Eighth graders discuss series and parallel circuits and design an investigation to test a hypothesis on total resistance of series and parallel circuits in combination. After discussion, groups design their experiments, run tests, and...

Students examine how materials oppose the flow of an electrical current.  In this resistivity lesson students complete several experiments on the differences between resistance and resistivity.

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...

Sixth graders use small electronic devices known as thermistors to measure the temperature beneath an object such as a coffee cup as it slides across a surface. By choosing different surfaces, 6th graders can compare in a quantitative...

In this circuits instructional activity, students learn how to determine total voltage, total resistance, and total current. Students also explore short circuits. This instructional activity has 9 problems to solve.

In this parallel circuits instructional activity, students learn parallel circuits basics and determine how to calculate total resistance and total current. This instructional activity has 6 matching and 15 problems to solve.

Pupils collect and Analyze data. In this statistics lesson, students identify the line of best fit of the graph. They classify lines as having positive, negative and no correlation.

Students receive a miniature pumpkin and proceed through several stations to measure a variety of physical properties. The data is entered into a data sheet and the mass and volume measurements are used to calculate density. They also...

Students explore solenoids and electromagnets. After building an electromagnet, students use a TI Graphing calculator, a CBL 2 interface and a magnetic field sensor to measure the strength of a magnetic field. They create a graph of...

Compare the drift speed of conduction electrons in a current-carrying wire to the signal speed of changes in current. They also distinguish between DC and AC and describe how AC is converted to DC.

Students observe a video about pilots, their desired traits, and explore the similarities between a bird and an airplane. Using paper, wood or foam, they design create an aircraft to be flown in a competition to see which plane will fly...

In this circuits worksheet, students read about the symbols used in drawing circuit diagrams and then complete 16 matching, 2 multiple choice, and 4 short answer questions.

In this physics worksheet, students answer 5 conceptual questions about the sensitive audio detector they built. They analyze the component of their circuit.

Students describe the structures of crustaceans and the features that give organisms capabilities that exceed those of humans.  In this investigative lesson students replicate some of the features of photo-receptors in a deep-sea...

Students create a 3D vector field map of an electric field. In this physics instructional activity, students measure the voltage inside an aquarium with water. They present their findings and map to class..

Students identify the internal and external components of computers, robots and fan. In this physics lesson, students draw a circuit diagram of their electronic components. They create a battery tester in the lab.

Students explain the importance of scientific notation. In this physics instructional activity, students determine the resistance of resistors using the colored bands. They compare and contrast scientific notation and resistor band...

Students build a robot out of a 3-¿¿ inch floppy disk drive, two floppy disks, and some other miscellaneous supplies. They apply information they gather about electrical circuits from a web-based circuit design program.

In this circuits worksheet, students compare voltage, current, and resistance. Students draw a battery with a resistor, switch, and light bulb. This worksheet has 6 short answer, 1 matching, and 6 drawing questions.

Students discuss the importance of guardian figures in Japanese Buddhist practices using prior knowledge and visual cues gathered from examples of Japanese art. This activity can be extended to include a creative project.

Students investigate how to optimize the power output of a photovoltaic cell using a home-made gnomon stand. They use data collected to create current-voltage and power-voltage curves to determine the "maximum PowerPoint," (MPP) at which...

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...

Students describe an electrical current and the factors that determine the resistance of an object.  In this electrical current lesson students discuss their knowledge of voltage, current and resistance.

Students investigate how series and parallel circuits work. In this physics lesson, students build their own simple circuits and compare their characteristics. They explain the importance of circuit breakers in household circuits.