US National Archives
Our Documents: Thomas Edison's Patent Application for the Light Bulb
This resource includes a copy of the original diagram and application that Thomas Edison submitted for the electric light bulb. Along with the interactive pictures you can access a typed transcript, larger images, a downloadable .PDF...
Climate Literacy
Clean: Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Cost Benefit Analysis
This analysis activity allows students to calculate electrical usage in home lighting, and create a cost-benefit analysis for cost and energy savings by replacement of incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent or LED light bulbs.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: How Do Light Bulbs Work?
A guided inquiry that involves observation of the parts of a light bulb in a lab.
Read Works
Read Works: Electricity & Energy the Light Bulb
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the invention and use of the light bulb. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Why Placing Wires Correctly on a Light Bulb Is Important
Learners will learn about simple electric circuits as they investigate the structure of a light bulb and how electricity flows through it.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Lighting a Revolution
This website is part of a bigger exhibit exploring the history of invention. This looks at Edison's invention of the light bulb and many other electrical inventions from the following century.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Put a Spark in It! Electricity
Uncountable times every day "with the merest flick of a finger"each one of us calls on electricity to do our bidding. What would your life be like without electricity? Students begin learning about electricity with an introduction to the...
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: Stem Resources: Heat and Light From Electricity
Understand the energy transformations that happens when you light a bulb with a battery. Activity requires students to build a simple circuit and take temperature and time measurements. Lab includes procedure with questions that can be...
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Circuit Construction Kit (Dc Only), Virtual Lab
Build circuits with resistors, light bulbs, batteries, and switches and take measurements with laboratory equipment like the realistic ammeter and voltmeter.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Electricity
For this interactive activity, learners will explore electricity and be able to design and create a complete electrical circuit. Students will also learn what is necessary to light a light bulb. Creative thought, ideas, and,...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Lights On!
Students in this activity will build simple circuits using a battery, wires, and light bulbs. This activity allows students to examine how electricity is conducted through a light bulb using a battery as a power source. Students will...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Introduction to Open and Closed Electrical Circuits
This activity introduces students to the concepts of electrical current and open and closed circuits. Students will act out open and closed circuits as a whole class with some students acting as the "motors" or "light bulbs."
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physics Simulation: Flashing Neon Light
[Free Registration/Login Required] Learn about how capacitors are used in circuits to create transient events such as the flash of a light bulb using this interactive simulation. A PDF worksheet and a video tutorial are also available....
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Electric Circuits: Circuit Builder
Students manipulate this virtual electronic circuit board where they can add resistors, light bulbs, wires, and ammeters to build a circuit, explore Ohm's law, and compare and contrast series, parallel, and combination circuits. Three...
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Thomas Edison's Inventive Life
This site is a complete resource for learning about Edison's life, his inventions, and electricity. If you like experimenting, there are instructions included for how to make your own light bulb. Good photos.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Thomas Edison National Historical Park: Edison Biography
Here is a very detailed biography of Thomas Edison ranging from his boyhood and his work as a telegrapher, moving on to his invention of the phonograph and incandescent light bulb, and finally, a description of his laboratories where he...
Read Works
Read Works: Famous Inventors Thomas Edison
[Free Registration/Login Required] This short biographical piece shares information about Thomas Edison, the inventor of the phonograph, light bulb, motion picture camera, and more. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that...
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Circuit Construction Kit
Build circuits with resistors, light bulbs, batteries, and switches. Take measurements with the realistic ammeter and voltmeter. View the circuit as a schematic diagram, or switch to a life-like view.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Electricity: Building Circuits in Elementary Science Class
In this exploration activity, learners compare the difference between series circuits and parallel circuits using wire, light bulbs, and D batteries.
Other
California Science Center: Lemon Light
Try out this great electricity activity by using lemons to make a light bulb glow. You can learn about the science behind the activity and watch an animated demonstration.
The Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute: Edison's Lightbulb: History of Science and Technology
The Franklin Institute features a biography of Thomas Edison and a complete description of the light bulb as well as an experiment.
Read Works
Read Works: Edison Tried and Tried Again
[Free Registration/Login Required] This biographical passage shares information about Thomas Edison, inventor of the light bulb. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and...
Curated OER
National Park Service: Thomas Edison National Historical Park: Thomas Edison
This site includes information about Thomas Edison's inventions and his home and family life. Find a lengthy biography and several sounds from Edison's original phonograph.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Introduction to Circuits and Ohm's Law
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...