STEM Tuesday– Electricity — In the Classroom

See what kind of spark grows in your students’ minds from these interesting classroom activities about electricity—this month’s theme for STEM Tuesday!

Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nott

This graphic novel makes incredible use of the comic format to break down complex systems and abstract concepts into bite-sized explanations. Nott not only explains the science behind our electricity, water, and internet systems, but also illuminates how these systems have encoded and perpetuated some of our human biases…sometimes with devastating consequences. This eye-opening book is sure to make you think differently about the technology you use everyday!

Activity

Have students pick one of the systems covered in the book: internet, power grid, or waterworks. Tell them to research a famous inventor who was important to the development of that system. Ask them to create presentations about the inventor, including a basic diagram of what that person invented. Students should explain its importance and other interesting details about its invention, such as how long it took to create and if there were any failures along the way.

Science Comics: Electricity: Energy in Action written and illustrated by Andy Hirsch

A dynamic graphic-nonfiction dive into volts, current, and power plants, wrapped in a monster-vs-mech storyline. Vibrant visuals and plenty of detail engage middle-grade readers (ages 9–13), though some heft in the science may require careful reading. A charged mix of education and adventure.

Activity

What’s the atoms’ story? Direct students to pages 7-8 of the book, showing atoms and their electrical fields. Have students make a mini-comic explaining the atoms characters stories.Tell students to have fun with it but keep electricity in the plot.

Look Inside an Electric Car by Taylor Fenmore

Part of Lerner’s “Peek Under the Hood” series, this slim volume introduces readers to the basics of electric cars and what makes them run. With large-print text and vibrant color photos, this short book would be a particularly good fit for younger and/or struggling readers.

Activity

What’s your dream electric car? Ask students to think of what they would want in their dream electric car. Have the draw it and label each feature that they want to include. Tell them to be as imaginative as they like!

STEM Tuesday

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