Curated OER
Using "Student Power" to Generate Electricity to Run a Portable Compact Disc Player
Students explain the relationship between magnetism and electricity. In this physics lesson, students describe the transformation of energy. They create an electromagnet and investigate the factors affecting its strength.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Is Measuring an Art or a Science?
Not only do future engineers learn the difference between accuracy and precision, they also get some hands-on experience using different measuring tools.
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
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
Electrical Circuits
Sixth graders make an electrical switch. In this electricity activity, 6th graders will make an electrical switch, a series circuit, and a parallel circuit. They explain an open and closed circuit and give examples of series and...
Curated OER
Junior Solar Sprint Series: Gears and Drive Belts
Activate middle schoolers' minds with this physical science activity. Learners vary the diameter of gears and the number of teeth on them to find how energy output is affected. This writeup features well-developed background information...
Curated OER
PHYSICS LESSONS
Students study the concept of electricity, what an electric current is and its relationship between voltage and resistance.In this electrical lesson students solve problems using Ohm's law, and research alternative sources of electricity.
Curated OER
The Power of the Plug: How Electricity Will Change Our Lives... Again
Students study electricity. In this physics lesson, students review electrical energy by discussing three ways of generating it. Students explore various energy sources used for creating electricity and examine how different states...
Curated OER
Electricity Shortage
Students use the Internet to discover what electricity is and how it is made. They examine a site that discusses electricity and magnetism. They discover the ways electricity can be generated.
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
Electrical Power Equipment
Students identify various electrical equipment and safety signs and the importance and dangers associated with each. They use cards of power equipment and create a presentation that includes the name of the power equipment that they...
Cornell University
Hydrophobic Surfaces—Deposition and Analysis
Couches, carpets, and even computer keyboards now advertise they are spill-resistant, but what does that mean? Scholars use physical and chemical methods to coat surfaces with thin films to test their hydrophobic properties. Then they...
Curated OER
Green Team
Student explore the relationship of static electricity to current electricity, circuits, electromagnets, electro generators, and public electric utilities. In this Green Team lesson plan, 4th graders participate in hands-on science...
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #5 - Build a Simple Ammeter
Emerging electricians build a simple ammeter for making measurements on an electric current. They test the placement of solar cells in both series and parallel circuits and examine the magnetic field produced by the movement of electrons...
Science Matters
Motors
It's time to get moving! The 13th lesson 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 components to...
Science Friday
Make a Speaker
Make science come in loud and clear. Pupils learn about how a speaker works by building one. The scholars first learn about electromagnetic fields by building an electromagnet. Using that knowledge, they build a crude speaker using a...
Science Matters
Parallel Circuits
The lights don't always go out when the switch is flipped. The 10th lesson plan 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...
Curated OER
Simple Electric Motor
Young scholars build simple electric motors. In this hands-on science activity, students gather the listed materials and follow the provided directions to make simple electric motors.
Curated OER
Resistor and Resistance
High schoolers explore electrical resistance through various experiments. For this physics lesson, students calculate resistance using a mathematical formula. They explain how colors identify the resistance value of a resistor.
Cornell University
Electromagnets
Discover the connection between electric current and magnets. Scholars create electromagnets by passing a magnet through a coil. They experiment with different materials to determine the variables that affect the strength of the current.
Curated OER
How Solar Cells Work
Students create electricity. In this solar energy lesson, students role play how photovoltaic cells change sunlight into electricity. Students discuss the experiment and create their own diagram of the model.
Teach Engineering
Both Fields at Once?
An MRI uses both a magnetic and electricity, so how do the two interact with each other? Class members observe the effects on a charged particle when it is subject to both an electrical and magnetic field. The teacher background...
Curated OER
Physics: Electricity and Magnetism
Young scholars draw series and parallel electrical circuits. In this electromagnet lesson, students describe how current changes depend on circuit components. Young scholars use an OHT of a series and parallel circuit to predict the path...
Carnegie Mellon University
How Power Plants Work 3
Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble! Find out what drives a turbine to generate electricity and whether or not it has an impact on the environment. A discussion and lecture is divided by a hands-on activity in...