5 E Model: Middle Childhood

“Simple Circuits”

Lesson Plan by: Kelly Harp

Intended Grade: 4th

Length: 60 minutes

Reference: My own knowledge and

http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/fellows/ullrich/webquest/ScienceLesson.html

Academic Standard:
Science
4.2.3 Make simple and safe electrical connections with various plugs, sockets, and
terminals.

Performance Objectives:

Students will be able to construct a working simple circuit when provided with wire, a
light bulb, and a battery.

Assessment:
The teacher will take note of the students who were successful in constructing a working
simple circuit. This will not be for a grade, but rather participation considering it is their
first time attempting to make a circuit.

Advanced Preparation by Teacher:

Gather the following material: batteries, wires, light bulbs, circuit worksheet, and
circuit transparency, Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary

Procedure:
Introduction/Motivation:

Engage

1. Read section of Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary where Leigh Botts wants to
build a burglar alarm on his lunch box.
2. “How do you think Leigh might be able to build an alarm for his lunch box?” (He
could use wires and a bell. I think he would also need a battery for power.)
(Bloom’s evaluation)

Step-by-step plan:

Explore

1. “Today we are going to continue our investigation of electricity.”

 2. “I am going to distribute to you a package of materials; using the wire, light bulb,
and battery I want you to put them together to make the bulb light.” (Bloom’s
synthesis) (Gardner’s bodily kinesthetic intelligence)
3. While distributing the materials, have the students take out a piece of paper and
draw a setup, which they think will light the bulb. Inform them that they will be
testing the setup when they get into groups.

4. Next direct the students into groups. Have them share their diagrams and ideas.
After each member of the group has shared, they may begin to construct the setup
and test them. (Gardner’s interpersonal intelligence)
5. Have the students note, on paper, whether your setup worked or not. If your group
did not have any working setups, continue to investigate and build one that does
work. Then the group will draw a diagram of the working model. (Gardner’s
linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences) (Bloom’s application)
6. The teacher will walk around at this time to observe the students working and
asking questions. Some of the questions to ask the students could include: Why
did you decide to do it that way? (Bloom’s comprehension) Why do think that
works/ does not work? (Bloom’s analysis) Can you design another setup that is
different and will still work? (Bloom’s application) Is there anything special that
you should know about the light bulb to make it light? (Bloom’s evaluation)

Explain

1. Have students share successes and failures by diagramming them on the board.
Have students explain why they work. (Gardner’s linguistic and logical-
mathematical) Discuss the similarities of each model that worked.
2. Introduce the term "circuit" and define as the pathway from the energy source
through the wire to the bulb and back to the battery. Emphasize that it is a
complete pathway without any breaks in it. The teacher will then trace some of
the successful diagrams to demonstrate.
3. Next, identify this as a simple circuit and label the parts (energy source, pathway,
appliance).
4. Then, examine the diagrams of those that did not work. Guide the students
determine why they did not work. Here are some guiding questions to ask: Is part
of the circuit missing? (No) Are they all connected? (Yes) Then why isn’t the
bulb lit? (It is not in the correct order.) How can we fix that? (Take suggestions
from students and try them.) (Bloom’ comprehension, application, analysis)
5. Suggest that they take a look inside a light bulb and to see if they can understand
it a little better. Show transparency of light bulb paying particular attention to the
filament. Point out that the filament is connected at the bottom and the side;
therefore the wires must be touching those two areas. Why does the wire have to
touch these areas? (It must touch here to form a complete circuit for the energy to
move through.)
6. Explain that a complete circuit that delivers energy to an appliance is called a
closed circuit; use the analogy of a closed circle. Ask, “What would happen if I
erased part of this circle?” (Bloom’s application) (It would be incomplete and we
couldn’t travel all the way around it.) Express that the same thing would happen
in an electrical circuit. The energy would not reach the appliance. Tell the class
that this is called an open circuit. Give the class this helpful way of remember
 which each circuit is called. “A closed circuit is complete. (Both start with C.) An
open circuit is incomplete. (Both start with a vowel.)
7. Explain that there are switches used to turn on and off electricity without having
to disconnect the wires. Show the students a flashlight. Then turn it on and off a
few times. Ask the students if they have ever stopped to think how a flashlight
works?

Elaborate

1. Have students work with their group to determine how it works and be able to
explain it using the terms we have just learned.
2. Distribute flashlights and allow groups to investigate how they work. (Gardner’s
interpersonal and logical mathematical intelligences)
3. Each group will need to select a spokesperson to explain their group’s theory as to
how the flashlight works. The teacher should then identify groups with correct
explanation. (Gardner’s linguistic intelligences)

Closure:

Evaluate

1. Distribute circuit worksheet and have students complete independently. The

worksheet asks the students to draw a simple circuit.
2. Then put students back into groups and allow them to test the answers on their
worksheet using the materials.
3. Review the main points of the lesson. Place the transparency on the overhead and
have the students correctly identify the parts of the circuit. Have students define
open and closed circuit. (An open circuit does not provide a complete pathway for
the energy; therefore the appliance will not work. A closed circuit provides
complete pathway for the energy, therefore the appliance will work.)
4. “You all did an excellent job today and next time we will be constructing our own
switching board!”

Adaptations/ Enrichment:
Adaptation: For a student that cannot successful work in a group, only challenge them to
work in a group part of the activity. In case of a really low level student, have a set of
directions for them to create the circuit. However, push them in the beginning to create
the circuit on their own.
Enrichment: Let student choose from other materials to see if the circuit will continue
working when it has other material connecting it. Challenge the student to create a
switch on their circuit.

Self-Reflection:

Have did the activity go? Did the students like it and what aspects? Did they enjoy
trying to figure out how to create a circuit without any initial instruction? Were the
students successful at creating a circuit? When asked to review at the end of the lesson,
did the students correctly identify the parts of the circuit and define open and closed
circuit? What would I do the same or different when teaching this again?