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Solar Cells

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are able to answer basic questions about the process of turning light energy into electrical energy. They are introduced to the basic physics and chemistry behind the operation of a solar cell. Students explore how a single...
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Let's Light up a Light Bulb

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders investigate electricity.  In this electricity lesson, 3rd graders observe a familiar battery-operated toy and brainstorm reasons why and how the battery works.  Students work in pairs to explore batteries, bulbs,...
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Operating Kitchen Equipment

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students spend this instructional activity discovering how electricity makes the appliances in their kitchen operate. In groups, they explain how energy is being converted in a microwave oven and practice giving others directions to how...
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Go with the Flow

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students gain an understanding of the difference between electrical conductors and insulators, and experience recognizing a conductor by its material properties. They build a conductivity tester to determine whether different objects are...
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Simple Circuits

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate simple circuits and identify when a circuit is considered opened or closed. In small groups, they experiment with wires, batteries, and light bulbs to identify how to light the bulb. Students also experiment...
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Potato Power

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students light a LED clock or light bulb using potatoes. They examine how a battery works in a simple circuit. They determine how chemical energy changes to electrical energy while experimenting with potato powered circuits.
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How Good Is Green?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the amount of electricity used and wasted in homes and at school using kilowatt meters. In this environmental energy activity, students compute power usage by appliances over time and identify ways in which...
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The Magic of Static

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students investigate static electricity. In this physics lesson, students participate in an experiment with balloons to demonstrate how static electricity works.
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Completing the Circuit

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners use a battery, wires, small light bulb and a light bulb holder to learn the difference between an open circuit and a closed circuit, and understand that electric current only occurs in a closed circuit. They describe the...
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The Path of Electrons

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students engage in an interactive "hot potato" demonstration to gain an appreciation for the flow of electrons through a circuit. They role play the different parts of a simple circuit and send small items representing electrons (paper...
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TE Activity: Yogurt Cup Speakers

For Teachers 6th
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...
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Getting A Charge Out of the Sky

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students investigate electricity from the sky. In this electricity instructional activity, students participate in an experiment to simulate the electric charges from the sky. Students discuss results.
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Lightning!

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students use aluminum, a thumbtack, an eraser, and more to create static electricity. In this static electricity lesson plan, students use this experiment to simulate lightning.
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Electromagnets

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore electricity by completing a scientific worksheet in class. In this electromagnetism lesson plan, students discuss the history of magnets and how electromagnets are most commonly used in our daily lives. Students complete...
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Series and Parallel Circuits

For Teachers 4th
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...
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No Lights Tonight

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore use of batteries and electrical power on farms in the 1930s.
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Liquid Conductors

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students identify liquids as conductors. In this circuits lesson, students build a circuit, then use various liquids to complete the circuit, and determine which liquids successfully conduct electricity.
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Introduction to Magnets

For Teachers 3rd - Higher Ed
Students explore magnetism, electromagnetism, and static electricity through a series of activities and experiments. In this magnets lesson, students use magnets to observe the forces of attraction and repulsion between different poles....
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Dirty Air And Bright Lights

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Students are asked to think about their use of electricity, particularly around the holidays, and how it affects their quality of life and the lives of all of us. They explore the issue by tracing the connections and discussing how and...
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Bolts Out of the Blue

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research different types of lightning patterns and compare their origins to an experiment on static electricity. They research different types of lightning, and explain how different light patterns result from those charges.
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Stormy Weather

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students conduct various experiments to explore the concepts that static electricity is the cause of lightning.
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Energy Adventure Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students complete a scavenger hunt. In this energy lesson, students use various Internet websites to explore forms of energy, non-renewable sources, renewable sources, electricity, uses of energy and energy efficiency.
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Properties of Salt

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars discuss certain properties of salt and how it is used every day as well as harmful uses. They experiment with salt to see it conduct electricity, form crystals and water freezing temperature. They complete a worksheet to...
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Jitterbug

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students build a motorized toy. In this science fair project idea, students use everyday objects and an electric hobby motor to build a motorized toy that seems to dance.

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