Conductors of Electricity and Electromagnets

My last post shared some ideas for teaching about Current Electricity - Electric, Series, and Parallel Circuits. You can view that post here.



Investigating Electricity

In today's post, I want to share links to 2 activities. In the 1st activity students test materials to see if the materials are a conductor or insulator of electricity. In the 2nd activity students build and investigate electromagnets.

Just click on the links below to read about these activities.

Conductor or Insulator of Electricity

http://learningideasgradesk-8.blogspot.com/2011/01/conductor-or-insulator-of-elecrticity.html

Creating an Electromagnet

http://learningideasgradesk-8.blogspot.com/2011/01/creating-electromagnet.html

Also, here is a Word Search on Static and Current Electricity to help students remember all those important science vocabulary words that they have been learning with these fun hands-on science lessons.

The Electricity Word Search is saved on my website with LOTS of other fun science worksheets! :)  Just click on the link below.


http://www.learningworkroom.com/Free_Science_Worksheets.html


If you'd like more Electricity ideas, just visit my Pinterest Electricity Board.

http://www.pinterest.com/marcia_murphy22/electricity/

Have fun with Science!

 

Hands-On Science - Investigating Electricity

Last week, I did a post on investigating Static Electricity. If you missed that post you can view it here.

Current Electricity

For today, I put together some posts with activities to help you teach about Current Electricity: Electric Circuits, Series Circuits, and Parallel Circuits. These are the lessons where the students will get to light those mini-light bulbs.

Besides using the supplies usually found in the science kits, everyone should wear safety goggles and safety gloves. The kids love to put on the safety equipment. It makes them feel like real scientists and that these will be very special lessons!  :)

To go to each blog post, just click on the links below.


Creating an Electric Circuit

http://learningideasgradesk-8.blogspot.com/2011/01/creating-electric-circuit.html

Creating a Series Circuit

http://learningideasgradesk-8.blogspot.com/2011/01/series-circuit.html

Creating a Parallel Circuit

http://learningideasgradesk-8.blogspot.com/2011/01/parallel-circuit.html


Have fun with Science!

 

Creating a Parallel Circuit

A parallel circuit has more than one path for electricity to flow. Each light bulb has its own path. If one bulb goes out, the other bulbs still stay lit. (This is the type of circuit used in most of our homes.)

Have the students create their own parallel circuit with adult supervision.

Materials Needed

• safety glasses and gloves
• D cell battery 
• wide elastic or battery holder
• 2 bulbs
• 2 bulb holders
• 4 insulated wires
• extra bulb, bulb holder and 2 extra wires (optional)

A previous post (Creating an Electric Circuit) suggests different places where you can purchase the materials needed for this activity.


http://learningideasgradesk-8.blogspot.com/2011/01/creating-electric-circuit.html

 

Creating a Series Circuit

A series circuit has only one path for electricity to flow The bulbs are part of the circuit. They are connected one after another. The charges flow from the source (the battery), through the wires and each bulb then back to the source. If there is a switch, electricity also flows through the switch. If one bulb is broken, missing, or loose, then all the bulbs will not light.

Materials Needed

• Safety glasses and gloves
• D cell battery (1 or 2)
• Wide elastic(s) or battery holder(s)
• 3-4 insulated wires 
• 2 bulbs
• 2 bulb holders
• switch and extra wire (optional)
• extra bulbs, bulb holders, and wires (optional)

With adult supervision, have each students put on a pair of safety glasses and safety gloves and create a series circuit. Remember the circuit needs to be one complete loop.  Before making the circuit, have them PREDICT what will happen to the other bulb(s) if one bulb goes out.

After creating the series circuit with 2 or more bulbs, they should carefully loosen or remove 1 bulb and OBSERVE what  happens to the other bulb(s). Was their prediction correct? Why?

After the activity, students should sketch pictures of the activity in their science notebook and older students should explain how a series circuit works and what could prevent it from working.

Students can also try the activity with an extra bulb, bulb holder, and wire. They could also add a switch and an extra wire to the circuit. Before adding each new item, they should predict how they think it will affect the circuit.

A previous post (Creating an Electric Circuit) suggests different places where you can purchase the materials needed for this activity.
http://learningideasgradesk-8.blogspot.com/2011/01/creating-electric-circuit.html


Have fun with Science!

Creating an Electric Circuit

Creating a Simple Electric Circuit with Current Electricity

Electric Circuit

I think this is my favorite activity to do with kids because of how excited they get the 1st time they light up a bulb!

Materials Needed

• safety glasses & safety gloves
• D cell battery
• wide elastic band or battery holder
• small bulb
• bulb holder
• 2 wires with alligator clips (or 2 insulated {Bell} wires with stripped ends approx. 7 inches each)
• switch and extra wire (optional)

These materials can be bought in a kit for 1 or 2 students (www.ScienceWiz.com) or from a science supply company for a large classroom (www.carolina.com ).
Sometimes, the kits can also be found in craft stores such as A C Moore or Michael's. I bought a kit at Marshalls.

 The kit I found at Marshall's (for 1 student or a small group) is now available at Amazon (see below). It comes with great directions.

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With adult supervision, have the students put on safety glasses and gloves, then connect the material as pictured above to light their bulb. If you decide to add a switch to the circuit, they will need a 3rd wire.

      

Open Switch  

Closed Switch

In the circuit, the battery is the source of electrical energy (power),  the wires are the path through which the charges flow, and the light bulb is the user of  the electricity. A switch can turn the electricity on or off. The circuit needs to be a complete loop for the bulb to light.
Have fun!

As a follow up, children should sketch a picture of their circuit and label the parts in their science notebooks.

As a Language Arts Extension, students could write a paragraph (or a letter) to a friend explaining the steps that are needed to build an electric circuit.