Electric Circuits
Lesson 14
Working with a Diode
Students explore semiconductor diodes.
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.
- Students experiment with a semiconductor diode and discover that is allows energy to pass in one direction, but not the other.
3. Lesson Set-Up and Management
Materials:
- Experiment with the diode yourself to get a feel for how it works..
Student Management:
- Allow for free exploration and ask for students to discover something interesting about the device in front of them.
- Make sure students try the diode both directions; students often try it one way and determine that is does not work, but do not try the other direction
- Have students record their observations in their science notebook.
- A good analogy to help students understand a diode is that of a one-way street.
- This lesson is a great extension of Lesson 7. It can be moved and incorporated as students finish testing their conductors and insulators.
- If using Lesson 14 as an extension of Lesson 7, have the diodes available for students to explore as they finish testing the materials in their bags.
Writing Support:
- Focus Question: When might it be necessary to control the direction that electricity flows? Why?
- This question can be used as a reflection after discussing various places diodes are used.
Last updated 6/17/2009