Curated OER
Energy
Students distinguish between kinetic an potential energy. They recognize that energy is conserved when changing from one form to another. Students compare the scientific meaning of work with its everyday meaning.
Curated OER
BEAMS Spelling Search
In this science and spelling instructional activity, students circle the misspelled word in each of 12 sentences. They write the correct spelling on the blank line at the end of each sentence.
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Wimshurst Machine
Students examine what a Wimshurst machine is and how it operates. In this mechanics lesson students build a Wimshurst machine and watch it in action.
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Thermal Energy and Heat Unit
Students explain that heat energy in a material consists of the disordered motions of its atoms or molecules. They know and explain that transformations of energy usually transform some energy into the form of heat, which dissipates by...
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Heat and electrical resistance (Middle, Science)
Middle schoolers work in teams to create electrical resistance when studying heat and thermal energy.
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Electricity: Series and Parallel Circuits
Fourth graders explore electricity and electrical circuits. They explore series and parallel circuits using Christmas lights. Students pull lights out of each strand of lights. They observe the results when the light bulb is pulled out....
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Food Safety and Quality Assurance
High schoolers identify and interpret how milk is processed and learn important concepts in food safety and quality assurance. They identify how milk is processed, the importance of food safety, and the quality assurance process....
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Experimenting with Peanuts
Students investigate peanuts. In this science lesson, students explore the properties of the peanut and shell. Students burn a peanut to observe the peanut oil. Students taste test different types of peanut butter.
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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....
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Capacitors
Students explain the concepts of charge storage and how a capacitor works. They construct a capacitor and measure the stored charge using the appropriate equipment and measurements. They also demonstrate capacitance and how it can be...
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Using Transistors: Let's Get Transistorized!
Young scholars build two circuits and explore how transistors function. This activity allow them to observe the operation of a transistor as an amplifier.
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Maintaining Body Heat
Learners observe and compare heat loss in various objects with surface area-to-volume ratios and transfer this comparison to the physical characteristics of animals in their environment. In small groups they conduct an experiment...
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Observing the Elements of Water
Fifth graders conduct a closed circuit experiment to observe the elements of water. They discuss the elements of Hydrogen and Oxygen, and in small groups construct a closed circuit connected to two pencils placed in water. Students...
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Which Colors Absorb the Most Energy?
Students measure the temperatures over time of different colored envelopes in order to explore the different rates at which each color absorbs energy from a heat lamp. They record their data and graph their results.
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The Little Transistor That Could
Students research the history of the transistor to explore the nature of technology. They complete a worksheet that coincides with given websites. Then they write a one-page essay about their findings.
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Plants and Air Purity
Students explore how green plants help improve air quality. They read an article and discuss the importance of air quality and its effects on the human body. They investigate by connecting hose to the top of a Bell jar and to a funnel....
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Suck It Up
Students investigate the "wicking capacity " of fabric; that is how well various fabrics draw water "perspiration" away from the body and let it vent to the outside. They brainstorm possible protocols to measure, tabulate and analyze the...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Balloon Charging Lab
Explore the behavior of electrons in conductors and insulators in this interactive simulation.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Electric Conductors and Insulators
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] In this lesson, students learn about materials that conduct electricity and those that insulate against it. Includes a simulation for exploring conductivity, and a...
Other
Alliance to Save Energy: Educator Lesson Plans
A series of teacher lesson plans for various grade levels. Topics pertain to insulation (among other things) and other energy conservation and energy efficiency topics. Can be easily adapted for a student project or lab investigation.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Inducing a Positive Charge on a Sphere
This tutorial from the Glenbrook South High School provides an animation depicting the induction charging of a single sphere by the process of induction. The movement of electrons is shown. The animation is accompanied by explanations of...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Charging a Two Sphere System by Induction
From the Multimedia Physics Studios. An animation depicting the induction charging of a double sphere system by the process of induction. The movement of electrons between spheres and between the ground and sphere is shown. The animation...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Electrophorus by Induction
This tutorial offers an animation depicting the induction charging of an electrophorus plate by the process of induction. Animation depicts the movement of electrons between plat and ground. The animation is accompanied by explanations...
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin: 4 Electricity
A description of several demonstrations for static electricity concepts. The demonstrations utilizing the Telsa coil, Faraday cage, and Van de Graaff generator are ideal for demonstrating electric potential concepts. Suitable for student...