Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World - Student Booklet - Invitations to Explore

Oct 22, 2026

Uploaded by Connor

Student booklet for an “Electrical Wizard” learning experience centered on Nikola Tesla. Traces his path from Smiljab to Budapest, Paris, and New York City, prompting map work, population comparisons, and reflection on his ideas, inventions, and impact. Includes learning invitations focused on connecting and reflecting, AC vs. DC, and Tesla vs. Edison, with activities tied to science, social studies, and writing standards, plus preparation materials for classroom use.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages38

Reading Time1 h 36 min

AccessFree to download

NIKOLA TESLA’S PATH

Activities and questions

CONNECTING AND REFLECTING

Attitudes, learner profiles, and impact

Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World Written by Elizabeth Rusch/Illustrated by Oliver Dominguez Book Summary: From an early age in his home country of Serbia, Nikola Tesla was curious about how things worked. From the sparks created from stroking his cat, to the wonders of the rushing waters of Niagra Falls, Nikola’s observations inspired him to visualize great inventions that would help power the world. Although he was met with great opposition, including that of Thomas Edison, Nikola persevered to become one of the greatest inventors of all time. Learning Invitations: NIKOLA TESLA’S PATH CONNECTING AND REFLECTING AC VS. DC TESLA VS. EDISON Standards Addressed: SCIENCE The Design Process: Students will learn to employ the basic principles of the engineering design process in order to find solutions to problems. Physical Science: Provide evidence that heat and electricity are forms of energy. (4.1.1, 4.1.2) Demonstrate that electrical energy can be transformed into heat, light, and sound. (4.1.5) SOCIAL STUDIES Geography: Locate, identify, and describe locations. (4.3.3) Read and interpret texts to answer geographic questions. (4.3.13) WRITING Genres: Write narrative compositions. (4. W.3.3) Items included on the following pages: 1. Copy of Student Booklet 2. Resources to cut out/assemble invitation stations (*Note, I am including a link to each video in case the QR codes do not work. Some student iPads had issues with them) 3. Photos of finished product and students working Name Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World (Student Booklet) Invitations to Explore (check off when finished) NIKOLA TESLA’S PATH (p. 2-3) CONNECTING AND REFLECTING (p . 4-5) AC vs . DC (p.6) TESLAVS. EDISON (p. 7-8) 1 NIKOLA TESLA’S PATH 1. Nikola’s hometown is Smiljab, in what is now Croatia . On the map above, draw a star on the approximate location of Smiljab. (Use the map on the display for help.) 2. What are your thoughts about the video? Did anything surprise you about Nikola Tesla’s hometown? | | | --- | | | | | 3. In 1880, Nikola Tesla moved to Budapest Hungary. Find Budapest on the map above and circle it . Next, draw a dotted line from the star of Smiljab to Budapest to show his path. 4. In 1882, Nikola Tesla moved to Paris, France. Find Paris on the map above and circle it . Next, draw a dotted line from the Budapest to Paris to show his path. 2 5. In 1884, Nikola Tesla moved to the United States to live in New York City. Find New York City and Paris on the map below and circle both cities . Draw a dotted line to show Tesla’s path from Paris to New York City. 6. Use the display to locate the populations of each place Nikola Tesla lived. Fill in the table showing the order of population from greatest to least . | Place | Population (greatest to least) | | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7. Study all the photos and information on the display about Smiljan, Budapest, Paris, and New York City. Which one of these places would you like to visit the most? Explain why you chose this place and not the others. | | | --- | | | 3 CONNECTING AND REFLECTING 1. Think about the story you heard about Nikola Tesla. What learner profile comes to mind when you think about him? Choose one and explain why you chose it using evidence from the text . 2. Now look at the list of attitudes. What attitude do you think Nikola Tesla displayed? Explain why using evidence from the text . 3. In your opinion, what effect did Nikola Tesla’s ideas and inventions have on the world? What would life have been like without him? | | | --- | | | | | | | 4

FAQs

What places do students trace on the map in NIKOLA TESLA’S PATH?

Students trace Smiljab, Budapest, Paris, and New York City by drawing lines that show Tesla’s movement through time and locations.

How do the activities connect to science concepts in the booklet?

The science section emphasizes physical science evidence that heat and electricity are forms of energy and that electrical energy can transform into heat, light, and sound.

What do students do during CONNECTING AND REFLECTING?

Students reflect on the story and evidence from the text to identify learner profile characteristics, explain an attitude Tesla displayed, and discuss the world’s impact with and without his ideas and inventions.

Oct 22, 2026

Uploaded by Connor