Students 9th - 10th
A very comprehensive site organized well with many topics dealing with AC circuits.
Unknown Type
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Calculating Equivalent Resistance for Series and Parallel Resistor

For Students 9th - 10th
Practice finding the equivalent resistance for parallel and series resistor configurations in this four-problem quiz.
eBook
Concord Consortium

Concord Consortium: Total Resistance for Resistors in Series

For Students 9th - 10th
Use the tutorial to find the total resistance for resistors in a series circuit.
Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physics Simulation: Marquee Lights

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Learn about different ways you can wire an electric circuit, and how the brightness of the lights depends on how they are configured using this interactive simulation. A PDF worksheet and a video...
Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physics Simulation: Dollhouse

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Learn about the analysis of parallel circuits in the context of a realistic household circuit using our interactive simulation. A PDF worksheet and a video tutorial are also available. [3:24]
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Introduction to Electricity by Creating a Light Up Quiz Board

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students will learn how to create a simple circuit. They will create a matching quiz board that will light up when the correct pair is selected using electricity vocabulary from the text.
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Batteries and Bulbs

For Teachers 9th - 10th
For the teacher planning a lesson or for the student preparing for a project or presentation. This page describes an activity in which parallel and series circuits are constructed using batteries and bulbs. Complete activity directions...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Electric Circuits Guided Inquiry

For Teachers 6th - 8th
An electrical circuit guided inquiry where middle schoolers investigate what an electric circuit is, the main parts of a circuit and the difference between series and parallel circuits. Students groups create a circuit using materials...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Comparing Current Intensities of Series, Parallel, and Complex Circuits

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students will investigate the differences of current in series, parallel, and complex circuits through the construction of a small house containing the different types of circuits.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Introduction to Electric Circuits

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This activity will show how to properly connect wires to make a closed electric circuit. Included in this will be how to connect batteries in series and/or in parallel, and how to properly measure potential drops across a resistor and...
Unit Plan
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: Ap Physics 2: Electric Circuits

For Students 9th - 10th
This unit teaches students the foundations of electrical circuits and introduces them to their simplest components. Covers series and parallel circuits, Kirchhoff's Rules, Ohm's Law, RC circuits, resistivity, and capacitance.
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Electric Currents and Circuits

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This cooperative learning activity for intermediate to junior high pupils has them create various electrical circuits in order to understand electricity.