Magnets & Electricity
Investigation 2: Making the Connection
Part 1
Lighting a Bulb
Students explore simple electric circuits.
3. Lesson set up and Management
1.1.4 Understand that energy keeps things running and comes in many forms.
1.2.2 Know that energy can be transferred from one object to another and can be transformed from one type of energy to another.
2.1.2 Plan and conduct simple investigations, using appropriate tools, measures and safety rules.
2.1.3 Use data to construct reasonable explanations.
2.1.5 Record and report observations, explanations and conclusions using visual oral, written, and mathematical expression.
3.1.2 Propose, design and test a solution to a problem.
3.1.3 Evaluate how well a design or product solves a problem.
1. A circuit is a pathway through which electric current flows.
2. A D-cell is a source of electric energy.
3. A bulb is an energy receiver that produces light.
3. Lesson set up and Management
Materials:
1. Keep your wire stripper handy. You and your students will use them for cutting more wire and stripping plastic when the wire breaks.
2. Make sure 32 short wires (15cm) are cut, stripped and ready to go. Allow plenty of time PRIOR TO TEACHING to do this. Asking a parent volunteer or older student could be helpful.
3. Before handing out any equipment discuss about the safety of hot wires. If a student holds the wire onto the battery or onto the bulb too long, the wire will become hot. Be sure to explain that at the first sign of the wire feeling hot, the student needs to let go! If they feel a little burn, tell them to quickly stick their finger in their mouth to cool it off.
4. If you wish not to worry about the burning of the fingers, then introduce the bulb and battery holders early on.
5. See Page 15, Step #5 if the Fahnstock clip isn't working correctly on the battery or bulb holders.
6. For further investigating about the insides of a bulb, read Page 12 NOTE about bringing in a bulb that has already burned out.
7. When discussing questions, have students place their materials in the middle of their table or desks and have them place their hands in lap.
Another creative way of lighting the bulb. |
A successful bulb lighting using only one bulb. |
Using bulb and battery holders will ensure that no one will get burnt from hot wires. |
Student Management:
1. Keep all materials at the station at which they are working. Don't let them carry the materials around. Let the students wander and explore.
2. Be on the look out for those who think they will not get burned or can handle the hot wire. They will try to show-off and could get hurt.
3. Explain that the bulbs are breakable and that the students should be careful when handling them
4. Keep Moving! If you are constantly moving, it will keep everyone on task.
1. Be sure to emphasize the importance of safety when working with electricity.
2. You can lengthen or shorten the time of any lesson.
3. Use Pages 2 & 3 to help guide further inquiry at the end of every part.
4. Give students time to discuss their observations with each other.
5. Give journal reflection time.
6. Keep word banks and content inquiry charts up so students can see and have more time to copy later, if needed. It's nice if you can keep them up all the time and just add to them as you go.
Writing Support:
1. Reflective journaling on the day's lesson.
2. Start and finish each lesson with a KWLQ chart. ("What do I know?", "What do I want to know?", "What have I learned?" and "Are there any more questions to investigate?")
3. Write a creative story in narrative form about a day in the life of a magnet.
4. Have students write all word banks and inquiries in their journals.
Reading Support:
1. Check the Resource section of the teacher's guide for more reading suggestions or the literature link on this site.