+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Applied Science - Physics Lab

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore electricity. In this Physics lesson, students investigate the origin of static electricity. Students compare static electricity to current electricity.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electric Charge

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students discover and identify positive and negative electrical charges and understand that like repels and opposite charges attract.  In this physics lesson, students observe how friction can be used to give electrical charge to various...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Positive and Negative Charge Using Balloons

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders observe and explain how balloons rubbed on a shirt create positive and negative charges. In this positive and negative charge lesson plan, 4th graders record their results and explain their findings.
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

Pith Ball Electroscope Lab

For Students 9th - 12th
For this pith ball electroscope worksheet, high schoolers complete an experiment using a pith ball electroscope to determine charges. Students write down their observations and then complete 5 short answer questions.
+
Organizer
Curated OER

What is an Electric Current?

For Students 4th - 6th
In this electric current worksheet, students will write down three facts about electric currents. Based on these facts, students will come up with a conclusion as to what an electric current is.
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

Electricity Review

For Students 5th - 9th
In this science worksheet, students locate thirty-eight vocabulary words and inventors related to electricity in a word search. answers are provided in various formats.
+
Activity
University of Kentucky

Elecroscope Lab

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is actually a lab from the University of Kentucky Electrical Engineering Department. It is an excellent experiment that can be done at the high school level.
+
Unit Plan
NOAA

Noaa: National Weather Service: Jet Stream Online School for Weather: Lightning

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Weather Service presents this comprehensive site on lightning. Learn how lightning is created, what makes the sound of thunder, and ways to be safe during a storm. Learning lessons, frequently asked questions, and review...
+
Website
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Testing for Static Electricity

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, cast members show you how to make your very own electroscope. You can use it to find out if an object is electrically charged. [4:17]
+
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Middle School Chemistry: Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Investigate why a charged object is attracted or repelled by another charged object. Explore the concept that the attraction between positive protons and negative electrons holds an atom together.
+
Activity
Scholastic

Scholastic: Dirtmeister's Science Lab: Hair Raising Science

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
A great experiment to show students how electrons move by static electricity. This site includes web links, a challenge question, and notes for the teacher.
+
Interactive
PBS

Pbs Kids Go!: Dragonfly Tv: Nanobots

For Students 3rd - 5th
Lead the Nanobot through an obstacle course. Remember how positive and negative charges work. Once players get the hang of the game try a creating an original course.
+
Activity
Science Bob Pflugfelder

Science Bob: Bend Water With Static Electricity!

For Students 3rd - 7th
Contains a procedure for illustrating electrostatic attraction between opposite charges by causing a thin stream of water to bend. The site gives a brief discussion of static electricity, as well.
+
Website
Other

K 3 Learning Pages: Web Resources Thunderstorms

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Check out this comprehensive list of web resources on thunderstorms and safety. Students and teachers will benefit from the links found on this site.
+
Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physics Simulation: Electric Fields Simulation

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] In this simulation, students look at the question of whether one can score a goal in an electric field. They experiment with positive and negative charges to try to score goals.
+
Activity
Teachers TryScience

Teachers Try Science: Say Cheese

For Students 3rd - 8th
Follow these steps to create the chemical reaction required to make cheese. Good explanations and suggestions of ways to modify the experiment. Hands-on science.
+
Unit Plan
Concord Consortium

The Concord Consortium: How Do I Know if Something Is Positively or Negatively Charged?

For Students 9th - 10th
In this learning module from The Concord Consortium, students will learn how to figure out whether an object has a positive or negative charge.
+
Article
University of Houston

University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: Franklin's Electricity

For Students 9th - 10th
Some research puts Franklin's electrical work in the scientific and political context of his day. An interesting point of view, one not usually found in comments of Franklin and electrostatics. Done by a professor from University of...
+
Activity
Other

Museum of Science: Simple Electroscope

For Students 9th - 10th
Resource explains how to build and use a simple electroscope.
+
PPT
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Subatomic Particles: Lesson 3

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson will introduce the subatomic particles and explain where they are located and how they interact. It is 3 of 7 in the series titled "Subatomic Particles."
+
Unit Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Subatomic Particles: Lesson 4

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson will introduce the subatomic particles and explain where they are located and how they interact. It is 4 of 7 in the series titled "Subatomic Particles."
+
Unit Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Subatomic Particles: Lesson 6

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson will introduce the subatomic particles and explain where they are located and how they interact. It is 6 of 7 in the series titled "Subatomic Particles."
+
PPT
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Subatomic Particles: Lesson 7

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson will introduce the subatomic particles and explain where they are located and how they interact. It is 7 of 7 in the series titled "Subatomic Particles."
+
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Electrostatic Models

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A teacher lesson plan which includes several hands-on activities pertaining to static charge, charge interactions, and the induction process. Young scholars use readily available materials to investigate these concepts. Designed for...