Curated OER
Waste Watchers
Energy-aware learners conduct an audit on their electricity usage by recording their electric meter reading and assessing the thermostat, light bulbs, windows, and water heaters in their homes. In class, they analyze results and discuss...
Curated OER
The Reasons for the Seasons
Young scientists use a globe and a light to simulate the rotation of the earth and sun to show the seasons. Additionally, they simulate direct sunlight and indirect sunlight showing intensity of the sun, and answer questions based on...
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #3 Parts of a Solar Panel - Part I
A solar cell is similar to a rechargeable battery in many ways. Science lab groups connect each in a series circuit to run a mini motor and then compare and contrast them by answering questions and completing a Venn diagram. This is an...
PHET
Faraday's Electromagnetic Lab
"But still try, for who knows what is possible." - Michael Faraday. Faraday's advice features in a simulation that permits pupils to play with a bar magnet in order to make a light bulb glow connecting electromagnetic induction to...
Curated OER
Saving on Lighting Energy Activity
In this saving energy worksheet, students compare and contrast the effectiveness of compact fluorescent lighting, incandescent light bulbs, and light emitting diodes.
Curated OER
Lightning Rod
In this lightning rod worksheet, students make a lightning rod out of batteries, breadboard, light bulbs, wires, and more. Students also answer 2 questions.
Curated OER
Series Circuit
For this series circuit worksheet, students observe what happens when they make a simple circuit light more than one light bulb. Students follow 3 directions and answer 3 questions.
Curated OER
Parallel circuit
In this parallel circuit worksheet, students use batteries, a breadboard, light bulbs and more to make a parallel circuit and answer short answer questions. Students answer 2 questions.
Curated OER
Energy Transformations
Students investigate energy and energy transformations. They compare the various forms of energy, create the circuit and sketch the connections. In addition, they label the circuit to identify areas where energy transformation is present.
Curated OER
How Electric Current Produces Energy
Fifth graders are introduced to the concept of electric currents. In groups, they develop their own game board to test different circuits to determine if they are complete. They record their observations of the energy transfer between...
Curated OER
Wasting Energy at Home
Students act as energy conservation engineers and identify the ways energy is conserved or wasted. They also discover many ways to personally conserve energy everyday. Students discover how engineers perform home energy audits to...
Curated OER
Investigating the Types of Energy in Different Objects
Students investigate forms of energy. In this physical science energy lesson, students work with a partner classifying household items according to the type of energy they have. Students complete a related worksheet.
Curated OER
Energy Detectives at Work
Students are "Energy Detectives" working for an engineering firm that does energy evaluations at schools. In teams, they locate energy sources around the school, and record their findings on an Energy Detective Worksheet.
Curated OER
What Is Energy? Short Demos
Students engage in three short, hands-on, in-class demos which expand students' understand of energy. First, using peanuts and heat, students see how the human body burns food to make energy. Then, they create paper snake mobiles to...
Curated OER
Appliance Energy Use and Cost
In this energy usage worksheet, students use a chart comparing the average monthly kilowatt-hour use of different household appliances to complete 4 short answer questions.
Curated OER
The Sun's Energy
Sixth graders examine how the sun's energy arrives as light with a range of wavelengths. They discuss the characteristics of light, examine the color of light using a spectroscope, and conduct an experiment using water and thermometers....
Curated OER
Investigating Light
Students study concepts associated with light. In this light lesson, students observe an demonstration by the teacher. They examine reflection and refraction of light and name things that reflect light and those that refract it. They...
Curated OER
The Impact
Students see what inventors have to think about when making an invention. In this inventions lesson students examine Thomas Edison and the light bulb and the history of inventions.
Curated OER
Solar Energy Experiment
Students observe solar energy at work. In this science lesson, students watch two bottles, painted black and white, sit in the heat with balloons on the mouth of the bottles. They observe and discuss why the balloon of the black bottle...
Curated OER
Energy Sources
Students explore a variety of sources and types of energy. The difference between energy for a person and energy for an automobile are examined. Efficiency and care for the environment are included in this experience.
Curated OER
Household Conservation/Efficiency
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...
Curated OER
Typical Numeric Questions for Physics I - Electric Circuits
A collection of 15 practice problems, most of them involving circuit schematics, is provided for your physics class on this handout. Learners are to compute the net charge, resistance, energy, or power dissipated for different...
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...
PBS
Real-World Ratio and Rate Reasoning: How to Power the Skate Park
Bring on the lights! Using an interactive, characters try to figure out how to light a skate park by examining area and ratios to determine the number of solar panels needed to power them. Pupils design a house with a roof to hold solar...