Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity B
In this second of three activities, energy engineers plan and create a hydropower dam as they learn how hydroelectric power plants generate electricity. A hydropower puzzle is also included, which can be worked on by teams that finish...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Electrochemistry
In an electrolytic cell, electrical energy is converted into chemical energy, the exact opposite of a battery! Lesson 15 in a series of 36 explores electrochemistry. Participants begin by reading and discussing oxidation/reduction...
Science Matters
Motors
It's time to get moving! The 13th instructional activity in a 14-part unit on electricity and magnetism explores the relationship between electricity and mechanical energy. Budding scientists build motors and experiment with...
Purdue University
Light – Just Right!
What does it mean to be resistant to electricity? Scholars answer the question in a six-part STEM instructional activity on electricity. They begin by assessing the conductivity of several different materials and progress to designing...
Trash For Teaching
The Light-House Project
Groups work together to design a lighthouse, from designing and drawing the wiring diagram, to creating prototypes of the switch and circuit, to envisioning and building a scale model along with a blueprint. By including different...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity C
Third in a set of lessons regarding reservoirs, dams, and hydropower, this involves a two-day hydropower plant simulation. Collaborative groups build, maintain, and finance the plant. The transparency of the reservoir setup can be...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Radioactive Pollution
Radioactive pollutants can enter the body through ingestion, inhalation, absorption, or injection. The last lesson in a series of 36 introduces pupils to radioactive pollution. They study its sources, both natural and man-made, its...
Science Matters
Parallel Circuits
The lights don't always go out when the switch is flipped. The 10th lesson in a series of 14 helps learners build a conceptual understanding of the flow of electricity through a parallel circuit. They then build their own parallel...
American Museum of Natural History
Take the Climate Quiz
Climate and weather are often confused. Pupils answer questions online to review concepts related to climate and weather changes. They get immediate feedback and additional facts with each question. The lesson is appropriate as a remote...
California Academy of Science
Rapid Brainstorming: How Can We Conserve Our Water Resources?
Water covers around 75 percent of the earth, yet humans struggle to find enough fresh water to live. The fourth of 10 lessons focusing on Fresh Solutions requires brainstorming. Young scientists consider various problems related to fresh...
Teach Engineering
How Antibiotics Work
Take two pills and call me in the morning. The first lesson in a short unit of four introduces class members to delivery methods of medicines. The instruction introduces the question of which delivery method is best to get you feeling...
Physics Classroom
Resistance Ranking Tasks
Resistance is not futile ... it is voltage divided by current. Scholars apply their knowledge to a series of ranking puzzles. First, they consider wires of varying lengths and then wires of varying cross-sectional areas. Finally, they...
Colorado State University
What Makes a Gas, a Greenhouse Gas?—The Carbon Dioxide Dance
Investigate a heated topic in environmental science. Scholars team up to play the parts of gas molecules in the atmosphere. As the teacher moves about, acting as the electromagnetic wave, learners react as their molecules would to the...
Population Connection
The Carbon Crunch
Carbon is in the air; should we care? Teach the class why it is important to pay attention to carbon levels and how the world population and various countries across the globe affect the carbon levels in the atmosphere. High schoolers...
Curated OER
Fuel Cell Experimentation
With rising oil prices and increasing concerns over global warming, the pressure is on for engineers to develop alternative sources of energy. Among the new technologies being developed are hydrogen fuel cells, which young scientists...
Glynn County School System
The Earth as a Planet
What does our planet have in common with other planets? What makes it unique? Find out in a PowerPoint presentation highlighting many earthly facts! The lesson describes Earth's atmosphere in detail and adds many other important facts...
Magic of Physics
Radio Transmission
Radio waves are all around us! How do they transmit sound? Using an interactive, scholars examine how songs travel through the air. The resource explains the process from the radio station, to signal towers, to the radio unit. A look at...
Science Matters
Series Circuit and Switches
Lights out! Scholars build on their understanding of a simple circuit by adding a switch and creating schematic drawings. The eighth lesson plan in a series of 14 has pupils use everyday materials to create circuits and make observations...
Curated OER
Organization Station
After students complete an in-class unit on electricity they participate in making a hands-on circuit to create electricity. Then they use the computer program Kidspiration to create a graphic organizer of the content. They print their...
Curated OER
Life With Energy
Students consider different forms of energy. In this energy lesson, students investigate different forms of energy. Students explore the advantages and disadvantages of these forms of energy.
Curated OER
The Impact
Students study different inventors and inventions. In this invention introduction lesson students pretend that they are an inventor and come up with their own invention.
Curated OER
Impact of Inventors
Students examine the impact of inventors on our world. In this science lesson, students are given a time line of the invention of familiar objects. Students then evaluate some kid inventors and decide if...
Curated OER
What is electrical energy?
Students distinguish between items with and without energy. In this energy lesson, students understand that natural resources power electrical apparatus and that energy needs to be saved.
Curated OER
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....