Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physics: Electricity and Magnetism

For Teachers K - 3rd
Pupils draw series and parallel electrical circuits. In this electromagnet lesson, students describe how current changes depend on circuit components. Pupils use an OHT of a series and parallel circuit to predict the path of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electricity Generation

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students study the history of electricity and the different ways we generate electricity.  In this electricity lesson students complete several experiments on generating power.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electrifying Electricity

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students explore the basics of electricity using common everyday items as well as demonstrate how parallel and series circuits can be used in electronics and electrical devices. They explore how common items in their world can be wired...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

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,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Static Electricity 1: Introducing Atoms

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore webpages to research the nature of atoms, including electrons, protons, and neutrons. This lesson is the first of a four-part series on static electricity. They see that static electricity involves + and - charges.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TE Lesson: Renewable Energy

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners examine renewable energy sources such as solar, water, and wind. They experiment to determine how renewable energy is transformed into electricity. They investigate the role of engineers who work in the field of renewable energy.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electric Charge

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students discover and identify positive and negative electrical charges and understand that like repels and opposite charges attract.  In this physics lesson plan, students observe how friction can be used to give electrical charge...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Methods of Power- Solar, Hydrogen, and Electric

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students examine solar, hydrogen, electric power. In this research based instructional activity, students will do simple investigations, view videos, discuss, and research how these three types of energy are used for power. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Electric Circuits

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
High schoolers explore using a circuit board in this physics lesson. They will analyze current and battery set up on a circuit board. Teachers check the board before the students experiment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science Safari: Energy Resources

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discover how scientific methods are integral to the creation of energy. In this energy resources lesson, students follow the provided procedures to learn how science impacts energy production.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Science of Magnets

For Teachers K
Students are introduced to the concept of magnetism and investigate the properties of magnets. In this magnetism lesson, students identify a magnet then examine why certain things are attracted to magnets and some things are repelled by...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Destination Outer Space

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate space travel. In this space travel lesson students examine space exploration history, engineers and scientists involved in space exploration, and Newton's third law of motion. Students make rockets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Green Classroom Audit

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students audit their classroom for environmentally friendly practices. In this "green" lesson, students take an inventory of the classroom and identify ways to improve practices. Students complete a worksheet, brainstorm new ideas for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electric Motors

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars examine the different types of electric motors including their history and classification.  In this motor lesson students complete several experiments with different motors.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Is Electricity?

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students investigate vocabulary words associated with electricity.  In this electrical lesson, students utilize the Internet to research what electricity is and how it works.  Students create an actual circuit in class using a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Transmission of Electricity

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine why electricity is distributed at high voltage and the functions of transformers.  In this electromagnetism lesson students study at what frequency electricity is distributed. 
Lesson Plan
Foundation for Water & Energy Education

How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity B

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Motors

For Teachers 4th
It's time to get moving! The 13th lesson plan in a 14-part unit on electricity and magnetism explores the relationship between electricity and mechanical energy. Budding scientists build motors and experiment with different...
Lesson Plan
1
1
Purdue University

Light – Just Right!

For Teachers 4th Standards
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...
Lesson Plan
Trash For Teaching

The Light-House Project

For Teachers 11th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
Foundation for Water & Energy Education

How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity C

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Parallel Circuits

For Teachers 4th
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...
Lesson Plan
1
1
California Academy of Science

Rapid Brainstorming: How Can We Conserve Our Water Resources?

For Teachers 6th - 10th Standards
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...