Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Basic Electric Transformers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Life as we know it would not be possible without electric transformers, so there are fewer more pertinent topics for your eager young engineers. An astounding amount of background information is provided to help you develop a lecture on...
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Exploratorium

Short Circuit

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Though not commonly searched for, this is a vivid demonstration of how a fuse can be blown, or rather, how resistance works in an electric circuit. You will basically set up a circuit with no lights or bells or motors, allowing the wire...
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Teach Engineering

Weather Alert

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Every time a bell rings ... there is lightning in the area. The activity provides directions to build a model of a lightning detection system. Similar to a system designed by Benjamin Franklin, the system uses static...
Activity
American Chemical Society

Exploring Energy

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
When asked to list everyday objects that require energy, most people list technology that use batteries or electricity. Through hands-on exploration, young scientists discover energy is much more than just circuitry. They play with...
Activity
PBS

Keep Out!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Sound the alarm about a great resource. Scholars first build a simple circuit to learn the basics about electric currents. They then design an alarm system in which a buzzer activates when pressure is applied to a doormat.
Lesson Plan
DiscoverE

Kinetic Sculpture

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Let your creativity run wild. Scholars build a sculpture out of basic materials. These sculptures must be able to move in the wind (from an electric fan). However, they must also withstand the wind enough to not fall over—it's quite the...
Activity
Smarter Balanced

Thunderstorms

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Ensure that all class members understand the basic concepts and vocabulary they need to complete a performance task on thunderstorms with an activity that asks them to use a Venn diagram to compare thunderstorms with rainy days.
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Teach Engineering

Gumdrop Atoms

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
There's nothing sticky about the resource, unless you count the gumdrops! Scholars create a model of a lithium atom, complete with protons, neutrons, and electrons. It's just that these models are made with gumdrops and toothpicks.
Activity
Teach Engineering

Automatic Floor Cleaner Computer Program Challenge

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Have your class use the engineering design process to program a vacuum robot. Using computer engineering concepts, teams program an automatic floor cleaner to traverse designated patterns. 
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Teach Engineering

Building an Electromagnet

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Your pupils can build their own electromagnet — awesome! The culminating activity in an eight-part series challenges groups to design and build their own electromagnet. The goal of the activity is to build a magnet capable of picking up...
Activity
American Chemical Society

The Energy Efficiency of Heating Water

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Can a small change in laboratory procedures save energy? Scholars test three different methods for heating water in a science lab. Then, they calculate the energy efficiency for each and compare them to determine which uses the least...
Lesson Plan
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Is Measuring an Art or a Science?

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Not only do future engineers learn the difference between accuracy and precision, they also get some hands-on experience using different measuring tools. 
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Which Materials Are the Best Conductors?

For Students 3rd - 5th
There are two main types of materials when it comes to electricity, conductors, and insulators. What are they made of? Find out by testing different materials in a circuit to see which ones conduct the most electricity.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Project Ideas: Which Materials Are the Best Conductors?

For Students 9th - 10th
A simple science fair project to test whether electricity can flow between two things. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction, followed by a section on terms,...
Activity
US Department of Energy

U.s. Department of Energy: Energy Basics: Renewable Energy: Biomass

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out about the renewable energy resource using biomass technologies. Learn about the three main types of biomass and how the stored energy from the sun is captured for use.
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TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Simple Coulter Counter

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students build and use a very basic Coulter electric sensing zone particle counter to count an unknown number of particles in a sample of "paint" to determine if enough particles per ml of paint exist to meet a quality standard. In a lab...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Designing a Thermostat

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students investigate circuits and their components by building a basic thermostat. They learn why key parts are necessary for the circuit to function, and alter the circuit to optimize the thermostat temperature range. They also gain an...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Introduction to Circuits and Ohm's Law

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students will explore the basics of dc circuits analyzing the light from light bulbs when connected in series and parallel circuits. Ohm's Law and the equation for power dissipated by a circuit will be the primary equations used. Using...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Hands on Activity: Designing a Thermostat

For Teachers 9th - 10th
By building a basic thermostat, students will explore basic circuitry and electricity. The thermostat built out of a breadboard, temperature sensor chip, amplifier, and battery creates a linear relationship between temperature of the...
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Lemon "Juice"

For Teachers 6th - 8th
"Juice" is a slang term sometimes used for electricity. Batteries are made up of one or more cells. Cells often consist of two different materials in a solution that are connected to each other by a wire. In this experiment, you will...
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Sliding Light: How to Make a Dimmer Switch With a Pencil

For Students 9th - 10th
In this electronics science fair project, students will make a simple dimmer switch and investigate the relationship between the resistance in the circuit and the amount of light produced. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up...

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