Electric Circuits

Lesson 1

In this lesson students share their current knowledge of electricity. They also share the questions they have about electricity.

1. Content Standards

4-5 PS3A Energy has many forms, such as heat, light, sound, motion, and electricity.

2. Concepts

3. Lesson Set-Up and Management

Students will set up a science notebook in this lesson; to quickly set up the Table of Contents, have students put a ruler along each edge of the page and draw a line from top to bottom. This will create three columns that can then be titled “Date, Activity, and Page #.”
Make sure to include a date when recording students’ ideas on “What do you know about electricity” and “What we would like to know.” Students can add additional comments and questions at a later date.

Capturing student ideas on what they know about electricity.

Student Management:

Have students independently brainstorm and respond to the prompts “What do you know about electricity” and “What we would like to know” in their science notebooks.
Make sure to go over the safety guidelines listed in the teacher’s guide.

4. Teacher Tips:

If you are short on wall space, instead of writing what students know and want to learn on large chart paper, write it in a model science notebook. The page can be photocopied and put on a bulletin board. Alternatively, you can also photocopy onto a transparency and place on a window.
Date the entries; after posting students can add new learning and questions periodically.

5. Literacy Support

Writing Support:

Focus Question: What do I know about electricity?
Have students use a line of learning after their original entry; they can add other ideas that were shared by classmates under the line of learning.

Reading Support:

What is Electricity by Lisa Trumbauer can be used to get students started thinking of the things they know about electricity. The text is very simplistic; it would be a good fit for readers who are below grade level.

Last updated 6/17/2009