Curated OER
Maximum Power Point
Students investigate energy using a photovoltaic cell. In this electricity lesson, students collect data from current-voltage and power-voltage curves to determine if photovoltaic systems have an advantage over conventional electric...
Curated OER
Ohm's Law
Young scholars explore Ohm's Law. Following given instructions, students build a physical model of a conductor. They observe a relationship between the current, voltage and resistance in a conductor. After experiments, young scholars...
Curated OER
Two Kinds of Circuits
Fourth graders examine parallel and series ciruits. They experiment what happens if a bulb is removed from both a parallel and series circuit. They understand the differences between parallel and series ciruits,
Curated OER
Wind Power
What a wonderful way to explore wind power! Through this lesson, learners get a background in the history of wind power, create their own wind turbine, and the test their designs. This is a terrific way to tie scientific principles to...
Teach Engineering
Racing With the Sun - Creating a Solar Car
Here's an exciting and innovative instructional activity that's sure to get your charges fired up! In it, they use engineering design principles to construct and test a fully solar powered car. One caveat: the kits that each group needs...
Teach Engineering
Water Power
Young hydrologists observe a waterwheel which helps them investigate the transformations of energy that occur when the blades of a hydro-turbine are turning. They work together in pairs and pretend to be engineers who are building a new...
University of Colorado
Using Spectral Data to Explore Saturn and Titan
Saturn's rings are made of dust, ice, and solid chunks of material. Individuals use spectrographs in this final installment of 22 lessons to determine the atmospheric elements. They analyze spectrums from Titan's atmosphere and...
Curated OER
Renewable Energy in Connecticut - Softening Our Footprint through Sustainable Energy Use
Students explore energy conservation. For this environmental lesson plan, students will look at data showing the amounts of energy used, our carbon footprint, and will research a power source. This unit allows for a deeper understanding...
Curated OER
Junkyard Wars-Investigating More Electromagnets
Fourth graders conduct an investigation in order to determine a way to change the strength of an electromagnet's magnetic force. After conducting "control" lifts with their electromagnet, groups make initial changes, record data, and...
Curated OER
Inventors
Students are be able to analyze primary sources for evidence of Inventors and Inventions from the turn of the 20th century. They identify how these inventions impact their lives today.
Curated OER
Please Turn Up the Lights!
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...
Curated OER
The Discovery of Ohm's Law
Students study Georg Ohm and how he changed mathematics with his law. In this experimental evidence and stastics lesson students complete an experiment on the characteristics of Ohm's law.
Curated OER
Checkbook
Develop life skills through the use of an AppleWorks Banking kit, a spreadsheet program, and a role play activity. This life skills lesson utilizes technology plus busines and social studies principles. Note: All materials...
Curated OER
Lightning It's Shocking, It's Frightening, It's Lightning!
Third graders decide what they want to explore lightning, how to go about finding the answers, and deciding what skills they need to further study some of their questions.
Curated OER
Scientific Investigation- Magnets
Students conduct a scientific investigation to determine if a magnet attracts paper clips through different materials. Students write out their procedures, collect data and present it in a table or chart, and analyze their results.
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: Stem Resources: Electric Current
In this interactive, students can explore how current, voltage, and resistance are related in a model showing the flow of electrons in an electric circuit. They will learn about Ohm's law and how other forms of energy can be made from...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Keep It Moving! From Electrons to Electric Motors
Students act as engineers to apply what they know about how circuits work in electrical/motorized devices to design their own battery-operated model motor vehicles with specific paramaters. They calculate the work done by the vehicles...
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Rail Gun Model
Simulate the movement of a rail gun in this interactive model. Learn how a magnetic field is generated by running electrical current through long rods that accelerates a current-carrying cross-rod.
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Magnetic Force Three Wires Model
Investigate the idea of the force between straight current-carrying wires in this magnetic force simulation. See if you can rank the wires from largest to smallest based on the magnitude of their currents.
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Electric Generator Model
An electromagnetic induction model that simulates an electric generator made from a conducting loop rotating in a uniform magnetic field and connected to an ammeter.
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Faraday Disk Dynamo Model
This simulation demonstrates a rotating conducting disk in a magnetic field which produces a current or a self-exciting dynamo.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Modeling Emf, Potential Difference, and Internal Resistance
Interactive lecture discusses internal resistance which provides help to students in developing an accurate model.
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Signal Circuit
Why do the lights turn on in a room as soon as you flip a switch? Flip the switch and watch the electrons. Does the light turn on immediately? Explain using observations of the model.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Exploring Solar Power
This unit provides students the opportunity to explore methods engineers have devised for harnessing sunlight to generate power. Students will initially explore heat transfer and heat storage through the construction, testing, and...