Benjamin Franklin and Electricity

Students discover, through the discovery method, how electricity works. They construct a simple circuit and a parallel circuit, make an electrical motor work and add a switch to turn it on and off.

Of the many roles he played, Benjamin Franklin most wanted to be remembered as B. Franklin, Printer. Learners of all ages find out more about this amazing man through the activities included in the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary Guide.  

Students research Ben Franklin's inventions. In this invention lesson, students see the relationship between a need and an invention. Students will engage in a class discussion, read a handout, and play a match the invention to its...

Students study and identify different types of simple machines and how they work. They design a simple machine.

Learners read Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin and discuss the similarities and differences between electric blankets and regular blankets. They brainstorm a list of reasons why the farm animals wanted electric blankets.

Students study what an electric generator does and its history.  In this energy lesson students complete several experiments including building their own electric generator.

Students draw series and parallel electrical circuits. In this electromagnet lesson, students describe how current changes depend on circuit components. Students use an OHT of a series and parallel circuit to predict the path of...

Students complete a KWL chart, then read a news article about the comeback of windmills. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a KWL chart and vocabulary activity, then students read the news report and...

Pupils name appliances that use electricity. They construct a simple electrical circuit. They predict whether a circuit work. They name components of an electrical circuit.

Students explore energy by participating in controlled electricity experiment. In this static electricity lesson, students identify the different sources that can create energy and how static electricity can be created very easily on...