Electrical
TEKS Objective
The student is expected to differentiate among forms of energy, including mechanical, sound, electrical, light, and heat/thermal.
Essential Understanding
The student knows that energy exists in many forms and can be observed in cycles, patterns, and systems.
Science Background
Science of Electricity: US Energy Information Administration (website) - Covers the basics of electricity.
Science of Electricity
Energy Kids, US Energy Information Administration, www.eia.gov
The Wonders of Electricity and Magnetism: MIT World (video) - Professor Walter Lewin gives a public lecture (1 hr 41m) on electricity and magnetism, including many interesting demonstrations.
The Wonders of Electricity and Magnetism
Walter Lewin, MIT World, www.mitworld.mit.edu
Energy Tutorial: National Fuel Cell Research Center (website) - Detailed descriptions of different energy sources employed for electricity generation, transportation, heating, etc.
Energy Tutorial
National Fuel Cell Research Center, www.nfcrc.uci.edu
Signature Lesson
Brown Bag Science: Proteacher.com (website) - Students learn, through inquiry and discovery, how electricity works. Good introduction to the concept of electricity, including hands-on work with circuits, motors, conductors, etc.
- Supporting Lessons
- Extensions
- Assessment Ideas
- Literature Connections
- Related
TEKS - Additional Resources
Supporting Lessons
Static Electricity: CSIRO (website) - Simple static electricity investigation featuring a balloon to teach students about positive and negative charges.
Static Electricity
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, www.csiro.au
Motor Effect: Exploratorium (website) - Students experiment with simple electric motors and magnets to learn about the relationship between electricity and magnetism.
Elaboration Lessons and Extensions
Introduction to Energy: The NEED Project (PDF) - Explains different energy sources and the usage levels for various energy sources in the United States.
Introduction to Energy
The NEED Project, www.need.org
Charged or Not Charged: Kids Science Experiments (website) - Simple investigation in which students demonstrate how to create an electrical charge.
Charged or Not Charged
Kids Science Experiments, www.lovemyscience.com
Electricity: The Tech Museum (website) - Activities on conductors, insulators and other topics related to electricity, with interactive animations and self-checks.
Assessment Ideas
Provide student groups with a battery, a light bulb, and one wire. Have them experiment with these items and determine/demonstrate how to light up the bulb. Students should record and label the circuit created in their science notebooks.
Literature Connections
Electricity, Mullins, M. (ISBN: 978-0531265819)
The Story of Electricity. Bailey, Jacqui (ISBN-13: 978-1404811294)
Dear Mr. Henshaw. Cleary, Beverly (ISBN-13: 978-0688024055)
Discovering Electricity. Bains, Rae (ISBN-13: 978-0893755652)
Additional Resources
Electricity Teaching Resources: Science Zone (website) - Links to online games and activities that teach students about electricity, circuits, etc.
TEKS Navigation
Grade 4
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