Electricity

Bill Nye Electricity (Y,M,O)
23-minute video in which Bill Nye sheds a little light on electricity.

Short Circuits (Y,M)
From the US Energy Information Administration, this printable explains short circuits.

Internet Energy Scavenger Hunt (Y,M)
This printable twenty-question scavenger hunt from the US Energy Information Administration has kids explore the Energy Kids website for information.

Elementary Energy Activity (Y,M)
From the US Energy Information Administration, this printable picture has kids identifying types of energy and how they are used.

Electricity  (M,O,T)
From Explain That Stuff.com

Introduction to Electricity  (Y,M)
This YouTube video will help kids learn all about electricity in a simple and easy way. From Learning Junction

Electricity Measurement (M,O,T)
We see labels with electricity measurements like watts, volts, or amps, but what do they really mean? This printable from the US Energy Information Administration explains how electricity is measured.

What is static electricity?  (M,O)
From Science Made Simple, this lesson starts out with the basics and builds for advanced learners.

Basics of Electricity (M,O,T)
"Introduce students to the basics of electricity and electrical circuitry by learning and using proper "electrical" vocabulary, defining the parts of a simple electric circuit, and constructing models of electric circuits." From the Kansas Electric Cooperatives

Experimenting with a Lemon Battery (M,O,T)
As "this video segment adapted from ZOOM shows, some fruits have the acidic content necessary to drive a significant electrical current." Zoom video from PBS Learning media with accompanying background essay and discussion questions

Circuit Experiment (M,O,T)
This US Energy Information Administration activity teaches about series, parallel, and short circuits.

Make a Five-Cent Battery (M,O,T)
Video instructions for making a battery out of nickels with an accompanying teacher guide from PBS Learning Media

It's Electric! (O,T)
"The central focus of this lesson [for grades 9-12] is create a design to remember simple circuits and understand material related to electricity. This includes but is not limited to Ohm’s law and various problems to solve for electricity." From the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education

Electric Charge  (M,O)
"What is charge? Is there a positive and negative charge? What do those things mean? In this episode, Shini talks about electrostatic forces, electrical charge, Coulomb's law, and the force between charged particles." Episode #25 from the electricity unit in Crash Course Physics

Electric Fields  (M,O)
"Electric fields may seem complicated, but they're really fascinating and a crucial part of physics. In this episode of Crash Course Physics, Shini chats about capacitors, conductors, electric field lines, and how objects with net charge generate electric fields." Episode #26 from the electricity unit in Crash Course Physics

Voltage, Electric Energy, and Capcitators (M,O)
"So, how do those defibrillators you see on TV actually work? Surprise! Physics can explain! Okay, buckle up, everyone! Today, Shini has the task of breaking down electrical potential energy, electric potential, voltage, capacitors, energy storage, and potential energy... it's a lot!" Episode #27 from the electricity unit in Crash Course Physics

Electric Current (M,O)
"So, electric current works like a river... kinda... Instead of flowing based on elevation, electric current works a little differently. But it's a good metaphor. In this episode of Crash Course Physics, Shini talks to us about electric current, voltaic cells, and how we get electric charge." Episode #28 from the electricity unit in Crash Course Physics

DC Resistors & Batteries (M,O)
"Batteries power much of your daily life, so today we're going to talk about how they work. We're also explaining how terminal voltage results from the natural internal resistance of every real battery. We'll get into both series and parallel circuit configurations, and how the laws of conservation affect the current and voltage for each." Episode #29 from the electricity unit in Crash Course Physics

Circuit Analysis (M,O)
"How does Stranger Things fit in with physics and, more specifically, circuit analysis? I'm glad you asked! In this episode of Crash Course Physics, Shini walks us through the differences between series and parallel circuits and how that makes Christmas lights work the way they work." Episode #30 from the electricity unit in Crash Course Physics

Capacitors & Kirchhoff (M,O)
"what happens when there are MULTIPLE batteries, connected in ‘parallel’? And what happens when we add ‘capacitors’ into the mix, with resistors in our DC circuits? On this, our last go-round inside a DC circuit, we’ll encounter junctions, loops, and capacitors!" Episode #31 from the electricity unit in Crash Course Physics

Magnetism (M,O)
"You’re probably familiar with the basics of magnets already: They have a north pole and a south pole. Two of the same pole will repel each other, while opposites attract. Only certain materials, especially those that contain iron, can be magnets. And there’s a magnetic field around Earth, which is why you can use a compass to figure out which way is north. In this episode of Crash Course Physics, Shini takes us into the world of magnetism!" Episode #32 from the electricity unit in Crash Course Physics

Ampère's Law (M,O)
"Hans Christian Oersted had just discovered the connection between electricity and magnetism. Meanwhile, a French physicist named André-Marie Ampère was experimenting with some wires, trying to learn more about the connection between currents and the magnetic fields they create. Ampère would discover one of the most fundamental laws of electromagnetism: what we now call Ampère’s Law." Episode #33 from the electricity unit in Crash Course Physics