Mackenzie Wright

Paper Circuits

Objective:
Students will make a simple circuit with a switch to illuminate an LED light that is
incorporated in a student designed piece of art.
Age of Students:
This activity is primarily targeted towards students ranging from 4th-6th grade.
Materials:
• construction paper
• markers
• scissors
• copper foil/conductive tape (approximately cut into 2 in strips)
• 10 mm tinted LED lights
• coin lithium batteries, 220mAh
Directions:
1. Have students think of a design to draw on their construction paper with markers and be
thoughtful of where they would like to place their LED light.
2. After students have made their drawing, they will cut a small hole where they want to
place their tinted LED light.
3. Students will then place the prongs of their LED light through the hole, turn their paper
over and fold down the prongs like the prongs of a brad.
4. Using the copper tape, students will make a rectangle that:
a) has a small opening on one side.
b) makes a break where the LED light is placed (the tape should stop on one prong
and a new piece of tape should be started on the second prong, making sure it is
not one continuous piece of tape over the prongs).
c) is extended on one side, so when folded over, the copper tape will come in contact
with the coin battery.
5. Students should place their coin battery, negative side down, on the shorter side of the
rectangle where the circuit has a break.
6. Students will fold over a corner of their construction paper so that the extended copper
tape makes contact with the coin battery, closing the circuit and lighting the LED light.