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Science topics ages 8 - 9
Circuits and conductors
Curriculum
relevance | Online lesson plan
Offline lesson
plan | Worksheet | Activity |
Quiz
Online lesson plan
Objectives
Understand the conductivity of different materials and the effect of changing
the power source
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National Curriculum
England: Key Stage 2, Science, Sc3 1c, Sc4 1b
Wales: Key Stage 2, Materials and their properties 1.3, Physical processes
1.3
Northern Ireland: Key Stage 2, Physical processes, Electricity, c, d
Scotland: 5-14 Guidelines, Science, Properties and uses of energy Level C,
Level D
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Resources required
Online activity from Science Clips website: Circuits and conductors
Range of electrical components: batteries, wire, bulbs
Range of materials: non-conductors (e.g. chalk, rubber), conductors (e.g.
coin, key)
Copies of the Circuits and conductors worksheet from the Science Clips
website
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Teaching activities
Introduction
Ask the children to name as many electrical components as they can. Write
these on the board. Show the real electrical components and see if children can
match them to the words. What is the function of each? Ask children to name the
materials the components are made from (metal, plastic and glass). Which parts
are made of what and why? Elicit that the connections within the circuit itself
are all made of metal because electricity flows through metal. Write the words
conduct and conductor on the whiteboard. Are all metals conductors? Are only
metals conductors? Accept all answers and ask them how they could find out.
Activities
Tell the children they are to carry out an online experiment to find out which
materials conduct electricity and which materials do not. On the interactive
whiteboard, bring up the Circuits and conductors online activity. Talk through
the circuit that is displayed and why the bulb is not currently alight (there
are gaps in the circuit). Show children how to fill the gaps with objects from
the menu. Read aloud the tasks on the screen and ask children how they would go
about each one. Once children understand what to do, divide the class into
groups with a computer for each group. Ask each group to work through the tasks
and keep a record of 1) which objects complete the circuit, lighting the bulb,
and which do not, and 2) which number of batteries and bulbs make the bulb
brightest or dimmest.
Plenary
Which objects completed the circuit? Which objects did not complete the
circuit? Revisit the questions posed at the end of the introduction in the
light of the experiment results. What was the effect of increasing the number
of batteries in the circuit? What was the effect of increasing the number of
bulbs?
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Extension
Hand out copies of the worksheet. Tell children to look carefully at each
circuit and write whether the bulb would be off, on dimly or on brightly. When children understand what to do, allow them to complete the
sheet independently.
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Suggested homework
Compose a poster showing the dangers of mains electricity.
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