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NSDL Expert Voices Blog: Electrostatics
Read and contribute to our blog with our presenters, Dr. Cathy Ezrailson and Jan Mader as they discuss the topic of electrostatics! Get your questions answered or share your experiences in teaching this "shocking" topic.

comPADRE: Digital Resources for Physics and Astronomy
comPADRE is NSDL's Pathway for resources in physics & astronomy. Comprised of multiple collections, this resource is for educator communities at the K12, university, and graduate levels.

The Physics Front
The Physics Front is a special collection of resources in comPADRE specifically for K-12 educators. Materials include activities, labs, demonstrations and other materials that are searchable by subject.

Electrostatics Tutorials and Simulations
This link from comPADRE provides a nice grouping of video, labs and content related to electrostatics that a teacher can select to use in their curriculum. It starts off with an interesting video with researchers studying lightning.

PhyzGuide: Electrostatic Charge
From the PhysicsFront.org, this document gives an overview of electrostatics including historical perspectives.

Benjamin Franklin as my Lab Partner
From the PhysicsFront.org, the use of historical documents from Benjamin Franklin on his studies on electricity are used to guide students through the process of learning about electrostatics through historical reference of Benjamin Franklin's papers. Activities that are mentioned in the web seminar such as the magic tape electroscope are included.

Historical Documents: Ben Franklin and the Leyden Jar
Another activity using Franklin's papers on how to create a Leyden Jar.

Electrostatics Background Information
From the Museum of Science in Boston, this link provides an overview of information for the educator.



SIMULATIONS
Physics Education Technology (PhET)
This site has many different kinds of interactive simulations with two in particular dealing with electrostatics. See the simulations on Balloons and Electric Field Hockey. Great for demonstrations or for students to try on their own.

Introduction to Static Electricity Using Electric Field Hockey
PhET also has a database of activities and lesson plans submitted by teachers using these simulations. This one uses the simulations mentioned above in the previous link. (Note: Scroll down to the bottom of the link to download the lesson plan.)

Static Electricity Animation
Provides basic background on electrical charges with a small animation of how charges build up when touching a doorknob.



OTHER ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES

Student Electrostatic Self-test
From comPADRE, this is an advanced level self-test.

Electrostatics Quiz
A more basic self-test

Electrical Fleas"Snack"
From the Exploratorium Digital Library, a fun activity using herbs from the kitchen to study electrostatics.

Inverse Square Law and Electrostatic Force
Provides a basic overview of static electricity concepts

Busy Teacher's Website: Physics
A general listing of Physics resources for the educator.