Year 34 A3 Science Electricity (Y4)

Year 3/4 Key Skills to be covered

Pupils should be taught to:
• Identify common appliances that run on electricity
• Construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts, including cells, wires, bulbs, switches and buzzers
• Identify whether or not a lamp will light in a simple series circuit, based on whether or not the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery
• Recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit and associate this with whether or not a lamp lights in a simple series circuit
• Recognise some common conductors and insulators, and associate metals with being good conductors
• Drawings, photographs and diagrams can be used to represent circuits (although standard symbols need not be introduced until UKS2).

Pupils should be taught that:

• Electricity can be dangerous.
• Electricity sources can be mains or battery.
• Batteries ‘push’ electricity round a circuit and can make bulbs, buzzers and motors work.
• Faults in circuits can be found by methodically testing connections.

Possible Cross-curricular links, especially opportunities for English, Mathematics and Computing within teaching:
English links • Report writing- record your predictions and findings.
• Instructions- how to build a simple circuit.
Mathematics links •
Computing links • Internet research
Other links
Possible Experiences including visits/visitors/other:
Consider what could augment your planning to really enthuse the children in your class:
• EDF visit to Power station.

Display/Resources ideas:
Consider what resources could be brought into the classroom and what display work could be completed either before/during or after topic is taught:
Materials for testing as insulators/conductors
Circuit displays – light up a clowns nose, light up a star etc using a simple circuit with bulb.
 Year 34 A3 Science Electricity (Y4)
Session Key Objective Possible Activities including use of Computing and other technologies, and showing at least 3 Outcomes/Evidence Possible
from skills listed differentiations of what they have extension
above learnt into
(What is it that (Where will this be homework if
you want the found? Will it be in a appropriate
children to book? Topic book? to enhance
learn?) Display? and deepen
Photographic learning
evidence?
1 • Electricity Children quickly brainstorm in pairs anything they know about electricity. Photographic evidence of Children to
sources can Explain that electricity is all around us and there are different types of electricity that occur in the world. card sorting activity. research some
be mains or different types
battery. Show children the Electricity IWB introduction. Differentiated activity of electrical
• Electricity In mixed ability pairs, children sort the Electricity Sorting Cards to sort the cards into different types of electricity. sheets to be completed appliances in
can be and stuck in Big Book preparation for
dangerous. Children discuss how they sorted the cards into different categories. How did you sort the cards? Why did you choose next session.
those categories? Were there any types of electricity that you were unsure of? Address any misconceptions and errors
WALT- Understand that have arisen during the discussion.
that there are
different types of Explain the two different types of electricity to the children. Children complete the differentiated Natural or Man-Made
electricity. Electricity Activity Sheets using the Electricity Sorting Cards to support as required.

HA- Children explain the difference between manmade and natural electricity. Ext- Children to select a type of electricity
and conduct further research using the Electricity Research Activity Sheet.
MA- Children complete the activity sheet independently.
LA- Children work in ability pairs to sort the examples given between natural and manmade electricity. Teacher support.

2 • Identify What is an Appliance? Define what an appliance is and show some examples. Photos of Appliance cards
common sorting activity
appliances In mixed ability pairs children are to sort the Appliances Cards into those that use electricity and those that don’t.
that run on Children take a picture to record their response. Completed Venn
electricity diagrams
• Electricity Show correctly ordered cards on the IWB. Children remove the cards they identified incorrectly. Which appliances did
can be you think used electricity? Which did you think did not use electricity? Can you explain why? Address misconceptions
dangerous. and errors arising from the children’s examples and explanations.
Children place the cards correctly and take another picture. These should be used as a record of their learning for this
WALT- Identify activity. Also an adult should sort the Appliances Cards for use in the Individual Activity.
electrical appliances
and the types of Read information about the different two different types of electricity and how they supply electricity to the appliances
electricity they use. we use.

HA- Children are given all the Appliances Cards and they need to place them within and outside the Venn diagram as
 Year 34 A3 Science Electricity (Y4)
appropriate, to show whether they are mains powered or battery powered. Children compare the appliances they have
categorised on the Mains or Battery? Activity Sheets. Is there a pattern? Why do some appliances use a battery and
others use mains electricity? Ext- Can you think of your own examples to add to the Venn diagram?
MA- Children are only given the Appliances Cards which show electrical appliances and they need to complete a
Venn diagram.
LA- Children are only given the Appliances Cards which show electrical appliances.

Go to the Switched on Kids website and look at the different parts of the home. Children identify the dangers in each
room and give reasons why. Check by clicking on the ‘dangers’ they identify.

3 • Construct a Show the main components of an electrical circuit on the IWB. Children label the pictures. What do these components Differentiated Complete
simple series do? and Incomplete Circuits
electrical Show children the children the difference between a complete and an incomplete circuit. What are the similarities and activity sheet.
circuit, differences between the complete and incomplete circuit?
identifying Photographic evidence of
and naming Using the Complete and Incomplete Circuits Activity Sheet, children predict which circuits will light the bulb because children using practical
its basic they are complete and which will not. They will then create circuits to test their predictions. resources to experiment
parts, circuit making.
including HA- Children predict and test four circuits and then draw own circuits, predicting if they are complete or incomplete
cells, wires, before testing them. Ext- Create a poster explaining the difference between a complete and incomplete circuit. Ipad video of class
bulbs, MA- Children make predictions and then test circuits. showing difference in the
switches LA- Children test the circuits without predicting and then write down if the circuit was complete or incomplete next to movement of free
and buzzers the picture. electrons in complete and
incomplete circuits.
Show children a range of circuits on the Lesson Presentation. Children state whether it is a complete or incomplete
• Identify circuit and why.
whether or
not a lamp Extra activity if time- Using the Circuits Headbands, children create a whole class video showing the difference in the
will light in a movement of free electrons in a complete and incomplete circuit.
simple series
circuit,
based on
whether or
not the lamp
is part of a
complete
loop with a
battery

• Batteries
‘push’
electricity
round a
circuit and
can make
bulbs,
 Year 34 A3 Science Electricity (Y4)
buzzers and
motors
work.

