Learning Activity

Got Power? Creating a Complete Electric Circuit

Subject Area

Science

Grade(s)

4

Overview

This activity can be done in partner pairs or in cooperative learning groups. The purpose of this activity is to teach students how to build circuits using everyday household and classroom items. The students will plan and carry out their investigation that explains the transference of energy from one place to the other by an electric current. The students will demonstrate that an electric current requires a complete loop so that the electric current can pass through it.

This resource was created in partnership with Dothan City Schools.

Science (2015) Grade(s): 4

SC15.4.2

Plan and carry out investigations that explain transference of energy from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.4.2

Vocabulary

  • Construct
  • Transfer
  • Energy
  • Potential energy
  • Kinetic energy
  • Friction
  • Conduction
  • Absorb
  • Reflect
  • Circuit
  • Open circuit
  • Close circuit
  • Heat
  • Radiation
  • Convection
  • Collision
  • Motion
  • Electrical energy
  • Stored energy

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound, light, or heat.
  • The transfer of energy, including the following:
    • Collisions between objects.
    • Light traveling from one place to another.
    • Electric currents producing motion, sound, heat, or light.
    • Sound traveling from one place to another.
    • Heat passing from one object to another.
    • Motion, sound, heat, and light causing a different type of energy to be observed after an interaction.
  • Heat is produced in many ways.
  • Heat can move via conduction.
  • The properties of different objects cause them to be able to absorb, reflect, and/or conduct energy.
  • Electric currents pass through a circuit.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Collaboratively plan and carry out an investigation that converts energy one form to another.
    • Identify the phenomenon.
    • Identify the evidence to address the purpose of the investigation.
    • Collect the data.
  • Construct an explanation using evidence about heat production.
  • Develop a model demonstrating that different objects can absorb, reflect, and/or conduct energy.
  • Develop a model demonstrating electric circuits.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.
  • Heat energy can be produced in many ways.
  • The properties of objects, e.g. ability to absorb, reflect, or conduct energy, relate to their function.
  • Electric energy can be transferred through circuits.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Planning and Carrying out Investigations; Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions; Developing and Using Models

Crosscutting Concepts

Energy and Matter

Phase

After/Explain/Elaborate
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

The students will carry out an investigation by assembling an electric current to create a complete loop for electricity to pass through to demonstrate that energy is transferred by electric current. 

Activity Details

1. The teacher will review the key vocabulary terms, electrons, energy, electricity, electric current, closed current, and open current with the students. 

2. The teacher will show the YouTube video from SciShow Kids "The Power of Circuits" to lay the foundations for the experiment. 

3. The teacher and the students will discuss the SciShow Kids video and go over key details that are important to the experiment.

4. The teacher will go over the guidelines and expectations for the science experiment. 

5. The teacher will assign students to cooperative learning groups of no more than four people. Each student will have a job responsibility:

  • The material leader will gather all the materials needed to complete the investigation. This person could be your at-risk student. 
  • The note taker will be the person who writes in the journal and makes notations on what they see. This person should be a strong writer. 
  • The instruction reader will make sure that everyone stays on task and follows the directions correctly. This person should be a strong reader.
  • The application leader will need to be good with their hands. This person may also be the group leader. 

6. The teacher will model how to use a battery and a light bulb as an electric circuit to create an electric current. 

7. In their cooperative learning groups, students will work together to assemble a battery circuit to create an electric current. 

8. The teacher will observe the students in their groups using a running record. 

9. The students will follow the directions for the experiment. Each student will have the directions glued into their science notebook. 

Experiment Directions

Steps 1-5 are an introduction to the experiment. First, the light bulb should not light up (Steps 1-2). Then, the light bulb should light up (Step 4).

  1. The students will start by connecting one end of each wire to the screws on the base of the light bulb holder.
  2. The students will connect the free end of one wire to the negative (“-“) end of one battery.
  3. The teacher will ask the question: Does anything happen?
  4. The students will attach the free end of the other wire to the positive (“+”) end of the battery.
  5. The teacher will ask again: Does anything happens?
  6. Now the student will disconnect the battery from the circuit.
  7. The directions state for the students to stand one battery so that the “+” end is pointing up, then set the other battery next to it so that the flat “-” end is pointing up.
  8. The students will tape around the middle of the batteries to hold them together.
  9. The students will set a paperclip across the batteries so that it connects the “+” end of one to the “-” end of the other. Tape the paperclip in place with a narrow piece of tape.
  10. Teacher note: Remind the students to not tape over the metal battery ends.
  11. The students will stand 2 batteries upward to tape one paper clip on the top and bottom of both batteries. They will only connect wires to each end of the paper clip on the top of the battery, not the bottom.
  12. The teacher asks the question: What happens to the light bulb?
  13. If the light bulb does not light up, have the student review their steps. 
  14. The students will complete this process until they can get the desired results: The light bulb should light up.
Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

The teacher will observe the students to see if they are assembling the battery circuit together to see if they can create an electric current to light the bulb. The teacher can use a tracking sheet to determine which groups are able to perform the task independently. 

Quick Write in Journals: Students will elaborate and explain how they were able to make the light bulb illuminate. They can explain what items they used. 

Acceleration

 

Students who have mastered the skills can expand their thinking by adding objects to the circuit without breaking the loop of the circuit. Students should determine what materials allow an electric current to pass through and which do not. 

Examples of objects: a paper clip, a pair of scissors (try the blades and the handles separately), a glass, a plastic dish, a wooden block, your favorite toy, or anything else you can think of.

 

Intervention

 

At-risk students will be in a cooperative learning group with other students to ensure that they remain on task.

For the quick write: At-risk students can complete a graphic organizer to show mastery of the skills or receive a sentence starter to assist with the quick write.

 

Approximate Duration

Total Duration

46 to 60 Minutes

Related Learning Activities

Learning Activity (Before)

Got Power? An Introduction to Electricity

Learning Activity (During)

Got Power? What Is Electricity?

Learning Activity (After)

Got Power? Creating a Complete Electric Circuit

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

To prepare for this experiment and learning activity, teachers will have to gather some materials.

  1. The teacher will need a set of small light bulbs (or flashlights) for each group. The teacher will need 2 sets of batteries for each group. Make sure it is the correct voltage to match the light bulb. The teacher will need light bulb holders (enough for each light bulb that will be used). The teacher will need 2 alligator clip wires (you can also use aluminum foil). The teacher will need some paper clips for each group. The teacher will need electrical tape (Scotch tape may also work).
  2. If the teacher would like to use foil instead of wire, cut 2 strips of foil that are 6 inches long and 3 inches wide. The teacher must fold each one of the strips tightly along the edge to make a thin strip.
  3. The paper clips can serve as battery holders. The teacher must tape one end of a paper clip to each end of the battery using thin strips of tape. Then, the teacher will connect the wire to the battery.
  4. The teacher needs to have a list of instructions printed for student notebooks in advance. 

Materials and Resources

Materials and Resources

  • Small light bulbs or flashlights for each group
  • 2 sets of batteries for each group (make sure the voltage matches the lightbulb)
  • Ligh bulb holders for each group
  • 2 alligator clip wires for each group (or aluminum foil)
  • Paper clips for each group
  • Electrical tape for each group
  • Printed instructions for each student

Digital Tools / Resources

“The Power of Circuits! | Technology for Kids | SciShow Kids from YouTube”
https://video.link/w/DoQCd

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

sohedrington
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