Unit Plan
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Introduction to Electricity

For Teachers 1st
Students experiment with static electricity and make their own electrical circuits. Students experiment with their circuits to explore conductors and insulators. Students identify Thomas Edison as the person who invented the electric bulb.
Lesson Plan
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Let it Shine

For Teachers 5th
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.
Lesson Plan
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Electricity: A Friend, a Foe

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students study what electricity can do and what some of the associated dangers are.
Lesson Plan
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How is Lightning Formed

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students research lightning paying particular attention to how it is formed, where it is most likely to occur, and how most people struck by lightning survive.
Lesson Plan
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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.
Lesson Plan
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Thunderstorms

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the attraction between two different charges to explain the concept of lightning in a thunderstorm.
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Opposites Attract

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the properties of magnets and static electricity. They participate in experiments that demonstrate the behaviors of charged particles, and record their data on a worksheet.
Lesson Plan
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Static Electricity Game

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore further the importance of static electricity by playing a game which reinforces and reviews static electricity concepts.
Lesson Plan
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Circuits

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders discover the differences between parallel and series circuits. They draw and construct the two types of circuits using wires, bulbs, batteries, sockets, and switches.
Lesson Plan
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Electricity

For Teachers 1st
First graders become aware of the presence of static electricity. They create static electricity using friction.
Lesson Plan
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A Bright Idea

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars establish an understanding of electricity and then demonstate that understanding by creating a basic experiment involving a lemon battery. They reflect on the importance of electricity.
Lesson Plan
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Electricity

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine basic electrical components. They build a simple electrical circuit which rings a buzzer. They experiment with conducting and nonconducting materials.
Lesson Plan
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Inventions 1: Edison and the Light Bulb

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students 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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Flowing Electrons

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students act out different types of circuits, and create their own circuits using wire, a bulb, a battery and a switch.
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Static Electricity 3: More About Static Electricity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students reinforce the concept that static electricity is a phenomenon that involves positive and negative charges.
Lesson Plan
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Static Electricity 4: Static Electricity and Lightning

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explain concepts related to static electricity, based on a single example: lightning.
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Leyden Jar: Static Electricity

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students experiment with a Leyden Jar, a device that stores electrical charges. A large voltage can be built up in this jar by adding more and more charge. The modern name for this device is a capacitor.
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Coin Battery

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore basic principles of electricity and create their own battery.
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A Stroll Down Memory Lane

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine the functionality of different types of computer memory (RAM) as a springboard to researching the definitions, uses and functions of different common computer terms. The class creates a computer terminology guide.
Worksheet
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Programmable Logic Controllers

For Students Higher Ed
In this electronics worksheet, students answer 1 short answer question about the purpose and applications of Programmable Logic Controller.
Worksheet
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Electricity

For Students 8th - 12th
In this electricity learning exercise, learners complete 4 activities where they draw diagrams and answer short answer questions by researching electrical circuits.
Lesson Plan
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Energy: The Big Picture

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students research about energy related topics. In this earth science lesson plan, students discuss ways to save energy. They create a presentation about their research and share it with the class.
Lesson Plan
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Harnessing the Wind for Electricity

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders explain how wind can produce electricity. In this geometry lesson, 9th graders construct their own pin wheel turbine and calculate its power. They discuss the pros and cons of using wind generator.
Lesson Plan
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Wind Turbines

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students build their own wind turbine. In this physics lesson, students calculate the power output of their wind turbines. They evaluate their design and make the necessary modifications.