Science Matters
Series Circuit and Switches
Lights out! Scholars build on their understanding of a simple circuit by adding a switch and creating schematic drawings. The eighth lesson plan in a series of 14 has pupils use everyday materials to create circuits and make observations...
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Science Hits Activity
Students listen to a song that teaches the elements of the periodic table and write their own song to be used as an aid in remembering scientific information.
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Allocating Energy from a Photovoltaic System
How much electricity do you use in a day? Physics fanatics calculate their energy use by consulting a chart of the watts required to run typical household appliances. They compare power to amounts of electric energy used or generated....
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Top Quark Lab
Students find the mass of the top quark. In this physics lesson, students create a vector diagram from a given set of data. They discuss their calculations and findings in class.
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Electronic Components
Students describe how resistors affect the flow of electricity. In this electronics lesson students examine transistors and what they do and how they work.
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Mississippi’s Electricity: From Generation to Consumption
Eighth graders discover how electricity is produced. For this physics lesson, 8th graders infer about the future of Mississippi's energy industry. They participate in a Smart Board interactive activity at the end of the lesson.
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Electrical Current
Young scholars 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.
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Electric Gelatin
Students complete an experiment about static electricity. They are provided with a small plate that has gelatin and then given a small balloon. Students put the balloon above the gelatin and observe what happens, and then slowly raise...
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Electric Current and Circuits
Learners view a basic circuit in operation and discuss what is happening behind the scenes. Using a worksheet with common electrical symbols, they diagram several setups of series circuits and discuss the flow of electrons. They solve...
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On The Move
Fourth graders solve basic mathematical problems. They identify and apply key terms and equations relative to physical science. They discuss how train engines use fuel to move a generator, which creates electrical current that moves...
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Exploring Magnetism and Electricity
Learners explore Faraday's Law. In this electromagnetism lesson, students investigate Michael Faraday. Learners discover the history of the electromagnet. Students examine the parts of an electromagnet.
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Electric Current and Circuits
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.
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Electrical Symbols - Making Circuits from Circuit Diagrams
Students draw different electrical circuit symbols. In this electricity instructional activity, students construct simple circuits based on circuit diagrams. They share their findings to class.
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Focusing Event to Electricity
Students explain how electrical charges behave. In this electricity instructional activity, students determine how far away lightning is when it strikes. They research how fabric softener reduces static electricity and share their...
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Electricity and Magnets
Fifth graders find examples of magnets in or around their homes and make a list. They discover that some motors use magnets and make a simple motor using magnets, a battery and copper wire. They add to their magnet list.
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Science:Effects of Weathering
Seventh graders take an outdoor observation walk around the campus and take soil samples. Working in groups , they conduct experiments with rocks and soil that demonstrate the effects of different types of erosion.
Wind Wise Education
What is the Cost of Inefficiency?
What does it cost to keep the lights on? Through a hands-on activity, class members use a watt meter and determine the amount of energy different types of light bulbs use. The class then determines the financial and environmental...
University of Colorado
The Jovian Basketball Hoop
Can you listen to Jupiter on a simple radio? Turns out the answer is yes! The resource instructs scholars to build a simple radio to pick up the radio waves created when the charged particles from the sun hit Jupiter's magnetic...
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Conductors and Insulators
Fifth graders explore conductors and insulators. In this science lesson, 5th graders act as electrons moving through a wire. Students break into groups representing conductors and insulators and explore how they work with electrons.
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Work and Power: Waterwheel
Students investigate a waterwheel and the physical properties of energy. In this waterwheel lesson students create a model waterwheel and calculate the amount of power produced.
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Mooring Mobiles Lab
Oceanography experts use candy to construct a model of a bio-physical mooring that would test a variety of factors. Each piece of equipment to be included on the mooring is described within the write-up. As pupils gather the candies for...
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Urban Heat Islands: An Introduction to Energy Transfer and Transformation
Elementary school physical scientists explore kinetic mechanical energy by dropping a golf ball on different surfaces. They discuss how human made materials might react to light differently from nature made materials. This lesson plan...
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Water and Ice
Students examine water. In this chemistry lesson, student examine the physical properties of water and how it changes from a liquid to a solid or a gas. This lesson contains links to a second and third complimentary lesson on...
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Is That Icebox Green?
Seventh graders create a timeline of the development of electrical appliances. In this physics lesson, 7th graders explore energy consumption over the past 90 years. They create a poster about their chosen electrical device detailing its...