Curated OER
Electricity and Electrical Circuits
Students are introduced to electricity and electrical circuits. In groups, they draw circuit diagrams, complete a KWL chart and discover the difference between open, closed and series circuits. They define new vocabulary and make...
LABScI
Circuits Lab: Lightbulbs
Electrons flow from negative to positive, but the general consensus is that current flows from positive to negative. Scholars explore current through construction of circuits in both series and parallel. The focus is on voltage,...
Curated OER
A Simple Motor
Instructions for building a simple electromagnetic motor are provided for the teacher. Aside from some sketchy background information and a list of content standards to be met, that is about all you will find in this resource. The motor...
Curated OER
Series and Parallel Circuits
Fourth graders explore electrical circuits. In this electrical circuit lesson, 4th graders research the history of the use of light and read a biography regarding Benjamin Franklin. Students the build basic circuits, series circuits and...
Curated OER
Solid Conductors
Learners work in groups to create a solid conductor testing set up. They use a variety of solid materials and predict if each will serve as a conductor of electricity (allow electricity to pass through so the light bulb will light up)....
Cornell University
Electric Vocabulary
Practice electric vocabulary using multiple methods. Learners begin by watching a video that explains vocabulary related to electric currents. They match vocabulary cards to practice and then create an electric circuit. Using the...
Curated OER
What is the Underlying Causality of a Simple Circuit?
Students explore simple circuitry. They compare four models of circuits and explain how each works. Students contrast the cyclic cequential and cyclic simultaneous models using a shower curtain illustration and software simulation.
Curated OER
Series/Parallel Circuits
Young scholars engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of series and parallel circuits. They conduct research using a variety of resources. They have class discussion and the lesson includes information for the teacher to use.
Curated OER
Electrical Circuits
Learners explore parallel and series circuits. In this electrical circuit lesson, students investigate the differences between series and parallel circuits. Learners observe the benefits and drawbacks of series and parallel circuits.
Curated OER
Ohm's Law
If your future physicists know how to construct simple circuits, include resistors, and use a multi-meter to measure voltage, then you might employ this lesson on Ohm's law. Each lab group investigates the relationships among voltage,...
Curated OER
Let's Get Connected!
A great activity introduces your youngsters to electricity. They use internet links, streaming video, and engage in hands-on activities to understand what electricity is and how it works. They build a circuit board, and construct a...
Curated OER
Electricity
Fourth graders experiment to find out how to light a bulb with simple materials. They make predictions if a light bulb set-up could work and gain knowledge to tell the difference between an open and closed circuit. They also figure out...
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #3 Parts of a Solar Panel - Part I
A solar cell is similar to a rechargeable battery in many ways. Science lab groups connect each in a series circuit to run a mini motor and then compare and contrast them by answering questions and completing a Venn diagram. This is an...
Curated OER
Investigating Electrical Circuits
Sixth graders draw and construct a complete circuit. In small groups they develop a list of questions about electricity, listen to a teacher-led lecture, construct a complete circuit, test circuits, and create an illustration of a...
Curated OER
Adventures in Electrical Engineering
Learners explore electricity by conducting a series of experiments. In this physics activity, students discover the relationship between current, voltage and resistance. They calculate voltage and power in a given system.
Curated OER
Series and Parallel Circuits
Students study simple circuits. After a demonstration of parallel and serial circuit designs, students work in teams to predict the difference between two circuit designs. They build examples of two different circuits and test...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Electric Switches
Students examine how electric circuits are controlled with a switch. They incorporate a switch into a battery/bulb circuit. They design and create their own switches using everyday materials.
Curated OER
How Electric Current Produces Energy
Fifth graders are introduced to the concept of electric currents. In groups, they develop their own game board to test different circuits to determine if they are complete. They record their observations of the energy transfer between...
Curated OER
Electricity
Middle schoolers watch instructor present demonstrations of the basic principles of static electricity, and then conduct some of their own experiments. In small groups, students build simple circuits, using batteries, to try to light up...
Curated OER
Let it Shine
Fifth graders investigate concepts of electricity by watching a video about Ben Franklin, participating in a web activity about simple circuits and experimenting with creating simple circuits. They examine conductors and insulators.
Curated OER
Changing circuits
Students identify that there are conventional symbols to represent the components in circuits. Students use these symbols to draw diagrams of circuits. They are reminded that electric circuits can be drawn in diagrams using symbols. ...
Curated OER
Simple Circuits
Students investigate how series and parallel circuits work. In this physics lesson, students build their own simple circuits and compare their characteristics. They explain the importance of circuit breakers in household circuits.
Curated OER
Build a Simple Circuit
Learners construct an extremely simple series circuit that powers a lamp on and off with a switch. They are in groups of 4 and are given a set of components and have to build the circuit working together as a group. Finally, they have to...
Curated OER
The Path of Electrons
Students engage in an interactive "hot potato" demonstration to gain an appreciation for the flow of electrons through a circuit. They role play the different parts of a simple circuit and send small items representing electrons (paper...