Curated OER
The Shocking Truth About Fruit
Looking for a great lesson on circuits and conductors of electricity? Take a look at this one! In it, 6th graders create circuits out of pennies, washers, alligator clips, fruit, and LED’s. Learners use voltmeters to analyze the circuits...
Curated OER
Incandescent Light Bulbs
In this light bulbs worksheet, students read about the creation of incandescent light bulbs and compare them with halogen bulbs. Students complete 3 short answer questions.
Curated OER
The Spectroscope Lab
In this spectroscope worksheet, students observe fluorescent and incandescent lights through the spectroscope. They record their observations and observe spectra of elements. They answer questions about the chemical make-up of stars...
Curated OER
Inventions 1: Edison and the Light Bulb
Students are introduced to the realm and power of inventions, and help them to better recognize their impact on people and society.
Exploratorium
Oil Spot Photometer
Are these two light sources the same? Groups use a white card and a little cooking oil to create a photometer that allows for the comparison of two lights. The Inverse Square Law provides a way to calculate the actual difference in...
NASA
Supernova Chemistry
By measuring the wavelength, frequency, and intensity of electromagnetic radiation, scientists determine the temperature, density, and composition of far away items. Scholars rotate through ten lab stations using a spectroscope at each...
Curated OER
Electric Light Tower
Students examine the San Jose Light Tower as an example of the development of urban lighting circa 1900. They view a slideshow, conduct research and write newspapers to chronicle the lighting ceremony from a variety of perspectives.
Curated OER
Let There Be Light
Pupils observe that different lights have different effects on matter. Students see that ultraviolet light is powerful although it cannot be seen through this teacher led demo-experiment.
Curated OER
Bronx Cheer Bulb
If you chew or make a "raspberry" while viewing an LED light source, the light will appear to wiggle or flicker. It is not because of the light itself, but because of the vibration of your skull! Have your physics class give this a try...
Curated OER
Solar Lesson
First graders complete sunlight and solar effects activities to learn about light and its power. In this solar activity activity, 1st graders complete a sunscreen test activity, a light test, a black light test, a cloudy test, a...
Curated OER
String Of Lights
Students collect, graph and analyze data. In this statistics lesson, students compare data using different types of graphs. They make predictions, draw conjectures as they analyze bulbs used in a holiday light set.
Curated OER
Remote Sensing and the Electromagnetitc Spectrum
Fifth graders conclude that each color of the spectrum has a different amount of thermal energy by measuring temperature with a thermometer. They infer that there is an invisible band of the spectrum by measuring temperature beyond the...
Curated OER
Compact Fluorescent Lamp Experiments
Students conduct a series of experiment on incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. In this physics instructional activity, students explain how they operate. They compare the efficiency and power rating of both bulbs.
Curated OER
The Math of Light
Investigate light intensity, illuminance, and power consumption of different light source.Compare the efficiency of light bulbs then create a persuasive advertisement about it.
Curated OER
Energetic Citizenship
Students analyze how to use less energy. For this energy conservation lesson, students discuss fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs and experiment to examine the energy of both sources using thermometers. Students complete the...
Curated OER
Conductors, Insulators, and Semiconductors
Students 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.
Curated OER
A Cleaner Today for a Greener Tomorrow
Students examine recycling efforts. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students trace recycling efforts and script a skit regarding incandescent light bulbs' effect on the environment.
Curated OER
Measuring Star Temperatures
For this measuring star temperatures, students find the temperature of a star using Planck's curve and the Wein Displacement law. Students also find the peak wavelengths for given stars using Planck's curve.
American Chemical Society
Energy Foundations
Only 10 percent of an incandescent bulb's energy is used to create light; the remaining 90 percent is heat. In the unit of activities, young chemists examine energy through hands-on activities, videos, discussions, and readings. Scholars...
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #1 - Solar Cell Inquiry
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...
Curated OER
Energy Efficiency Ambassadors
Students research energy conservation devices. They also create their own light efficiency project and presents their findings on science fair night.
Curated OER
Identifying Elements
Students use diffraction glasses to find similarities and differences between observed spectrum of fluorescent light and an incandescent light They work in groups of 4-6 for the experiment/activity part of this exercise.
New Jersey Historical Commission and New Jersey Council for the Humanities
Thomas Edison: The Wizard of Menlo Park
What would change in your daily life due to a power outage? Here, learners explore the inventions brought to us by the one and only, Thomas Edison, and imagine a day without them. Scholars take part in a grand conversation and write a...
Curated OER
Everybody Needs a Little Sunshine
Three activities introduce upper elementary ecologists to photosynthesis and food webs. In the first, an experiment is set up to determine how plants respond to different types of light. In the second, they connect organism cards with...