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Electric Current and Circuits
Learners view a basic circuit in operation and discuss what is happening behind the scenes. Using a worksheet with common electrical symbols, they diagram several setups of series circuits and discuss the flow of electrons. They solve...
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TE Activity: Ohm's Law 2
High schoolers study Ohm's Law 2 after completing an activity about Ohm's Law 1. They determine how long it takes to charge a battery. They examine if it is better to use batteries in series or parallel circuits.
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Lights Out!
Students examine static and current electricity, and discuss what their lives would be like without electricity. They listen to a teacher-led lecture about electrons and atoms, and explore static electricity using a comb or a balloon...
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Generators: Three Mile Island vs. Hoover Dam
Pupils are given a history of electricity and its development into the modern age lifeline upon which we so depend. The methods of power generation are introduced, and further discussion of each technology's pros and cons follows. ...
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Circuit Boards
Students explore circuit boards. They determine that a complete circuit is needed to light the bulbs, experiment with the boards to develop strategies for finding where the hidden connections are, and develop strategies that can be used...
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Mystery Card 3
Students will make a circuit on a mystery card. They will connect wires, bulbs, and battery to form an electrical tester. After students learn how to make one following the directions, they can create their own mystery card by...
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Mystery Card 2
Pupils make a circuit on a mystery card. They then use an electrical tester to determine where electricity flows between circles on the card. They will connect wires, bulbs, and a battery to form an electrical tester.
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Mystery Card 1
Pupils test their knowledge of electrical conductors and circuits by constructing an electric tester and using it to determine where electricity flows between circles on a mystery card.
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Static Cling
Students work together to discover the concept of static electricity. They participate in an experiment in which they test different objects charge. They make observations and record them for later use.
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Electrons on the Move
Fourth graders study current electricity while constructing a simple electric circuit. They build a galvanic cell to examine the concepts of voltage, current and resistance.
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Thar She Blows!
Young scholars identify the advantages and disadvantages of wind farms and turbines. They examine how weather conditions can affect their effectiveness and how engineers are trying to solve the problem. They discover how engineers use...
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Charge It!
Students complete an experiment using balloons to help them examine the concept of static electricity. They discover how engineers use this information to create better air filters for homes. They describe how to charge an insulator as...
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Using and Paying for Electricity: Finding Billing Information Online
High schoolers use the internet to locate the nearest utilities pay center. They restate answers in the form of questions that they find online. They practice conjugating verbs into different tenses.
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Using and Paying for Electricity: Talking About Your Bill
Students practice using vocabulary associated with an electric bill. They conjugate verbs into the different tenses. They participate in a role-play in which they practice pronouncing the words.
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Edison National Historic Site
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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Life Unplugged
Students explore renewable and non-renewable energy sources, discuss how each source was created, and identify and sketch out the cycle of energy for each renewable source.
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Create a Pathway
Fifth graders build and experiment with electric circuits using easily available materials. They hypothesize what may happen if a part is changed.
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Will it Hold A Charge?
Fifth graders discuss which materials they believe hold an electric charge. In groups, they experiment with different objects and charging them. They discuss their results after the activity.
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Two Ways About It
Students take an imaginary hike in two opposite directions along a lake. They view and interpret satellite images and discuss the pros and cons of hydroelectric dams.
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Thank You, Mr. Edison
Students read a letter to Thomas Edison and search for advertisements of the period. They review primary sources and photographs of items made available in the 1920's. They interact on the American Memory Collection website.
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Using Transistors: Let's Get Transistorized!
Young scholars build two circuits and explore how transistors function. This activity allow them to observe the operation of a transistor as an amplifier.
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Electricity Lesson Plan
Students conduct experiments on static electricity using the Internet. They compose a 30 second electricity safety jingle to be aired on a local radio station.
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Analytical Spectroscope
Students using a spectroscope view different substances when heated with electricity.
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Dimmer and Dimmer and Dimmer and Dimmer
Eighth graders model rheostats to see how they work.