Lesson Planet
Search educational resources
  • Sign In Try It Free
  • AI Teacher Tools
    • Discover Resources Search reviewed educational resources by keyword, subject, grade, type, and more
    • Curriculum Manager (My Content) Manage saved and uploaded resources and folders To Access the Curriculum Manager Sign In or Join Now
    • Browse Resource Directory Browse educational resources by subject and topic
    • Curriculum Calendar Explore curriculum resources by date
    • Lesson Planning Articles Timely and inspiring teaching ideas that you can apply in your classroom
    • Our Story
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
  • Pricing
  • School Access
    • Your school or district can sign up for Lesson Planet — with no cost to teachers
      Learn More
  • Sign In
  • Try It Free

Hi, what do you want to do?

Create a lesson plan
Create a lesson plan
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Find a teaching resource
Find a teaching resource
Design of a Door Alarm Lesson PlanDesign of a Door Alarm Lesson Plan
Publisher
Purdue University
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
4th
Subjects
Science
3 more...
Resource Type
Lesson Plans
Audience
For Teacher Use
Duration
2 hrs
Instructional Strategies
Hands-on Activity
2 more...
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
Lesson Plan

Design of a Door Alarm

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Design of a Door Alarm lesson plan also includes:
  • Getting Started with SLED
  • Knowledge Test
  • Knowledge Test - Answer Key
  • Activity
  • Graphic & Image
  • Vocabulary
  • Printable
  • Join to access all included materials

How does electricity work? Budding scientists explore the concepts of electrical currents and open and closed circuits with class discussion and a hands-on activity using a battery to turn on a light bulb. Learners also make predictions about circuits and create the hookups to see how they work. Then, they participate in the STEM engineering design process to use simple circuits to design a door alarm for their classroom.

138 Views 35 Downloads

Concepts

electricity, circuits, currents, electric currents, electric circuits, batteries, resistance, watts, alternating current/direct current, conductors, insulators, conduction, insulation

Additional Tags

science

Instructional Ideas

  • Use criteria and constraints to teach the engineering design process
  • Extend learning by having scholars design other simple circuits with real-life applications

Classroom Considerations

  • Requires materials typical classrooms may not contain
  • Follow safety guidelines

Pros

  • Contains good background information to teach about electric circuits
  • Incorporates engineering design practices

Cons

  • None

See similar resources:

Lesson Plan

Dispenser Designs

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
After reading about the history of tape dispensers, learners compare and contrast different dispenser designs. Next, teams work within budgetary and time constraints to design a better dispenser. When finished, each engineer reflects on...
3rd - 12th STEM
Lesson Plan

Toxic Popcorn Design Challenge

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Engineering enthusiasts are sure to explode in understanding as they practice the engineering design process (EDP). A container of "toxic popcorn" is placed in the classroom. Teams must work together to devise a method for removing it...
3rd - 12th Science
Lesson Plan

Interactive Gumball Machine

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Sure, you may be able to build a better mousetrap, but what about a gum dispenser? In a fun engineering challenge, teams must design and build a working interactive gumball machine with specific constraints and criteria.
3rd - 12th Science
Lesson Plan

Simple Circuit: Electric Currents and Circuits

Curated OER
Through inquiry and exploration, 4th graders will learn and understand the functions of open and closed circuits. They will break into 2 groups, define vocabulary, hypothesize how to light a bulb, then test their hypothesis 4 different...
4th Science
Instructional Video

Powering Up Electricity

Curated OER
Need help explaining electricity? Use this video to introduce how an electrical circuit works. It has great narration, graphics, and demonstrations.
2 mins 3rd - 12th Science
Lesson Plan

Teach Engineering: Electrifying the World

TeachEngineering
This lesson plan introduces young scholars to the fundamental concepts of electricity. This is accomplished by addressing questions such as "How is electricity generated," and "How is it used in every-day life?" The lesson plan also...
3rd - 8th Science
Lesson Plan

Many Paths

Curated OER
Students explore the composition and practical application of parallel circuitry, compared to series circuitry. They design and build parallel circuits and investigate their characteristics, and apply Ohm's law. They recognize that...
3rd - 5th Math
Unit Plan

Remc Association of Michigan: 21 Things4 Students: 15. Design Thinking

REMC Association of Michigan
Design Thinking is a process for designing something to solve a problem. It shares a lot of similarities to the Engineering Design Process you might learn in a STEM class and the Scientific Method you learn in science. However, it tends...
3rd - 8th STEM
Lesson Plan

Electric Circuits

Curated OER
Experiment with electric circuits and conductivity. Young scientists will model and discuss how an electric circuit works. First they will draw a model of the flow of electrons and then build an actual circuit. Finally, they will explain...
3rd - 8th Science
Lesson Plan

Motion, Forces, Energy and Electricity

Curated OER
What a wonderful way to explore motion and forces! Learners design a catapult, after watching a video and discussing types of catapults. This is a comprehensive and complete lesson with links to supplementary resources.
K - 8th Science
Try It Free
© 1999-2026 Learning Explorer, Inc.
Teacher Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Resources

Sign up for the Lesson Planet Monthly Newsletter

Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • Health
  • Language Arts
  • Languages
  • Math
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education
  • Visual and Performing Arts
View All Lesson Plans

Discover Resources

  • Our Review Process
  • How it Works
  • How to Search
  • Create a Collection

Manage Curriculum

  • Edit a Collection
  • Assign to Students
  • Manage My Content
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Use