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Series and Parallel Circuits
Students study simple circuits. After a demonstration of parallel and serial circuit designs, students work in teams to predict the difference between two circuit designs. They build examples of two different circuits and test...
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Conductors and Insulators
Fifth graders investigate conductors and insulators by testing their hypotheses. They use copper wire and batteries to light a bulb. They use a penny and a plastic spoon to determine which is an insulator and which is a conductor.
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Circuits
Students draw a schematic diagram of parts needed to build an op-amp. In this physics lesson, students test the operation of their machine. They graph and analyze data using excel.
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Electricity: A Friend, a Foe
Students study what electricity can do and what some of the associated dangers are.
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Elementary Article: What's a Short Circuit?
Young scholars read an article about short circuits. In this science reading comprehension lesson, students read about short circuits and study the diagram to learn more about electricity and energy.
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Ohm's Law
If your future physicists know how to construct simple circuits, include resistors, and use a multi-meter to measure voltage, then you might employ this instructional activity on Ohm's law. Each lab group investigates the...
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A Simple Motor
Instructions for building a simple electromagnetic motor are provided for the teacher. Aside from some sketchy background information and a list of content standards to be met, that is about all you will find in this resource. The motor...
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Castaway or Survivor
What a clever idea! Chemistry learners imagine themselves deserted on an island with a radio, but no batteries. They also have a few odds and ends in their pockets and storage chest. They are challenged to create a battery that will...
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Electrostatics
Middle schoolers examine ways positive and negative charges are attracted and repelled by watching teacher demonstrations, and complete activity sheet related to classroom demonstration activities to prove proficiency of knowledge of...
Teach Engineering
Can You Resist This?
Some things are hard to resist. Small collaborative groups build circuits and calculate the voltage using Ohm's Law. Budding engineers explore the connection between the voltage across different resistors and linear...
Teach Engineering
Pointing at Maximum Power for PV
Following detailed directions, teams collect the voltage and current outputs of a photovoltaic cell by adjusting the resistance. Using the collected data, they determine the highest power output. Implications for weather and a large...
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Electric Circuits
Fourth graders investigate complete and incomplete circuits. Using an electrical kit that includes a D-cell battery, wiring, and a flashlight bulb, they construct a complete electric circuit that will light the light bulb. Students...
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Changing Circuits
Young scholars study how bulbs work by studying a series circuit and its components. In this electricity study instructional activity, students complete a SmartBoard online activity to study a bulb light in an electrical circuit. Young...
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Parallel Circuits
Students investigate the way an electrical circuit works. In this physics lesson, students use voltmeters and ammeters to measure voltage. They construct a circuit using provided circuit kits.
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Circuit Breakers
Fifth graders build a circuit breaker and examine its function within a circuit.
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Introduction to Elementary Circuits
Learners explore how a circuit works and create a circuit to use energy from a battery to light a bulb. In this introduction to circuits lesson, the students study the parts of a circuit and have a class discussion of what would happen...
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Electricity
Students experiment with a series of circuits. In this chemistry lesson plan, students discuss voltage, resistance and current as they flow through an electrical circuit. They work in pairs to solve the questions.
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Conductors, Insulators, and Semiconductors
Middle schoolers will investigate the differences in conductivity of materials, design a variety of complete circuits, and observe the differences between the manner in which light is produced in an incandescent light bulb and an LED.
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How a Circuit Works
Students explore the differences between parallel and series circuits by designing and constructing several different circuits. In small groups, they use miniature light bulbs, wires, and nine-volt batteries to build the circuits they...
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Changing circuits
Young scholars identify that there are conventional symbols to represent the components in circuits. Students use these symbols to draw diagrams of circuits. They are reminded that electric circuits can be drawn in diagrams using...
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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...
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Electricity
Students examine basic electrical components. They build a simple electrical circuit which rings a buzzer. They experiment with conducting and nonconducting materials.
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Electricity 5
Fifth graders demonstrate their understanding of circuits by working in small groups to create a flashlight using a limited number of supplies.
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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.