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Parallel Circuits

For Teachers 9th - 11th
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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Circuits

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders discover the differences between parallel and series circuits. They draw and construct the two types of circuits using wires, bulbs, batteries, sockets, and switches.
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Wire Maze

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers investigate what causes electrical circuits to work. They construct a wire circuit and pass a paperclip through the maze, trying not to touch the wire, and answer discussion questions.
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Turn On A Light And Do Your Own Revegetation

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students use electricity and plant a seed to observe the process when coal is the major fuel source to produce electricity. They use the packet of native seeds to experiment with revegetation.
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Conductors and Insulators

For Teachers 5th
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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Introduction to Elementary Circuits

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
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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Benjamin Franklin and Electricity

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders study Benjamin Franklin and participate in simple experiments in electricity.
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Series and Parallel Circuits

For Teachers 4th - 9th
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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Applied Science - Technology (3A) Pre Lab

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders discuss electric currents. In this circuit lesson, 3rd graders create a picture of a battery circuit and a light bulb. They show the positive and negative charge and the flow of electrons. 
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Getting to Know Us

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Young scholars discover pictures are worth a thousand smiles. In this early childhood language arts lesson, students use their growing powers of observation and language skills to get to know their classmates.
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Electrical Circuits And Switches

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students design and draw circuits with batteries, small light bulbs and common household conductors. They build and test the circuit then modify it so someone who couldn't use their hands could turn the circuit on and off.
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Green Classroom Audit

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students audit their classroom for environmentally friendly practices. In this "green" activity, students take an inventory of the classroom and identify ways to improve practices. Students complete a worksheet, brainstorm new ideas for...
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Solar Kit Lesson #11 Power Maximum: An Electrical Determination

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students identify and implement methods to standardize testing stations that measure solar panel output power. After collecting electrical ouptut data from several solar panels, they plot the current-voltage and power curves. Students...
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Its Electric!

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders define the differences between static and current electricity by participating in an investigation.  In this energy lesson, 4th graders utilize electrical supplies to demonstrate the differences between static and...
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TE Activity: Ohm's Law 2

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study Ohm's Law 2 after completing an activity about Ohm's Law 1. They determine how long it takes to charge a battery. They examine if it is better to use batteries in series or parallel circuits.
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Dimmer and Dimmer and Dimmer and Dimmer

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders model rheostats to see how they work.
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Household Conservation/Efficiency

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Hook your class up to an online home energy usage calculator so that they can estimate the amount used per month by their families. Then give them Watt meters with which they will measure the power consumption of several small...
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Watts Up with the Heat

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students create a variety of simple, series and parallel electrical circuits to illustrate how electricity flows through different types of basic circuits.
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Technology (Post Lab): Utility Companies

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Pupils study physics. In this utility company research lesson, students discover how their local utility company charges for electricity. They listen to a presentation and then conduct internet research to find more information on their...
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Circuit Boards

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore circuit boards. They determine that a complete circuit is needed to light the bulbs, experiment with the boards to develop strategies for finding where the hidden connections are, and develop strategies that can be used...
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Testing for Conductivity

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Learners test the conductivity of selected liquids and solids. They test the circuit by touching the two free ends of the wires together and add salt little by little recording the data after each addition. Finally, students predict...
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Transformation of Energy-8th Grade

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine how electricity is produced in relation to the atom as well as what causes electric current to flow and what determines how much current flows through a circuit. These and other concepts of transformation of energy...
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Mystery Card 3

For Teachers K - 12th
Learners will make a circuit on a mystery card. They will connect wires, bulbs, and battery to form an electrical tester. After students learn how to make one following the directions, they can create their own mystery card by...
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Solar Kit Lesson #1 - Solar Cell Inquiry

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Give youngsters the components of a solar-powered electric circuit and turn them loose to figure out how to connect them in order for a light to shine or motor to turn. They compare energy output of a solar panel to that of a battery. On...