Electricity Lesson Plans: scroll through the unit, click on linked lessons
Lesson 1: Static Electricity
Engagement: What do you do in the evening that doesn’t require electricity?
Activity 1: Experiment: Charged Tape Investigation
Activity 2: Question Sequence: observations, Ben Franklin’s +/-, electrons, holes
Activity 3: Notes: Static Electricity & Materials
Homework: Worksheet: Static Electricity
Lesson 2: Transferring Static Charge
Engagement: Show off Van de Graff Generator
Activity 1: Notes: Insulators, Conductors, Charging Methods
Activity 2: Conductivity Test
Activity 3: Charging electroscopes
Homework: Read Glencoe Physics (p. 464-470): section 20.1b & section 20.2a Chapter 20 Review (p. 477): 1-6
Lesson 3: Coulomb’s Law
Engagement: Play with a balloon and the Van de Graff Generator
Activity 1: Use the Van de Graff Generator to relate force to charge and distance
Activity 2: Notes: Coulomb’s Law & Example
Activity 3: Chapter 20 Practice Problems (p. 476): 1, 3
Homework: Chapter 20 Review (p. 478): 20 24, 25, 26
Lesson 4: DC Circuits
Engagement: Electromagnetic force is a lot stronger than gravity, Saturn V story
Activity 1: Think Time: How can we have electricity without charge build up?
Demonstrate: bucket chain with cups (holes) and ping pong balls (electrons)
Activity 2: Design Challenge: ← Included in Circuit Diagrams.ppt
1. Build a circuit with 2 light bulbs such that if one light bulb is removed, the other light bulb goes out
2. Build a circuit with 2 light bulbs such that if one light bulb is removed the other one stays on
Activity 3: Notes: Circuits ← Included in Circuit Diagrams.ppt
Homework: Circuits worksheet
Lesson 5: Ohm’s Law
Engagement: Today you learn how to make predictions with circuits.
Activity 1: Notes: Ohm’s Law → definitions of R, I, and V. ← Ohm’s Law.ppt
Activity 2: Introduction to measuring R, I, and V with a digital multi-meter. ← Ohm’s Law.ppt
Activity 3: Chapter 22 Practice Problems (p. 515): 5, 6, 7
Homework: Read Glencoe Physics (p. 517-519): section 22.1b (Diagramming Circuits), Worksheet: Ohm’s Law 1
Lesson 5b: Ohm’s Law Lab ← Lesson is not yet written
Engagement: Today we are going to test Ohm’s Law.
Activity 1: Gather your materials (resistors, voltmeters, batteries, wire)
Activity 2: Data collection: use 1, 2, & 3 batteries across a single resistor, measure current
Activity 3: Graph your data & find the slope of the line (the resistance)
Homework: Complete the lab.
Lesson 6: Circuit Analysis ← takes two class periods
Engagement: Today you get to play with toys in the lab.
Activity 1: Use Ohm’s Law to predict V, I, or R as directed
Activity 2: Build the circuits
Activity 3: Measure V, I, or R as directed
Activity 4: Write conclusions explaining any similarities or differences between predicted and measured values.
Homework: Ohm’s Law 2 worksheet
Lesson 7: AC Electricity
Engagement: Today you are going to learn how the wiring in your house works.
Activity 1: Write: Tell me everything you know about the electricity in your house.
Activity 2: Notes: Alternating and Direct Current ← AC Electricity.ppt
Activity 3: Chapter 25 Practice Problems (p. 589): 5, 6, 7, 8
Homework: Read Glencoe Physics (p. 555 – 559): section 24.1a (magnets) Chapter 24 Practice Problems (p. 560): 1, 2, 3
Lesson 8: Electromagnetic Fields
Engagement: Play with magnets: Write a description of what you can make them do
Activity 1: Experiment with magnets:
1. Demonstration: Use iron filings on a piece of paper over a magnet.
2. Students use magnets to make patterns and iron filings to see the magnetic fields.
Activity 2: Question Sequence: how can moving magnets and electrons affect each other?
1. three 1.5 V batteries and a switch in series: place a compass under the wireà moving charges make magnetic fields
2. ammeter attached to a coil: move a magnet through the coil à moving magnets make electric fields
Activity 3: Summary (Notes): electromagnetic fields
Homework: Magnetic Fields worksheet
Lesson 9: Building Motors
Engagement: Today you get to build motors.
Activity 1: Read the instructions: questions/suggestions
Activity 2: Build the motors
Activity 3: Test motors
Homework: Study for the test
Lesson 10: Assessment
Engagement: Today you get to show off all that you’ve learned about electricity
Activity 1: Last minute review
Activity 2: Electricity Test
Activity 3:
Homework: