ELECTRICITY &

ELECTRICAL DEVICES
Grade 6, Understanding Matter and Energy
By Chantal Manna
 CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONS

01 02 03
SCIENCE & LANGUAGE THE
TECHNOLOGY ENGLISH ARTS
Understanding Matter & Writing, Reading & Oral Visual Arts (The creative
Energy Communication process)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACTION 02
Viewing YouTube clip about
safely; Potato Experiment;
Group task sheet.
MINDS ON 01 CONSOLIDATION 03
Reading Oscar & the Bird: A Discussion about
Book about Electricity Troubleshooting problems;
Group presentations of
storyboard to Grade 1
students
LESSON OBJECTIVES
Science:

● Understand appropriate behaviour and safety precautions when using electricity;

● Reflect on the impact electricity has on our lives and the environment;
● Understand the properties of electrical energy (the flow of positive and negative electrons);
● Construct simple and parallel circuits using copper wire, tin nail and potatoes.

Language

● Generate, gather and organize ideas to write for the intended audience (Grade 1 science students)
● Edit, revise, and use publishing skills to present work effectively.

The Arts:

● Apply the creative process to produce a two-dimensional artwork

● Reflect, respond and analyse (apply the critical process) to respond to peers’ artworks
01
MINDS ON
OSCAR & THE BIRD
A Book about Electricity
^ To be read by the teacher in class. Also,
play back this video to watch a video of it
being read aloud by a member of staff of the
South Florida Science Centre.
 CIRCUITS EXPLAINED BY THE BIRD
Let’s discuss what we learned about circuits from the bird?

e
o
th 02 03
at d and n?
h a What do I do with What do I need to
W plus me my wires? Why? install to ensure there
us
in aren’t any gaps in the
m
flow of electricity?

01 VOILÀ !
Grab a power How does my light
source! List some turn on?
examples mentioned
in the story.
 LET’S TURN
ON
THE LEARNING!
 02
ACTION:
ELECTRICITY
Review of safety procedures &
potato experiment.
 STOP!
SAFETY FIRST
When working with electronics there is a risk of electrocution. Never
handle anything higher than 36 volts. If you are unsure, consult an adult
(teacher or parent).
● Ensure environment your hands are dry;
● Ensure material is in good working order;
● Be aware of hot surfaces (ex: lightbulbs);
● Ensure everyone is aware of the appropriate procedures to follow in
case of an accident or unexpected outcome.
Source:
http://www.ontariodirectors.ca/downloads/health_and_safety/English_Guides_Dec_3_2013/Elementary%20Science%20and%20Tec
h%20Gr%207%20and%20Revised%20Draft%20Nov%2025.pdf
BUILDING A
POTATO
BATTERY
This is a simple circuit.
Let’s think about
everything going on...
HOW BATTERIES WORKS
 VOCABULARY REVIEW
THE CURRENT
A flow of electricity which results
from the ordered directional
movement of electrically charged
particles
THE LOAD (THE LIGHT)
The thing being powered by
the electricity in a circuit.
Can be any of the gadgets
used everyday.
THE SWITCH
The thing that breaks or
allows the continuous
stream of electrons to flow.

CONNECTORS POWER SOURCE

Connect all the parts and create
a path or look the electricity
travels through (often made of
wire or other metals). This is
where the electrons flow.
(Hint: the potato!) It is where the
chemical reaction takes place,
enabling the electricity to flow
through the circuit.
.
SERIES CIRCUITS
PARALLEL CIRCUITS
 LAB PROCEDURE (SEE ACTIVITY SHEET)
1. Gather necessary materials to build your group’s potato circuit.
2. Open the question worksheet and begin answering questions that will guide your thinking
towards the assembling of your own potato battery circuit (question 8)

POTATO BATTERY PROCEDURE (QUESTION 9):

● Place a copper penny and galvanized nail into opposite sides of your potato.
● Attach conductor wires to the penny and the nail
○ You will want to measure the current first, connecting them to the class multimeter
● Open the question worksheet and begin answering questions that will guide your thinking
towards the assembling of your own potato battery circuit (question 8)
● Based on your mathematical calculations, create a series circuit that powers your light bulb.
CROSS-CURRICULAR CULMINATING TASK
Premise: Geoff Waring wants your group to write a story
about Oscar and the Bird, taking place inside the barn. The
story explains why some twinkle lights in the barn have
gone out. He wants you to explain why one strand of really
old twinkle lights have all gone out (even though they are
plugged into the electrical socket). In the second, newer
strand, only one light bulb has gone out. The rest continue to
shine brightly. Which types of circuits cause this to occur?

See Activity Sheet

SUCCESS CRITERIA
LAB
● Collaborate and cooperate with
group members in our assigned
roles (research rabbit, note-taker
narwhal, time-keeping tiger and
spokesperson salamander)
● Successfully construct a simple
circuit using a potato
● Answers to the questions are
clearly recorded on tasksheet
● Create a series circuit and
understand the impact this has on
the flow of energy
CULMINATING TASK
● Collaborate and cooperate with group members in
your assigned roles (research rabbit, note-taker
narwhal, time-keeping tiger and spokesperson
salamander); you may consider switching from your
role during the lab.
● Storybook follows a clear narrative structure and
features the characters and premise outlined by Geoff
Waring (i.e. the twinkle light problem)
● The story explains the difference between parallel
and series circuits
● Finished product is attractive, neat and well thought
out
03
CONSOLIDATION
TALKING
TROUBLESHOOTING
Followed by group presentations
of stories with Grade 1s
SOLUTIONS TO TROUBLESHOOTING PROBLEMS

01. EXAMPLE 1
Insert student response

02. EXAMPLE 2
Insert student response

03. EXAMPLE 3
Insert student response
 WHOA!
Time to present each group’s
stories to the Grade 1 students!
Exciting!
A working example of my comic, using StorybaordThat… But it’s up to
students to explain the twinkle light problem outlined in the lab report.
References
Council of Ontario Directors of Education. (2013). Students Safety in Elementary Science
and Technology Grades 7 and 8. Retrieved from,
https://docs.google.com/document/d/18NGEQ8KLLNSetP30JeT-xuM-fSTkEJNyxRoH9VSt7
FY/edit
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006). The Ontario curriculum, Language, Grades 1-8
(revised). Retrieved from
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/language18currb.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2009). The Ontario Curriculum, The Arts, Grades 1-8
(revised). Retrieved from
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/arts18b09curr.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education. 2007. Science and Technology Curriculum, Grades 1 - 8
(revised). Retrieved from:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/scientec18currb.pdf
THANKS A LOT!
Do you have any questions?

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