Curated OER
Using Electricity
In this electricity worksheet, students study the circuit diagram color the light bulb yellow and tick the box if they think there is electricity for that example. Students cross out the boxes with no electricity current.
Curated OER
Electric Circuits
Students determine the power dissipated in the combination of two resistors connected in series to a 6 volt battery. This task assesses students' abilities to develop procedures for an investigation, develop a plan for recording and...
Curated OER
Student Exploration: Circuit Builder
In this circuit builder instructional activity, learners use the Circuit Builder Gizmo to answer 15 questions and complete charts about different kinds of circuits. Students will need to have access to the online Gizmo to complete the...
Curated OER
Electricity
Students examine basic electrical components. They build a simple electrical circuit which rings a buzzer. They experiment with conducting and nonconducting materials.
Curated OER
What Are Static and Current Electricity?
In this electricity worksheet, students will complete a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the characteristics of series and parallel circuits.
Curated OER
Electricity 5
Fifth graders demonstrate their understanding of circuits by working in small groups to create a flashlight using a limited number of supplies.
Curated OER
Electricity Safety
Third graders explore electricity safety. For this science lesson, 3rd graders read a story about an electrical outage. Students discuss if various situations shown are safe or unsafe.
Curated OER
Electricity
In this electricity worksheet, students alphabetize groups of words about electricity. An answer key and website reference for additional resources are given.
Curated OER
Pushes and Pulls
Young scholars examine different types of movement and causes that may affect those movements. In this online interactive forces and motion lesson, students use toy cars to observe push and pull and then make predictions and collect data...
Curated OER
Solid Conductors
Students work in groups to create a solid conductor testing set up. They use a variety of solid materials and predict if each will serve as a conductor of electricity (allow electricity to pass through so the light bulb will light up)....
Curated OER
Flick the Switch
After reading a short paragraph on how electrical switches work, learners look at four examples of electrical circuits, and circle the ones which will allow a lightbulb to be lit. This would be a good precursor to having your charges...
Curated OER
Organization Station
After students complete an in-class unit on electricity they participate in making a hands-on circuit to create electricity. Then they use the computer program Kidspiration to create a graphic organizer of the content. They print their...
Curated OER
Electronic Components
Students describe how resistors affect the flow of electricity. In this electronics lesson students examine transistors and what they do and how they work.
Curated OER
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...
NASA
Providing Light for Your Plants
Using a guided lesson, pupils learn about what it takes to make a circuit along with a switch. They build a complete circuit under the direction from the teacher and identify each of the elements of the circuit. Scholars then learn to...
CK-12 Foundation
Flashlight
In a simple circuit, does electricity start instantly? A simulation encourages thinking about the flow of electrons at a microscopic level. Pupils control the voltage, resistance, and switch in order to observe the change in both ideal...
PBS
Locker Lights
Light up a locker for a more festive hallway! Scholars learn about electric currents, LEDs, and switches, then experiment with their own circuits. They use the circuits to design and build locker decorations that light up when turned on...
Rochester Institute of Technology
Artificial Eye
Scientists in California developed a bionic eye that allows blind people to see edges of objects in black and white and costs $145,000. In the activity, groups of scholars discuss bioengineering, focusing on the human eye. They then...
PBS
Dough Creatures
Knead a resource on electric circuits? A fun activity teaches future scientists about conductors and insulators. They prepare conducting and insulating dough and use them to make creatures that light up.
Bonneville
Solar Tracker Challenge
Follow the light—not with one's eyes—but with a special solar tracker. Future engineers design and build a device that tracks light. They must build circuits in which solar cells rotate to receive equal amounts of light.
Bonneville
Phone Charger Efficiency
Be efficient in learning about efficiency. A fun hands-on activity has pupils calculate the efficiency of cell phone chargers by measuring the power in and power out. They also learn how to read and use circuit diagrams.
CK-12 Foundation
Flashing Neon Light
How does a neon light work and does it actually contain the gas neon? An enlightening simulation encourages pupils to play with circuits and neon lights. They control the capacitance, resistance, and color of the bulb, and the simulation...
Rochester Institute of Technology
Artificial Hearing
Your sense of hearing depends upon tiny hairs deep inside your ear and if you lose these hairs, you lose your hearing. Here, groups explore hearing through the decibel measurement of common sounds. As a class, participants discuss...
Teach Engineering
Six Minutes of Terror
Help your class understand the design challenges when trying to land a remote spacecraft on a planet. Class members examine the provided information to understand how each component of a spacecraft is designed in order to safely land a...