Curated OER
The Science of Color and Light
Students listen to a story about colors and then conduct various experiments to determine how people see colors, identify which colors stand out best from a distance, show the results of mixed colored lighting and explain the phenomenon...
Curated OER
Electricity Generation
Students study the history of electricity and the different ways we generate electricity. In this electricity lesson students complete several experiments on generating power.
Curated OER
Potato Power
Students light a LED clock or light bulb using potatoes. They examine how a battery works in a simple circuit. They determine how chemical energy changes to electrical energy while experimenting with potato powered circuits.
Curated OER
Home Energy Audit: Measuring Energy Worksheet
In this measuring energy worksheet, students calculate the annual cost to run an appliance for a year. They determine how much energy and money can be saved by replacing light bulbs with fluorescent lights and they read electric meters...
Curated OER
Interactive Question Asker
Students practice studying chapters from a unit by creating an electric circuit. In this electronic studying lesson, students utilize a file folder, hole punch, foil, light bulb and battery to create a wired circuit behind answers...
Curated OER
Sources of Electricity
In this online electricity worksheet, students are asked 10 questions about electric current and battery energy, an online answer key provided.
Curated OER
Applied Science -Physics (4A) Post Lab
Fourth graders explore the history of electricity. In this electricity instructional activity, 4th graders review the connection between electricity and magnetism. They do a research project on the history of electricity.
Curated OER
Are These Made of Metal?
How can you tell if something is made of metal? Use a table of data and a science experiment to determine which items are made of metal. The experiment requires adult supervision, as it instructs third graders to build an electrical...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity B
In this second of three activities, energy engineers plan and create a hydropower dam as they learn how hydroelectric power plants generate electricity. A hydropower puzzle is also included, which can be worked on by teams that finish...
Exploratorium
Touch the Spring
Concave mirrors and the images they produce are traditional topics in the physics classroom. This resource explains how to set up an investigation of them, and it provides you with the explanation of concepts.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Series and Parallel Circuits
Students demonstrate simple circuits and find the differences between parallel and serial circuits. In this electronic lesson plan students work in teams to test different designs using a low voltage light bulb.
Curated OER
Electromagnetism - Transformers
Students build small circuits using transformers. In this electromagnetism lesson plan, students will show that transformers increase voltage which leads to an increase in current. An ammeter and the brightness of a light bulb will be...
PHET
Faraday's Law
Could a flux capacitor really work? An engaging simulation encourages scholars to investigate Faraday's law. They experiment with various speeds, magnitude, voltage, and different-sized coils. Hopefully experimenters will be able to...
Curated OER
What is electrical energy?
Students distinguish between items with and without energy. In this energy lesson, students understand that natural resources power electrical apparatus and that energy needs to be saved.
Curated OER
Electricity Danger
Students determine how electricity is useful but also can be dangerous. They observe a teacher demonstration of the hazards associated with touching wires using a puppet, batteries, wire, and a light bulb. They devise a list of...
Curated OER
Conductors and Insulators Experiment
In this conductors and insulators experiment worksheet, students follow the procedures to set up an experiment that tests which common materials are conductors or insulators.
LABScI
Circuits Lab: Lightbulbs
Electrons flow from negative to positive, but the general consensus is that current flows from positive to negative. Scholars explore current through construction of circuits in both series and parallel. The focus is on voltage,...
Teach Engineering
Exploring Energy: Energy Conversion
The energy is not really lost, it is just converted to a different form. Pupils learn about the conversion of energy in the fifth segment of an energy unit with six parts. Learners develop an understanding of the conservation of energy...
PBS
Star Power
Let there be light—or maybe not. Pupils learn about light pollution with an investigation of constellations. They create constellation boxes and experiment with different levels of light. Observations are then made about the lighting in...
Curated OER
Ultra-simple Electric Generator
Students read this article to discover the secret to making a generator. They understand that there has been lots of projects for making a simple electric motor, but not for a generator.
Curated OER
Insulators and Conductors
Fourth graders experiment to discover which items are conductors and which items are insulators. In this insulators and conductors lesson, 4th graders experiment and create a T-Chart. Students are assessed on the correctness...
Curated OER
Lighting Instruments from the Inside Out
Students examine theatrical lighting instruments to see how light is controlled, and write a paragraph telling of their discoveries.
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
Paths of Electrical Currents
Fourth graders examine the paths that electrical currents travel. They create a current of electricity using flashlights, bulbs, batteries, wires and tape. They determine how to create a closed circuit that will light the bulb. They...