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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Survey of Thomas Edison's Inventions

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students complete a web survey for Thomas Edison's inventions. In this Thomas Edison activity, students visit the websites to learn about the inventions of Thomas Edison.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Improvement of the Electric Light Bulb

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students study how the first electric light was made and the history behind it.  In this electricity lesson students create their own light bulb.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Incandescent Light Bulb

For Teachers 5th - Higher Ed
Learners study the history of the light bulb and how an incandescent light bulb works.  In this electricity instructional activity students complete several experiments on the light bulb.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing Light Bulbs

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders compare filaments in different light bulbs. In this science lesson, 5th graders view the filaments of light bulbs under a microscope.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thomas Edison: The "Invention Process"

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students work in collaborative groups to research the inventive process and create a technological advancement for today.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Handwriting About Famous Scientists

For Students 1st - 2nd
In this handwriting about famous scientists worksheet, students trace over a sentence about Thomas Edison and his inventions to practice their printing.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

October 6, 1889 - 1st Motion Picture

For Students 7th - 8th
For this writing prompt worksheet, students learn that October 6, 1889 was the day Thomas Edison showed the first motion picture using a Kinetoscope. Students write about whether they think the invention was the most important invention...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Mystery State #50

For Students 4th - 6th
In this mystery state worksheet, students answer five clues to identify the state in question. They then locate that state on a map.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Electricity and Circuits

For Students 4th - 5th
In this electricity and circuits worksheet, students read a 2 page article, answer 5 questions with multiple choice answers and read 10 statements and determine if they are true or false.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Electricity Review

For Students 5th - 9th
In this science activity, learners locate thirty-eight vocabulary words and inventors related to electricity in a word search. answers are provided in various formats.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Alexander Graham Bell's Patent for the Telephone and Thomas Edison's Patent for the Electric Lamp

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read a short biographical account about Bell and student B about Edison. Ask each pair to exchange information and determine what qualities these inventors shared. Ask students if they think all inventors share these qualities.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inventions 1: Edison and the Light Bulb

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars are introduced to the realm and power of inventions, and help them to better recognize their impact on people and society.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life of Thomas Edison

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students research the life of Thomas Edison. In this Thomas Edison lesson, students explore major life events of Thomas Edison. Students investigate the inventions of Thomas Edison.  Students discover how various fields of study...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Edison National Historic Site

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students use maps, readings and photos to research and describe how Thomas Edison created the first modern laboratory complex. They simulate the process of invention and consider how technological advances have affected their own...
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Interactive
Curated OER

National Park Service: Dison National Historical Site: The Invention Factory

For Students 6th - 9th
This terrific interactive site from the National Park Service describes the different buildings on Thomas Edison's West Orange, New Jersey's laboratory facility. After exploring the buildings, follow Edison's invention and application of...
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Handout
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: Biographies

For Students 9th - 10th
A fantastic resource where you can find biographies of historical figures. You can search by the person's name or by topics, such as Presidents, United States Leaders, Scientists, Inventors, Humanitarians, Explorers and Pioneers,...
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Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: Learning Page: Thomas Edison

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This resource provides lesson plans and information about Thomas Edison and his inventions.
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Website
Rutgers University

Blueprint for Change: The Life and Times of Lewis H. Latimer

For Students 9th - 10th
An extensive look at the inventor, Lewis Latimer, from the Thomas Edison Papers at Rutgers University. Read essays about his life and inventions, the culture in Boston which encouraged his work, and his life outside his inventions. A...
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Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Nikola Tesla

For Students 9th - 10th
An in-depth biography of inventor Nikola Tesla. Discusses his many inventions, his troubles with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and information on his multitude of patents.
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Primary
US National Archives

Our Documents: Thomas Edison's Patent Application for the Light Bulb

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource includes a copy of the original diagram and application that Thomas Edison submitted for the electric light bulb. Along with the interactive pictures you can access a typed transcript, larger images, a downloadable .PDF...
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Website
PBS

Pbs: American Experience: George Eastman: The Wizard of Photography

For Students 9th - 10th
American Experience offers a comprehensive look at George Eastman and his development of photography. Included are a timeline, biographies of important people in Eastman's personal and professional life, discussions in the history of...
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Website
Other

Earliest Voices: Thomas Edison

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource offers historic voice recordings of Thomas Edison. There is a recording of animal sounds, and a speech given at an electrical exhibition in 1908. A biography and downloadable images of him are also included.
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eBook
Other

Edison:life and Inventions/motion Pictures

For Students 9th - 10th
This page is part of an online text of a book published in 1929 by Dyer and Martin on the life and work of inventor Thomas Edison. Discusses Edison's role in the development of motion pictures, but be sure to view the rest of the book...
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Website
Other

Earliest Voices: Gallery From the Vincent Voice Library

For Students 9th - 10th
This site addresses the advent of the voice recording. The introduction talks about the country at the time of this invention, the feelings of people on the topic, and early recording itself. Included are voice recordings of such...