Electricity and Circuits

I teach the 5-7 year olds some basic concepts about electricity and circuits. The teachers who work with the older children at our school build on this knowledge as the children grow.  I would rather say that I like to help the students "uncover" concepts.  I introduce some basics, but I think they learn more from doing, exploring, and experimenting. I try to get them ample time to do this.  Often after introducing an activity and having a lesson, I put the materials out for use during free choice time.  We call this "shelf work" and try to model the Montessori style of offering activities.  Many of the children this year have caught onto this method and will often say, "Will this be out for shelf work later?"  I have gotten in the habit of saying, "This is just an introduction.  We will have this activity on the shelf for shelf work later."

I start this unit by teaching the children about the positive and negative sides of a battery.  I explain that there are electrons in each battery and we can use these to provide electricity.  First we use a small motor and a D size battery.  The children learn that they must connect the motor wires to a positive and negative side of the battery to make the motor run.  During this time, I am constantly talking about allowing the electrons to flow in a circuit.  The children test this by trying to put both wires from the motor on the positive side of the battery and then both on the negative. They try putting the wires on the middle of the battery.  They find that one wire must be on the positive side and one wire must be on the negative side for the battery to run or to allow the electrons to flow in a circuit.  I talk about how the circuit is like a "circle," but it doesn't have to be an exact circle for the electrons to flow.

Next, we attach wires to the motor wires and to the battery.  I use the boards pictured below that I got years ago from Foss.  These boards make the whole process so much easier for the children.  We practice touching the two wires together to "make the circuit" and "break the circuit" by moving them apart.  I allow the children ample time to try "making the circuit" and "breaking the circuit."  I constantly repeat that we are allowing the electrons to flow through the circuit.  Sometimes a child will say, "Mine is not working."  I take a look at the child's board and find where the circuit is broken and point it out.  I say, "Look, your circuit is broken here.  You have to have a circuit for the electrons to flow."  I will also show them the two wires that we are touching together to make the circuit apart while asking, "Can the electrons jump from here to here?"  They see the space in between and realize that they can't.  The circuit is broken.

The next day, I have the children test conductors and insulators using this great Foss Kit.  They simple touch the two testing wires to a material to see if the electrons can flow through.  They test a variety of materials such as sponges and nails.  They get so good at predicting what we allow the electrons to flow and what will not.  The boards from Foss also have a place to attach yarn so the children can go around the room and test materials.

I am very careful to talk to the children about safety.  I have them promise to never put anything into the electrical plugs on the walls at school or home.  We talk about how dangerous this is and how the battery we are using does not have as many electrons as the power from the wall plug.  They all know that wall plugs are dangerous and will tell me everything they know about it.  Someone will always talk about how he or she plugs things in at home.  I usually ask, What part on the cord do you touch?"  The person says the plastic and that leads into a discussion about conductors and insulators.  Then we talk about electrical safety around in and around water.  We talk about why we have to get out of the water and stop swimming when we hear thunder or see lightning.  We talk about going indoors when we hear thunder or see lightning.  This also reinforces why they can touch the plastic insulators on our wires on our circuit boards.

The Foss Kit comes with switches that we can install.  We practice with these and then talk about how the light switch on our wall is making and breaking the circuit.  I then introduce our Snap Circuit kits.  I show the children the metal conductors on the under side of the Snap Circuit pieces.  We look for all of the metal and then note that their is plastic on the outside.  This is the part we touch when putting the Snap Circuits together.  The kits I purchased make 101 different projects.  I start with a simple light bulb and switch.  Then we try the motor instead of the light bulb.  This year the group has enjoyed making all sorts of configurations with these.  Several of the children told me that they have Snap Circuits at home.

Making a circuit.

Making a circuit.

Adding a switch.

Testing conductors and insulators.

Testing conductors and insulators.

Testing conductors and insulators.

Testing conductors and insulators.

Snap Circuit Kits

Snap Circuits with a motor and switch.

Snap Circuits with light bulb and switch.

I love this piece of writing one of my students created explaining electricity and circuits.  She did a great job.

Update 10/19/13

Just found an excellent idea from Nyla's Crafty Teaching for making your own Conductor or Insulator Testing Board.  Check it out at:   http://mscraftynyla.blogspot.com/2013/10/conductor-or-insulator-science.html