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Live Presentations


Lightning!

Indoor bolts produced by the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator spark exciting explorations of lightning, electric charge, and storm safety.

Format Live Presentation
Grades 3 – 12
Location Theater of Electricity — Museum of Science, Boston
Website Theater of Electricity
Duration 20 minutes
Reservation Seating is first come, first served
Fee Free with Museum Exhibit Halls admission
Related Links “Safe Haven in a Storm,” Boston Globe, September 7, 2008

Lightning!

+ View Detailed Standard Connections

Primary Connections:

MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)

  • Physical Sciences (Chemistry and Physics) > Electrical Energy (Grade: 3 – 5)
  • Physics > Electromagnetism (Grade: 9 – 10)

Secondary Connections:

MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)

  • Physical Sciences (Chemistry and Physics) > Forms of Energy (Grade: 3 – 5)
  • Technology/Engineering > Energy and Power Technologies-Electrical Systems (Grade: 9 – 10)

National Science Education Standards (1996)
(National)

  • Physical Science > Light, heat, electricity, and magnetism (Grade: K – 4)

References:

National Science Education Standards (1996)
(National)

  • Physical Science > Transfer of energy (Grade: 5 – 8)
  • Physical Science > Motions and forces (Grade: 9 – 12)

– View Concise Standard Connections

Primary Connections:

MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)

  • Physical Sciences (Chemistry and Physics) > 07 Electrical Energy (Grade: 3 – 5)
    Identify and classify objects and materials that conduct electricity and objects and materials that are insulators of electricity.
  • Physics > 5.0 Electromagnetism (Grade: 9 – 10)
    Broad Concept: Stationary and moving charge particles result in the phenomenon known as electricity and magnetism.

Secondary Connections:

MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)

  • Physical Sciences (Chemistry and Physics) > 04 Forms of Energy (Grade: 3 – 5)
    Identify the basic forms of energy (light, sound, heat, electrical, and magnetic). Recognize that energy is the ability to cause motion or create change.
  • Technology/Engineering > 5.0 Energy and Power Technologies-Electrical Systems (Grade: 9 – 10)
    Broad Concept: Electrical systems generate, transfer, and distribute electricity.

National Science Education Standards (1996)
(National)

  • Physical Science > Light, heat, electricity, and magnetism (Grade: K – 4)
    Electricity in circuits can produce light, heat, sound, and magnetic effects. Electrical circuits require a complete loop through which an electrical current can pass.

References:

National Science Education Standards (1996)
(National)

  • Physical Science > Transfer of energy (Grade: 5 – 8)
    Energy is a property of many substances and is associated with heat, light, electricity, mechanical motion, sound, nuclei, and the nature of a chemical. Energy is transferred in many ways.
  • Physical Science > Motions and forces (Grade: 9 – 12)
    Electricity and magnetism are two aspects of a single electromagnetic force. Moving electric charges produce magnetic forces, and moving magnets produce electric forces. These effects help students to understand electric motors and generators.

Lightning!

Evaluated on n/a

% STL standards met
/4 Usability score
/4 Educator Support Score

Comments:

Lightning!

Schedules

Remaining seats appear in parenthesis after event time.

March 27, 2010: 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm
March 28, 2010: 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm
April 3, 2010: 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm
April 4, 2010: 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm
April 10, 2010: 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm
April 11, 2010: 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm
April 17, 2010: 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm
April 18, 2010: 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm
April 19, 2010: 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm
April 20, 2010: 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm

View full schedule.

Lightning!

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Electricity Visualized: Student Manual
This unit of the CASTLE Curriculum (Capacitor-Aided System for Teacher and Learning Electricity) was developed for teachers who want to engage students' interest through hands-on investigation, overcome misconceptions that inhibit learning and reasoning, and foster development of effective explanatory models ... (details)

Electricity and Magnetism: Stop Faking It!
This book aims to assist parents and educators go beyond memorizing electricity-related formulas, rules, and procedures so that they can understand the topic at a deep level - deep enough to teach it with confidence and comfort. By covering the basics of static electricity, current electricity, and ... (details)

Electrical Energy and Circuit Design: Student Guide
Students explore the transfer of electrical energy in circuits and the design of circuits to control a variety of devices. In the first lesson, students explore the principles and devices that they will be investigating for their study of energy and circuits. The module contains 25 lessons in the following three parts ... (details)

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The Museum of Science, Boston

  1 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114  phone: 617-723-2500   email: information@mos.org