WALT- Identify
complete and
incomplete circuits.
4 • Recognise In pairs, children match Parts of a Circuit Cards of the different parts of a circuit that they have used so far. Photographic evidence of
some children using their
common In small groups, children to be given a small range of items and to label the material it is made from. Children present circuits to test whether
conductors their items to the whole class. Identify any misconceptions and errors relating to their understanding of materials, in materials are insulators
and particular ensure that the most specific term is used – e.g. silver instead of metal. or conductors.
insulators,
and Explain the difference between insulators an conductors. Recorded findings on
associate Insulators and
metals with Mixed ability groups- Children construct a simple circuit as shown on the Lesson Presentation before testing a range of Conductors Activity
being good materials. Children record findings on the Insulators and Conductors Activity Sheet. Adult support as required. sheet.
conductors
Children feedback their findings to construct a whole class table on the Lesson Presentation or on working wall. (If using
WALT- identify and working wall then it is recommended that samples of the materials the children tested are available for display purposes).
sort materials into What if we have conflicting results? What should we do to find out? Why is checking results important?
electrical conductors
or insulators. Children test themselves on their knowledge of conductors and insulators using the Conductors and Insulators Quiz.

5 • Recognise Children match the Parts of a Circuit Cards. Which cards are new to you? What do those parts do? Photographic evidence of Investigate
that a switch children investigating switches
opens and Bulbs, Buzzers and Motors: Show examples on the Lesson Presentation of appliances that use a bulb, buzzer and a circuits. around the
closes a motor powered by electricity. What examples of circuits, which include bulbs/buzzers/ motors, do you know about? school and
circuit and Children discuss ideas with partners before feeding back to the class. Circuits and Switches home. Is there
associate Activity sheets- a pattern in
this with Create 3 complete circuits (one with a bulb, one with a buzzer and one with a motor). State that all of these circuits work differentiated- to record terms of the
whether or and are complete. Then ask the following questions: Do you want your door bell ringing constantly? Would you want the results. types of
not a lamp lights in your house to be on all the time? Why? Why not? What are the practical problems of complete circuits in switches used?
lights in a everyday life? (Break the circuits for the buzzer and motor as this may prove distracting during the discussion.) Photos and sheets can be Why might one
simple series stuck in Big Books type of switch
circuit Switches: Children match pictures and names of different types of switches. Explain the difference between a circuit be preferable
with a switch and an incomplete circuit. to another?
WALT- Investigate
how a switch works Switches Investigation: Children investigate how circuits are created using a switch and record using the differentiated
Circuits and Switches Activity Sheet. Children use pictorial symbols to represent the circuits they have created, tested
and revised if necessary. Children use either a motor, buzzer or a bulb to create their circuit as emphasis is on the
position of the switch in the circuit. (Equally only one type of switch is needed for the investigation.)

HA- Children to find as many different ways to create a circuit with a switch as they can. Children record whether circuits
worked or not and explain why.
 Year 34 A3 Science Electricity (Y4)
MA- Children are given 2 Circuits and Switches Cards before creating and drawing 2 different circuits that include a
switch.
LA- Working in pairs, children use Circuits and Switches Cards to create and test circuits with switches that work.

HA children feedback on how many different circuits they could create. Use a visualiser (if available) to show the circuits
to all children (alternatively a carpet session with children in a circle would enable real circuits to be created and
compared). Other children to check their own work to see if they have created any other combinations of a complete
circuit with a switch. Does the position of the switch matter? Why? Why not? Address any misconceptions here as the
switch should work in a complete circuit no matter where it is placed. Create the circuit again if necessary to determine if
the circuit was complete or incomplete to begin with.

6 • Faults in Go through lesson presentation. Recording of Switch Children

circuits can investigation. research
be found by Children match pictures of switches with their names. unusual switch
methodically Photos of children designs and
testing Paired- Which kinds of switches do we have in the classroom? Children investigate the different types of switches in the working practically with record them on
connections. classroom with a partner and report back. Why do you think we have these switches rather than other types? the resources to test their the New Switch
• Drawings, switches. Research
photographs Mixed ability groups- Introduce the investigation to the class. Discuss how children will need to make switches using the Activity Sheet.
and Switches Cards and record how easily they can break and reconnect the circuit on the Investigating Switches Activity
diagrams Sheet. Before making switches children need to record their groups’ prediction. Then answer whether their prediction
can be used was correct or incorrect. Adult support as required.
to represent
circuits
(although Groups report their findings back to the whole class. Which type of switch did you find was the fastest/slowest to break
standard and reconnect the circuit? Why?
symbols
need not be Extra Activity- Children design a new type of switch. Create the switch they have designed and evaluate it using
introduced Designing a New Switch Activity Sheet and New Switch Evaluation Activity Sheet.
until UKS2).

WALT- Record and

report on an
investigation