Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let There Be Light

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore electricity. In this electricity lesson, 5th graders experiment with open and closed circuits. Students determine how to properly connect a battery and bulb to illuminate the bulb.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Kit Lesson #1 Solar Cell Inquiry

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Pupils use a selection of solar panels, lamps, motors, and an AA battery to get as many motors or lights to operate as they can in an allotted time period. For each successful arrangement, they draw a diagram of their setup, label the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electricity

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students identify the relationship between batteries, circuits and voltage. In this physics lesson, students investigate the way batteries are put into different apparatus. They discuss why different machinery need different voltage of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paths of Electrical Currents

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine the paths that electrical currents travel. They create a current of electricity using flashlights, bulbs, batteries, wires and tape. They determine how to create a closed circuit that will light the bulb. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electrical Engineering - The Inside Story

For Teachers 3rd - Higher Ed
Young scholars review electricity. In this physics lesson plan, students attempt to find a way to determine if a transformer is fixing to fail. The lesson reviews electricity concepts that the young scholars should already be familiar with.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electric Field Mapping in 3D

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students create a 3D vector field map of an electric field. In this physics instructional activity, students measure the voltage inside an aquarium with water. They present their findings and map to class..
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Action and Reaction

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students experiment with Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this physics and motion lesson plan, students complete two experiments to illustrate force and its equal and opposite reaction. Students first work in pairs to exert an equal...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Design Project: Voltmeter

For Students 11th - Higher Ed
In this physics instructional activity, students design and build a multi-range voltmeter. They answer 3 short answer problems about the device.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Parallel Circuits

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Learners investigate the way an electrical circuit works. In this physics lesson, students use voltmeters and ammeters to measure voltage. They construct a circuit using provided circuit kits.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oxygen

For Teachers K - 12th
Young scholars explore oxygen and its physical and chemical propeties.  In this investigative lesson students complete several experiments using oxygen.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Static Electricity

For Students 5th - 10th
In this electricity worksheet, learners read about static and current electricity and then draw pictures of an electric cell and circuits. Students draw 3 pictures total.
PPT
Curated OER

Electricity

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Twenty-one slides cover all aspects of electricity; from electric charge, to protons, lightning, currents, the calculations for wire resistance, circuits, household devices, and fluorescence.  The amount of detail and the range of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Magnets, Electromagnets, and Motors

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the concepts of magnetism and its properties. They construct a magnet and test foods for iron content. Then students define the use of a motor and make their own electric motor while working in small groups. Then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Invention of the Telegraph

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Students study the history of telegraph invention. In this technology lesson, students build their own Morse Telegraph System. They discuss how this invention benefits the society.
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Electroplating

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Silver pennies and copper nickels are made possible by applying some chemistry. Learners use electrolysis to coat a penny with zinc sulfate and a nickel with copper sulfate. Their investigation builds an understanding of electroplating...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Electromagnets

For Students 6th - 12th
Discover the connection between electric current and magnets. Scholars create electromagnets by passing a magnet through a coil. They experiment with different materials to determine the variables that affect the strength of the current.
Lab Resource
Colorado State University

Can Energy Be Created or Destroyed?

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Energy doesn't come out of nowhere! An engaging lesson has learners investigate energy as it transforms from one type to another. They collect data to prove that energy is not lost as it changes.
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Build a Fuel Cell

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Discover the connection between redox reactions and fuel cells. Collaborative groups build a Hoffmann Apparatus that demonstrates the electrolysis of water and then convert their models into a fuel cell. They use their fuel cells to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electronic Components

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students describe how resistors affect the flow of electricity. In this electronics lesson plan students examine transistors and what they do and how they work.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simplicity of Electricity

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine how to make an electrical circuit. They listen to a teacher led discussion, design a switch to control a circuit, and construct a signaling device.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate how water changes state. In this water lesson, students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state. This lesson includes extensions which can be accessed via the provided web links.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating a Simple Telegraph Machine

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students experiment and discuss circuits and how they work. In this science lesson, students construct a telegraph machine using cardboard, wires, battery, electric tape and masking tape. They investigate what happens as the circuits...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hazardous Chemicals in Your Neighborhood

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the effect of hazardous chemicals on humans. They discover how the chemicals are cleaned up and the facilities in their neighborhood. They identify federal and local agencies that oversee environmental hazards
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Powering a Green Earth

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Pupils compare and contrast renewable and nonrenewable energy. In this environmental science lesson, students discuss the importance of going green. They identify the different components in a power grid system.