Electric Circuits
Lesson 11
Exploring Series and Parallel Circuits
Students investigate different types of circuits and determine the number of pathways over which energy can transfer.
3. Lesson Set-up and Management
4-5 PS3A Energy has many forms, such as heat, light, sound, motion, and electricity.
4-5 PS3B Energy can be transferred from one place to another.
4-5 PS3E Electrical energy in circuits can be changed to other forms of energy, including light, heat, sound, and motion. Electric circuits require a complete loop through conducting materials in which an electric current can pass.
4-5 INQA Scientific investigations involve asking and answering questions and comparing the answers with evidence from the real world.
4-5 INQB Scientists plan and conduct different kinds of investigations, depending on the questions they are trying to answer. Types of investigations include systematic observations and descriptions, field studies, models, and open-ended explorations as well as experiments.
4-5 INQC An experiment involved a comparison. For an experiment to be valid and fair, all of the things that can possibly change the outcome of the experiment should be kept the same, if possible.
4-5 INQD Investigations involve systematic collection and recording of relevant observations and data.
- Students build circuits that have only one pathway over which electricity can travel and learn this is a series circuit.
- Students build circuits that have more than one pathway over which electricity will travel and learn this is a parallel circuit.
- Students create circuit diagrams of series and parallel circuits.
3. Lesson Set-Up and Management
Materials:
- You may want to have additional materials ready in case students want to build circuits that have more than two batteries or bulbs.
- Make transparencies of Figures: 11-1, 11-2, 11-3, and 11-4.
 |
 |
 |
| Parallel circuit with two batteries. | Parallel circuit with two bulbs | Building a parallel circuit. |
 |
 |
|
| Series circuit with two bulbs | Series circuit with two batteries. |
Student Management:
- Students should record the two circuit diagrams provided (Procedure steps 2 and 3) in their notebooks; if they record these over a T-chart, they are better able to organize their observations (Procedure step 4).
- Use the transparencies to display Figures 11-1 and 11-2 instead of writing on the board.
- After agreeing on the criteria for standard brightness in Procedure step 5, have one group create the series circuit and another group create the parallel circuit. This allows students to compare them directly.
- Have students finger trace over their diagrams to follow the pathway the electricity can follow. This helps them to see how many pathways exist and the difference between series and parallel circuits.
- Provide students ample opportunities to create multiple series and parallel circuits in this lesson and over the next several lessons; they need several varied experiences in order to build on their understanding. You can even do this as an extension exploration lesson.
- As an extension of the lesson, show students the circuit diagrams of Figures 11-3 and 11-4 and have them build them. Have students record these in their notebooks and label the type of circuit. You can use this as an assessment of student understanding of the terms.
- Do the extension science activity, experimenting to see which circuit will last the longest. It is a good opportunity to have students plan a controlled investigation and helps students meet the inquiry standards. Have students volunteer to bring in (or purchase yourself) new batteries; use new bulbs if possible. These are controlled variables.
Writing Support:
- Focus Question: What happens if you have more than one battery in a circuit? More than one bulb?
- A Box and T-Chart can help students see the differences and similarities between series and parallel circuits. Do this before providing the terms and after students have identified that series has 1 pathway and parallel has more than 1 pathway. If you begin with a T-chart to write observations, you can add the box toward the end of the lesson.
- Add series circuit and parallel circuit to the vocabulary chart.
Reading Support:
- The book Amazing Electricity by Sally Hewitt is a good connection to the concepts presented in the lesson.
Math Support:
- Have students create a data table to record the results of the extension investigation.
- Construct a graph to display the results of the investigation.